Listeria case confirmed

A RECENT case of listeria in Tasmania has been officially linked to a national outbreak of the illness, authorities have confirmed.

An outbreak of the illness linked to a rockmelon grower at Nericon, near Griffith in NSW, has resulted in 13 confirmed cases of the illness among elderly people.

So far two people from NSW and one Victorian have died with three Queenslanders sent to hospital. A further two cases on top of the 13 were not related to rockmelon.

Public Health acting director Scott McKeown said that test results for one Tasmanian case had confirmed the link

“Fortunately the individual was treated for the infection and has since recovered,” he said.

Listeria is a bacteria in the environment and can cause serious illness or death for people with weak immune systems, including those over 70, pregnant women and people with diabetes or cancer.

The NSW grower has voluntarily ceased production but rockmelons have still been distributed to Tasmania, where they are being removed from supermarkets to prevent any further cases.

Australian Melon Associ- ation’s Dianne Fullelove said the grower would need to meet the requirements set by the NSW Food Authority before resuming production.

Crisis talks were held between the association and retailers across the country yesterday, with the melon industry agreeing to review how it packs its fruit.

Ms Fullelove said following the meeting, current rockmelon suppliers were asked to pro- duce evidence their fruit was uncontaminated.

Dr McKeown said people who are vulnerable to listeria must avoid eating rockmelons already in their home.

“As a precaution, consumers should throw away any rockmelons in their home bought before March 1 by double bagging them in plastic and placing in the rubbish bin.”

Listeria starts with fever, chills, muscle aches, nausea, and sometimes diarrhoea. The symptoms can appear up to six weeks after eating contaminated food. Foods that pose a risk include: precut rockmelon or watermelon; prepacked cold salads including coleslaw and fresh fruit salad; pre-cooked cold chicken, cold delicatessen meats, pâté; raw seafood, uncooked smoked seafood; unpasteurised milk, soft cheeses; sprouted seeds or raw mushrooms.