Listeria outbreak linked to Florida kills 1 person and hospitalizes 22

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.

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. Spokespeople for Broward Health, the public healthcare system that serves central and northern Broward County, and MeOne morial 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 the organization was looking into whether it had any cases.

The outbreak was caused by a food source that has not yet been identified, the CDC said 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 might 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 to a fetus, potentially causing miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery or a lifethreatening infection of the newborn.

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

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.

Foods linked to previous outbreaks include queso fresco, strawberries, sprouts, melons and raw milk. Dr. Paula Eckardt, chief of infectious disease at Memorial Healthcare System, said the best way to protect oneself is to avoid some of these products and wash vegetables before eating them.