The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Wednesday said the outbreak linked to Listeria-tainted cantaloupe has killed 23 of the 116 people sickened, and that four of the illnesses are related to pregnancies. In its latest update, the CDC added 7 more confirmed cases and two deaths, both from Louisiana, to the outbreak toll.
Pregnant women infected with Listeria typically experience only flu-like symptoms but the bacteria can be life-threatening to fetuses or newborn children. The CDC said that one outbreak-related illness had been diagnosed in a newborn, and three were diagnosed in pregnant women. One pregnant woman with listeriosis had a miscarriage.
Lab-confirmed cases of Listeria infection remain relatively rare in the U.S. - about 800 cases are reported each year - but Listeria monoctyogenes is a particularly virulent species of bacteria that can be fatal. The high cost of this outbreak is evident by the 20 percent death rate.
Resources:Bor S. Luh Food Safety Research Center