Of the 12 reported listeria cases, nine have been linked to individuals who have eaten cantaloupe, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) announced. One of them died. There are also two cases in Texas and one in Nebraska, also linked to cantaloupe consumption. Preliminary results point to cantaloupe as the likely source.

There have been two deaths in Colorado from listeriosis, but only one is due to having consumed cantaloupe.

CDPHE chief medical officer, Dr. Chris Urbina, says they do not yet know where the melons were sold.

Dr. Urbina said:

“While the investigation into the source of the listeria outbreak is continuing, it is prudent for people who are at high risk for listeria infection to avoid consumption of cantaloupe.”

The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) says it is liaising with the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and the USDA’s Food Safety Inspection Service.

Colorado usually has approximately ten reported listeriosis cases annually.

Authorities say all the people who became ill were hospitalized. Confirmed cases of listeriosis have occurred in the following Colorado counties:

    Larimer, Boulder, Adams, Douglas, Arapahoe, Denver, El Paso, Jefferson, and Weld.

Patients’ average age is 84, but they range from 30s to 90s. Most of them are female.

Dr. Urbina said:

“While the initial investigation has identified cantaloupe as a common food item the ill people reported eating, it also is important for people at high risk to follow the standard CDC guidance about Listeria.

People can decrease their risk of Listeria infection by avoiding deli meats unless reheated to an internal temperature of 165 F, refrigerated pâté or meat spreads, refrigerated smoked seafood, and soft cheeses such as queso fresco and brie unless they are made with pasteurized milk.”

Listeriosis is an illness caused by being infected with Listeria monocytogenes, a bacterium. Humans can become ill by eating contaminated food. Listeriosis is much less common than other foodborne diseases.

Pregnant women are more susceptible to infection than the rest of the population. An infected pregnant woman has a greater risk of premature delivery, infecting her newborns, and losing her baby.

Most listeriosis cases are non-invasive, and the patient will experience fever, muscle pain, and sometimes diarrhea.

Individuals with weak immune systems have a higher risk of invasive listeriosis, a very serious medical condition that requires immediate hospitalization so that the patient is treated aggressively with antibiotics. Approximately 35% of patients with invasive listeriosis die due to complications.

In most cases, listeriosis symptoms pass within three days without the need for treatment. Symptoms include fever, nausea, muscle aches, and possibly diarrhea. If the infection reaches the nervous system the patients may experience headache, confusion, stiff neck, loss of balance, or convulsions.

Meats, vegetables and other foods can become contaminated with bacteria if they come in contact with contaminated manure or soil. Raw milk, as wll as products made from raw milk may also carry listeria.

Written by Christian Nordqvist Sources: Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment