NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention believes deli meat is responsible for a Listeria outbreak that has been linked to at least one death.
As of Oct. 23, the CDC has determined a total of 10 people have been infected with the outbreak strain in Florida, Massachusetts, and New York.
One person in Florida died. Two people in New York and seven people in Massachusetts were hospitalized.
Those who fell ill were between 40 and 89 years old. Most of those sickened were women.
The CDC said health officials found they had all reported eating Italian-style deli meats, such as salami, mortadella, and prosciutto, in the month prior to falling ill. Symptoms typically appear 1 to 3 weeks after eating contaminated food.
The meats were both purchased prepackaged and sliced at deli counters at various locations.
The CDC is investigating whether there is a specific type of deli meat or common supplier linked to illness.
The health agency says people at a higher risk of getting sick from Listeria — pregnant women, those aged 65 years or older, or those with a weakened immune system — should avoid eating deli meats, unless they are heated to an internal temperature of 165°F or until steaming hot just before serving.
Pregnant women typically experience fever and other flu-like symptoms, such as fatigue and muscle aches. However, infections during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, or life-threatening infection of the newborn.
Others may experience headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions in addition to fever and muscle aches.
A Listeria infection is treated with antibiotics.