Listeria is especially harmful if you are pregnant, are aged 65 or older, or have a weakened immune system due to certain medical conditions or treatments. Other people can be infected with Listeria, but they rarely become seriously ill.
If you are pregnant, are aged 65 or older, or have a weakened immune system:
- Do not eat meats you get sliced at any deli counter, unless it is reheated to an internal temperature of 165°F or until steaming hot. Let it cool before you eat it.
- Listeria can grow on foods kept in the refrigerator, but it is easily killed by heating food to a high enough temperature.
- Clean your refrigerator, containers and surfaces that may have touched sliced deli meats.
- Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any of these symptoms:
- People who are not pregnant usually have fever, muscle aches, and tiredness. They may also get a headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, or seizures.
- Pregnant people usually have fever, muscle aches, and tiredness. However, Listeria can cause pregnancy loss or premature birth. It can also cause serious illness or death in newborns.
- Provide information to help us identify the specific deli products
- If you are sick with Listeria, local or state health officials may contact you to find out what you ate in the month before you got sick. They may also ask for copies of receipts, your shopper card number, or leftover food for testing.
