which illness is associated with deli meats?

Deli meats (cold cuts, lunch meats, hot dogs, and pâtés) and deli-sliced cheeses are known sources of Listeria illnesses. This is because Listeria can easily spread among food, food preparation surfaces like deli slicers, and hands.

A deadly outbreak of listeria in six states has been linked to contaminated deli meat and cheese, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Wednesday.

People at high risk of severe illness from listeria infection — such as pregnant people, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems — should not eat meat or cheese from any deli counter without first reheating it “steaming hot,” the agency suggests.

A total of 16 people have been infected, and 13 have been hospitalized, according to reports from six states. One death was reported in Maryland; another person became ill while pregnant and lost their baby, the CDC said in a statement.

To date, seven listeria infections has been reported in New York, three in Maryland, two in Illinois, two in Massachusetts, one in California and one in New Jersey. Those infected ranged in age from from 38 to 92, with an average age of 74. Over half of those sickened were men.

Most of the people identified in the outbreak so far are of Eastern European descent or speak Russian, the CDC said, adding that the agency is still investigating reasons for why the outbreak appears to be disproportionately affecting this population.

However, some infected people who got sick could have recovered without medical care, and thus their cases have gone unreported. “The true number of sick people in this outbreak is likely higher than the number reported, and the outbreak may not be limited to the states with known illnesses,” the CDC added.

In interviewing those sickened, CDC investigators found that five of the seven people in New York purchased sliced deli meat or cheese from at least one location of NetCost Market, a chain of stores selling international foods. However, that is not the only location of the illness, the CDC said, as people sickened in other states reported buying meats or cheeses from other delis.

Deli counters and food processing facilities can be a common source of listeria infection, the CDC said, as listeria can easily spread between food and equipment or surfaces and can be hard to remove.

If you have purchased deli cheese or meat, the agency recommends a careful cleaning of your refrigerator — and any containers or surfaces the meat or cheese may have touched — with hot, soapy water.

“Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any symptoms of severe Listeria illness after eating meat or cheese from a deli,” the CDC said.

Symptoms of listeria usually occur within four weeks of infection but can take as long as 70 days to appear. In some cases, the first signs of infection are diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms. Typical symptoms that follow include headache, stiff neck, fever, muscle pain, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions.

Listeria is the third leading cause of death from food poisoning in the United States, according to the CDC, and is especially dangerous for anyone older than age 65, with a weakened immune system, or pregnant.

Pregnant people are especially at risk. According to the CDC, they are 10 times more likely to get a listeria infection, and the odds are even higher for Hispanic pregnant people, who are 24 times more likely to get listeria.

On November 9, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) put out a warning that a listeria outbreak linked to deli meats (like cold cuts, lunch meats, and hot dogs) and cheeses is currently happening in the United States.

According to the CDC’s report, the current listeria outbreak has caused 16 illnesses in six states: seven infections in New York, three in Maryland, two in Massachusetts, two in Illinois, one in California, and one in New Jersey. In addition, 13 hospitalizations, one death, and one pregnancy loss have been reported.

The most recent case on the CDC’s timeline of the investigation is listed on September 29. No new cases were reported as of November 9. However, the CDC believes that more people could be sick from the outbreak than have been identified so far.

The multistate outbreak is being investigated by the CDC, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, and public health officials in several states.

Here’s what you need to know about listeria and how to keep your family safe.

In its report, the CDC explained that listeria “can easily spread among food on deli countertops, deli slicers, surfaces, and hands” and that it’s “a hardy germ that can be difficult to fully remove once it is in the deli. It can survive and grow at cold temperatures in the refrigerator.”

If you have a fridge full of sandwich fixings you’re debating tossing out, you’re probably wondering what your chances of getting listeria are. Your risk of getting listeria isn’t the only one to think about, though; you should also consider your risk of getting seriously ill from the infection.

Andrew Handel, MD, a pediatric infectious diseases expert at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital, told Verywell that the people at the highest risk for listeria infection include:

According to Handel, these groups are the most at-risk because they can’t fight off the bacteria as well as people with stronger immune systems could. If they’re exposed, they have a higher chance of developing a severe infection.

“Their immune system just isn’t able to protect them as well against that infection,” said Handel. “And that goes for pregnant women as well, who are also at high risk of having severe disease.”

If a pregnant person gets listeria, the risk goes beyond their illness. Anjali Bharati, DO, an emergency medicine physician at Lenox Health Greenwich Village, told Verywell that listeria can also cross the placenta and infect the fetus.

“In high-risk populations, the infection can spread to the blood and cause severe symptoms and sepsis,” said Bharati. “Sepsis is very concerning in high-risk populations and sometimes difficult to treat. It results in significant morbidity and sometimes death.”

According to the CDC, listeria infections can cause pregnancy loss, miscarriages, stillbirths, and preterm labor, as well as serious illness and even death in newborns.

Handel said that it’s less common—but still possible—for people who are not in high-risk groups to also get severe infections from listeria.

Staying alert about disease outbreaks and taking precautions as recommended by health officials is key to preventing foodborne illness and its consequences.

However, as Handel pointed out, learning about a new outbreak “shouldn’t necessarily change practices that people are following to stay safe.” If you’re in a high-risk group, Handel said “you should think about following precautions all the time.”

Right now, Bharati said that people in high-risk groups—particularly pregnant people—should avoid all meats and cheeses because listeria bacteria can be transmitted on slicing machines and other equipment that can be very hard to clean.

“For pregnant women, it is generally advised—no matter where you live—to avoid deli meats and cheese,” said Bharati. “If you are at high risk for severe infection and there is an outbreak, it’s best to either avoid deli meats and cheeses or bring them home and cook them to be safe.”

When you’re making a sandwich, take an extra step to stay safe. Heating deli meats and cheeses until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit kills bacteria that could make you sick.

Deli meats (cold cuts, lunch meats, hot dogs, and pâtés sold at the deli) and cheeses are known sources of Listeria illnesses. This is because Listeria can easily spread among food on deli countertops, deli slicers, surfaces, and hands. Listeria is a hardy germ that can be difficult to fully remove once it is in the deli. It can survive and grow at cold temperatures in the refrigerator.

Information collected so far shows that deli meat and cheese purchased at deli counters in multiple states are the likely sources of this outbreak.

It is difficult for investigators to identify a single food as the source of outbreaks linked to deli meats and cheeses. This is because Listeria spreads easily between food and the deli environment and can persist for a long time in deli display cases and on equipment. A contaminated food likely introduced the outbreak strain of Listeria into delis in multiple states. Investigators are working to identify any specific products or delis that may be contaminated with the outbreak strain.

You are at higher risk for severe Listeria illness if you are pregnant, aged 65 or older, or have a weakened immune system due to certain medical conditions or treatments. If you are not in these groups, you are unlikely to get very sick from Listeria. If you are at higher risk:

Follow USDA-FSIS best practices for controlling Listeria contamination in deli areas.