3 Dead, Others Sickened In Washington State Listeria Outbreak

WASHINGTON — Three people are dead and two others are sickened in a listeria outbreak in Washington state, the Washington Department of Health announced Friday.

Five Washington state adults over 60 years old have developed severe listeria infections that most likely came from the same source, officials said.

Three of the people are dead and the other two are hospitalized, according to officials. All five of them had compromised immune systems.

Four of the patients are from Pierce County and one is from Thurston County, according to officials.

The patients became sick between February 27 and June 30, officials said. The source of the infection is under investigation, according to officials.

Listeria can grow on foods kept in the refrigerator for several days, officials said. The bacteria are easily killed by heating food to a high temperature (165°F).

While many people who contract the infection only experience fever, muscle aches, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, listeria can cause more severe illness or health in older adults and people with weakened immune systems, according to officials. It can also cause pregnancy complications in those who are expecting, officials said.

Symptoms usually start within 2 weeks after eating food contaminated with the bacteria but may start as early as the same day or as late as 10 weeks after exposure, according to officials.

For more information on listeria and listeria prevention, visit the Washington Department of Health.