Frozen corn produced by a Hungarian company is the source of a formidable outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes. 47 cases of listeriosis were identified in this outbreak in Europe, nine of which resulted in death.
With the globalization of food trade, the listeriosis epidemics are becoming more international. Frozen corn produced by a Hungarian company is the source of a formidable outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes, which has affected Austria, Denmark, Finland, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Other vegetables are also suspected. Despite the product recall ordered by the Hungarian Food Chain Safety Authority, new cases of infection may still appear, according to the risk assessment published by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
As of June 8, 2018, 47 cases of listeriosis had been identified in this outbreak, nine of which resulted in death. This represents a case fatality rate of 19%. Listeriosis is a foodborne infection caused by bacteria: Listeria monocytogenes. This bacteria is most often the cause of minor digestive problems, with diarrhea, in healthy people.
Central nervous system infection
However, serious forms can occur, in particular in vulnerable populations (elderly or immunocompromised), and in pregnant women. The severe forms consist of a general infection of the blood, sepsis or an infection of the central nervous system. In pregnant women, infection of the uterus can cause miscarriage, premature delivery, or severe infection of the baby (neonatal infection).
On June 29, 2018, the Hungarian Food Chain Safety Office banned the marketing of all frozen vegetables produced by the company involved between August 2016 and June 2018. The court also ordered their immediate withdrawal and recall. . All freezing activity at the plant has been stopped.
New cases may still appear
The recall is likely to significantly reduce the risk of human infections, but new cases may still emerge as long as the contaminated products are still on the market and in consumers’ freezers. In addition, the long incubation period of listeriosis (up to 70 days) and the shelf life of frozen corn can also be the cause of new cases.
Initially, the food source for this outbreak was thought to be limited to frozen corn, but authorities found matching strains of L. monocytogenes in other frozen vegetables produced by the company in 2016, 2017 and 2018. These results indicate that the strains persisted in the processing plant despite the cleaning and disinfection procedures that were carried out. Hungarian and European authorities are calling for further investigations, including in-depth sampling and testing, to be carried out to identify exact points of contamination.
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