LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB and CNN) -- A deadly, multistate outbreak of listeria infections has been linked to packaged hard-boiled eggs, and federal health officials warned retailers and consumers not to serve, sell, use or consume the products.
The peeled eggs were packaged in plastic pails by Almark Foods in Gainesville, Georgia, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which along with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is investigating. The eggs were sold nationwide to food service operators, so consumers likely would find them in a store or a restaurant, the CDC said.
Four of seven people who reported infections across five states have been hospitalized, and one death was reported in Texas, the CDC said. Those affected also were in Florida, Maine, Pennsylvania and South Carolina. The cases date from April 2017 to Nov. 12.
The CDC released a nationwide alert this week. The product has not been recalled. The alert excludes Almark Foods hard-boiled eggs sold directly to consumers and those hard-boiled at stores or restaurants.
"It's important to note that the product in question was shipped to food service distributors, restaurants and other wholesale outlets and does not involve eggs in packages on shelves for consumer purchase at retail stores," Almark said in a statement to CNN.
Listeria is a serious infection usually caused by eating food contaminated with the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes, according to the CDC. An estimated 1,600 people get listeriosis each year, and about 260 die.
Symptoms include fever, flu-like symptoms such as fatigue and muscle aches, as well as headaches, confusion and balance loss.
Listeria infections during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, or life-threatening infection of the newborn, the CDC warned.
People with the infection usually report symptoms one to four weeks after consuming the infected food, the agency said.
Because it may be hard for consumers to tell if they are eating the Almark Foods eggs linked to the outbreak, people at higher risk for Listeria infection should be more careful, the CDC says. Those groups include women who are pregnant, newborns, people over age 65 and those with weakened immune systems, such as people with cancer or on dialysis.
Until the CDC knows more about the outbreak, it recommends high-risk consumers throw out any store-bought hard-boiled eggs or products containing them.
“If you have these products at home, don’t eat them,’ the CDC said. “Throw them away, regardless of where you bought them or the use-by date.”
Before you eat something that may contain hard-boiled eggs at a restaurant or store, check with managers to make sure the eggs are not from Almark Foods. If they do contain Almark eggs or the venue isn't sure, do not buy or order the product, the health agency said.
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