1 person died, 22 hospitalized in listeria outbreak linked to Florida. Here’s what to know

One person has died and 22 people have been hospitalized due to a listeria outbreak linked to Florida, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The listeria cases have been reported in 10 states, but many patients traveled to Florida the month before getting sick, according to the CDC. Florida has accounted for 12 of the 23 cases that have been reported to the CDC from January 2021 to June 2022. The bulk of the U.S. cases — 16 — have been diagnosed since January.

Five cases involved pregnant women, with one suffering a pregnancy loss.

The CDC did not indicate which regions in Florida have been linked to the outbreak. The Florida Department of Health did not respond Friday to a query from the Herald about the cases.

Spokespeople for Broward Health, the public healthcare system that serves central and northern Broward County, and Memorial Healthcare System, the public hospital district based in Hollywood, said they are not aware of any cases impacting their hospitals as of Friday. A spokesperson for Jackson Health System, the public hospital network in Miami-Dade, said Friday they were looking into whether they had any cases.

The outbreak was caused by a food source that has not yet been identified, the CDC said in a statement posted Thursday. People usually become ill with listeria after eating food that was contaminated by listeria. An estimated 1,600 people get listeria each year, and about 260 die, the CDC said.

The actual number of cases in the current outbreak is likely higher, according to the CDC. Recent illnesses may not be reported because it can take up to four weeks to determine if a patient was part of an outbreak.

Listeria can cause severe illness as the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes spreads throughout the body, according to the CDC. Newborns, those over the age of 65, the immunocompromised and pregnant women are at a higher risk for severe illness. Listeria can be transferred over to the fetus, which can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery or a life-threatening infection of the newborn.

Symptoms of intestinal illness usually start within 24 hours of eating contaminated food, and usually last one to three days. Mild symptoms mimic food poisoning, like diarrhea and fever.

Severe symptoms, which require immediate medical attention, include headaches, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, convulsions and muscle aches, according to the CDC. Those who are pregnant typically experience only fever, fatigue and muscle aches.

People should keep an eye out for CDC updates and food recalls, said Dr. Paula Eckardt, chief of infectious disease at Memorial Healthcare System. Foods linked to previous outbreaks include queso fresco, strawberries, sprouts, melons and raw milk. Eckardt said the best way to protect oneself is to be alert, avoid some of these products and wash vegetables before eating them.