The Center for Disease Control announced Friday it is investigating an outbreak for a new strain of Listeria — an infectious bacteria typically passed through food.
According to the CDC, 23 people infected with the new strain have been reported from 10 states, and nearly all people live in or traveled to Florida about a month before getting sick.
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22 of the infected were hospitalized, and one death was reported from Illinois, the CDC said.
CDC officials stated that they do not yet not which — if any — specific food item may be the source of the outbreak. They added that pregnant women, newborns, adults aged 65 and older and those with weakened immune systems are at higher risk for Listeria.
The CDC is advising those with higher risk for Listeria who have symptoms of infection to speak with a healthcare provider, especially if they recently traveled to Florida.
The CDC warned that pregnant women infected with Listeria may experience only fever, fatigue and muscle aches, though the infection could cause a miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery or even life-threatening infection of the baby.
According to CDC officials, symptoms of severe illness usually start within two weeks after eating food contaminated with the bacteria but may start as early as the same day or as late as 70 days afterward.
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At the time of this report, the CDC is reporting 12 cases for the outbreak in Florida, the most of any state.
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