About the Latest Listeria Monocytogenes Cantaloupe Outbreak:

A fast spreading contagion of bacteria filled cantaloupe originating in Colorado and has now reached 15 states.  Learn how you can protect yourself with this primer on  the listeria monocytogenes bacteria. 

What is Listeria Monocytogenes?

Listeria is a pathogenic bacteria that resists temperature extremes and can be caught by people and cause death and severe sickness. 

Where does Listeria come from?

Listeria can be found in dirt, animals, and water supplies.  Because many animals show no symptoms, the Listeria Monocytogenes germs can easily be transferred in the form of raw meat, produce, and dairy.  It is not susceptible to cold temperatures so can survive outside temperatures or that of a refrigerator.  As many as 12% of people may be carriers. When listeria gets into a factory environment it can live for several years according to the Federal Drug Administration 

How can I protect myself from Listeria Monocytogenes?

Keep food safe in the same way you would protecting against other bacteria which includes cooking meat to the USDA’s recommended temperature and washing all raw fruit and produce. Also remember to keep your refrigerator below 38 degrees Fahrenheit and eat leftovers within two days. 

How did it get inside of Cantaloupes?

Cantaloupes are porous. Their surfaces can become infected by listeria when dirt or rinsing water seeps through their skin. Any bacterium that remains on the outside can be transferred from the shell to the inside when the fruit is sliced open by a knife or handled. 

I’ve eaten a cantaloupe! What should I do?

Your risk of developing listeriosis is extremely low, even if the cantaloupe you ate was contaminated. If you do not have any symptoms you’re most likely in the clear. However, if you’re in one of the high risk groups and showed symptoms up to two months after eating a possibly contaminated product, contact your doctor. 

Has this happened before?

About 800 cases of Listeria infection are diagnosed each year in the United States, along with three or four outbreaks of Listeria-associated foodborne illness. A multi-state outbreak of listeria from contaminated hot dogs and deli meats occurred in 1998, killing 21. Between 1998 and June 2009, 48 deaths from listeria-caused illnesses were reported by the CDC’s Foodborne Outbreak Online Database. 

Who is most at risk?

Listeriosis primarily affects the elderly, pregnant women, newborns, and people with weakened immune systems. In the U.S., an estimated 1,600 people become seriously ill each year; approximately 16% of these illnesses result in death. Cervical infections caused by listeriosis in pregnant women may result in spontaneous abortion during the second or third trimesters or stillbirth. 

What are the symptoms of listeriosis?

The early symptoms of listeriosis are similar to those of the flu with nausea, muscle aches and a high fever. Gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea may also appear. The length of time between infection and the appearance of symptoms is unknown.