Published Date: 2005-07-20 23:50:00
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Listeriosis - USA (NY) (03)
Archive Number: 20050720.2093
LISTERIOSIS - USA (NEW YORK) (03)
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Date: Wed 20 Jul 2005
From: ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>
Source: NewsWatch 50 Syracuse, NY [edited]
<http://www.newswatch50.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=76FD5237-6844-4823-8E50-98A6DFF0BBBD>
Patient dies from listeriosis
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Health officials in the Syracuse area say one of 4 people infected in an
outbreak of listeriosis has died. The Onondaga County Health Department
says the adult patient died yesterday [19 Jul 2005] due to complications of
the rare foodborne bacterial disease.
Authorities established that 3 of the cases that surfaced this month [July
2005] were caused by the same strain of _Listeria_ and that they probably
got sick from a single source of contaminated food. The 4th patient
surfaced a week later. Investigators are trying to determine whether that
case is from the same strain.
Listeriosis can be fatal, but severe symptoms are unusual in healthy adults
and children. The disease most often affects pregnant women, newborn
babies, or people with weakened immune systems. In 1998, 16 people died in
a multistate outbreak of listeriosis linked to contaminated hot dogs and
deli meats.
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ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>
[Fatal listeriosis, predominantly meningitis, generally occurs in
individuals with defects in cellular immune function. This includes
patients with organ transplantation or malignancies on therapy. Disease may
occur in apparently normal hosts, however, usually in the elderly. Most
sporadic cases of listeriosis are thought to be part of a foodborne cluster
which may not be recognized. - Mod.LL]