200-Plus Schools Received Food Likely Contaminated With Listeria Bacteria: FSIS

Hundreds of schools across the United States received food products that could potentially be contaminated by pathogens, according to the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).
In Washington D.C., there were Bridges Public Charter School, District of Columbia International School, Hope Community Charter School, and Richard Wright Public Charter School, while Florida schools include Astatula Christian School, Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School, St. Andrew Catholic School, and Children’s Day Academy Preschool.
Listeria infection, or listeriosis, can be a serious health issue. “Listeriosis can cause fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms,” FSIS states.
“An invasive infection spreads beyond the gastrointestinal tract. In pregnant women, the infection can cause miscarriages, stillbirths, premature delivery, or life-threatening infection of the newborn. In addition, serious and sometimes fatal infections in older adults and persons with weakened immune systems.”
“Places that Listeria can spread include food processing facilities. After getting into a food processing facility, Listeria can be difficult to fully remove. In the facility, Listeria can spread to food that touches contaminated surfaces or equipment,” the CDC states.
“The germs even can grow in food kept in the refrigerator,” it noted. “The good news is that Listeria are easily killed by heating food to a high enough temperature.”
Listeria infection is confirmed when a lab test grows the bacteria from the biological sample of an ill individual.
Among people with invasive illnesses, antibiotics are used. People who suffer from intestinal illnesses typically recover without taking such medications. In this group, antibiotics are only used for those who are at risk of becoming very ill or are already very ill.
According to the most recent update, “Illness reports have started to decrease.” The agency advised people to “not eat recalled deli meats. Some of the products have sell by dates into October 2024.”
Boar’s Head Ready-to-Eat liverwurst and deli products were linked to the outbreak and have been recalled.