Published Date: 1999-01-24 23:50:00
Subject: PRO/AH> Listeriosis, multifocal - USA (10)
Archive Number: 19990124.0113

LISTERIOSIS, MULTIFOCAL - USA (10)
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A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.healthnet.org/programs/promed.html>
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See Also

Listeriosis, multifocal - USA (06) 990109123624
Listeriosis, multifocal - USA (07) 990116221335
Listeriosis, multifocal - USA (08) 990119235121
Listeriosis, multifocal - USA (09) 990122002536
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1999 08:10:59 -0500
From: CDC/Office of Communication, SOHCO <sohco@cdc.gov>

There was a serious inaccuracy in a recent report posted on ProMED-mail on
the multistate listeriosis outbreak. For the record, there were two
strains of _Listeria monocytogenes_ isolated from unopened packages of meat
obtained from the Bil Mar Foods manufacturing plant. One was the outbreak
strain linked to over 50 cases of human illness; the second strain has not
yet been linked to human illness. For a full report, please refer to MMWR
January 08, 1999 / 47(51);1117-1118.
<http://www.cdc.gov/epo/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00056169.htm>
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CDC/Office of Communication, SOHCO
e-mail: sohco@cdc.gov
[Well, this clears up the discrepancy, and we are grateful for that.
ProMED-mail frequently posts information that has been reported in the news
media, and errors in interpretation and communication are likely to occur.
In this case a CDC spokesperson apparently informed the news media that
many cases of listeriosis had been linked to the frankfurters, but none had
been linked to deli meats from which a different strain of _Listeria_ has
been isolated. Both had been produced in the same packaging plant. The
indication of strain differences was not presented with clarity in the
original news report, and that is the cause of the "serious inaccuracy". I
hope that readers will not take so much comfort from this explanation that
they consume deli meats from the affected lots. - Mod.ES
......................................es
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