Illnesses have been reported in California, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York. Eleven of the people who got sick are of Eastern European background or speak Russian, though it is not yet clear why the outbreak disproportionately affects this population.
In New York, five of the seven people who fell ill bought sliced deli meat or cheese from a NetCost Market, a grocery store chain that sells international foods. However, CDC investigators do not believe those stores are the only source of illness, because other sick people have not shopped at these markets. So far, investigators say that a contaminated food probably introduced the strain of listeria associated with this outbreak into delis in multiple states.
The first illness linked to this outbreak was reported April 17, 2021, and the most recent illness was reported Sept. 29, 2022. More recent illnesses might not have been reported yet because it generally takes three to four weeks to determine whether a sick person is part of an outbreak, according to the CDC. Because some people recover without medical care, it’s also likely that the true number of sick people is higher than the number of reported cases.
In 2021, health officials in New York found the outbreak strain of listeria in samples from a NetCost Market deli in Brooklyn, and in open packages of mortadella and ham sliced at that same Brooklyn deli. The strain was also found in sliced salami a person who later got sick bought at a NetCost Market deli in Staten Island. The Brooklyn deli was closed for a deep cleaning, and reopened after testing did not find listeria. The most recent illness linked to a NetCost Market exposure was in October 2021. However, the outbreak strain was again found in the same Brooklyn NetCost Market location in September 2022. The deli was again closed for a deep cleaning and reopened after testing.
NetCost Market has not responded to a request for a comment on the outbreak.
This outbreak is concerning, as it has spread to multiple states and there is not yet any recall to get contaminated products off the market, because they have not yet been identified, says James E. Rogers, PhD, director of food safety research and testing at Consumer Reports.
Deli meats have previously been associated with outbreaks of listeriosis, the illness caused by listeria. In recent years, listeria outbreaks have also been linked to soft cheeses, ice cream, packaged salads, mushrooms, and frozen vegetables. CR’s own tests of deli meat in New York City a few years ago found that two of 133 tested samples were positive for listeria.
About 1,600 people get sick from listeria each year in the U.S., with about 260 deaths reported per year, making listeria the third leading cause of death from foodborne illness. Symptoms can include fever, diarrhea and other gastrointestinal issues, muscle aches, and headaches. The infection can also spread to the nervous system and cause people to experience a stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions. Symptoms typically appear within two weeks of exposure to the bacteria, though they can emerge anywhere from one day to four weeks after eating contaminated food.
The people at highest risk for severe illness are people who are pregnant, adults 65 and older, and those who have a weakened immune system due to medical conditions or treatments, Rogers says.
“If you are in any of these groups, do not eat meat or cheese from any deli counter, unless it is reheated to an internal temperature of 165° F or until steaming hot,” he says.
CR will update this article as more information becomes available. In the meantime, all consumers who want to be extra-safe should consider avoiding deli meat or heating it until steaming as well, Rogers says.
