A Listeria monocytogenes outbreak has been linked to ready-to-eat Johnston County Ham Products, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Four people were sickened in this Johnston County Ham Listeria outbreak; all four have been hospitalized, and one person has died.
Johnston County Hams recalled five of their products after this outbreak was identified. Check your freezer to see if you have purchased any of these products. If you have, throw them away or take them back, even if some ham was eaten and no one got sick. Bacteria are not always distributed evenly throughout food.
The patient case count by state in this Johnston County Ham Listeria outbreak is: North Carolina (1) and Virginia (3). The person who died lived in Virginia. The patient age range is from 70 to 81 years. Illness onset dates range from July 8, 2017 to August 11, 2018. Although many people with listeriosis are hospitalized, it’s unusual to have 100% of patients hospitalized in any outbreak. The age of the patients is probably related to the hospitalization rate.
You can contact lawyer Fred Pritzker for help at 1-888-377-8900.
Food safety attorney Fred Pritzker, who has represented many clients and families of clients in wrongful death lawsuits, said, “It’s startling that some of this product was made more than a year ago, and the recall is only being issued now. No one should get sick or die because they decided to buy ready-to-eat ham.”
Whole genome sequencing was performed on isolates taken from patients The results showed that the bacteria that made these people sick was closely related genetically.
There is zero tolerance for Listeria monocytogenes bacteria in ready-to-eat products in this country. These are the types of products that can be consumed without being baked or cooked by the consumer.
USDA is planning to publish the retail distribution list soon. We will publish it when they do.
The CDC notice states that all epidemiologic, laboratory, and traceback evidence indicates that deli ham products from Johnson County Ham are a likely source of this outbreak. If you ate this ham and have been ill, you may be part of this Johnston County Ham Listeria monocytogenes outbreak.
The symptoms of listeriosis include headache, stiff neck, high fever, muscle aches, diarrhea, and nausea. Pregnant women usually only experience flu-like symptoms, including fever and nausea. But these women can suffer miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, or infection in the newborn if they contract listeriosis.
