A new outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes infections from a not yet identified food has been added to the list of outbreaks under investigation by the Food and Drug Administration.
There are two confirmed patients, but the FDA has not revealed their ages or states of residence.
This outbreak is separate from another outbreak of infections from Listeria monocytogenes announced Nov. 9 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In that outbreak there are 16 confirmed patients, one of whom has died. Also, one of the patients is a pregnant woman who lost her baby because of the infection. Thirteen of the patients have required hospitalization.
In the two-patient outbreak announced by the FDA, the agency has begun traceback efforts but has not reported what food or foods are being traced. On-site inspection and sample testing have not yet begun.
Ongoing outbreaks under investigation by the FDA
- For a Listeria monocytogenes outbreak from Brie and Camembert cheese an Outbreak Advisory was issued on Sept. 30. Recall information was updated on Oct. 28. It reported that seven patients from six different states have been confirmed ill. Five have been hospitalized, according to the CDC.
- In an outbreak involving E. coli O157:H7 from an unknown source, the patient count remains at 11. The FDA has initiated traceback efforts but has not revealed what food or foods are being traced.
- The FDA has begun traceback and sample collection in an outbreak of E. coli O121:H19 linked to frozen falafel sold at Aldi stores in 36 states. At least 20 people had been confirmed sick as of Oct. 7, the date of the most recent update. Sick people have been confirmed in Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin. The most recent illness onset was Sept. 13.
- An outbreak investigation continues for infections from Cronobacter in at least four infants, two of whom died. The outbreak has been determined to be over by the CDC but is it still under investigation. The babies consumed infant formula made by Abbott Nutrition’s plant in Sturgis, MI.
Click here to go to the FDA page with links to specific outbreak details. The investigations are in a variety of stages. Some outbreaks have limited information with active investigations ongoing, others may be near completion.
A public health advisory will be issued for investigations that have resulted in specific, actionable steps for consumers to take to protect themselves, according to the FDA. Please direct your attention to those pages for the most up-to-date information on the investigation and for consumer protection information.
Outbreak and adverse event investigations that do not result in specific, actionable steps for consumers may or may not conclusively identify a source or reveal any contributing factors. Adverse event investigations rely on self-reported data. Although these reports may name a particular product, FDA will only indicate a product category in the table and will not publicly name a specific product until there is sufficient evidence to implicate that product as a cause of illnesses or adverse events. If a cause and/or contributing factors are identified that could inform future prevention, FDA commits to providing a summary of those findings.
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