Listeria Bacteria Case Reported In Racine County

An elderly person from Racine County is one of two people in the state who has eaten food contaminated with the listeria bacteria, according to an article in the Racine Journal Times.

The Center for Disease Control has linked the two cases to a national outbreak involving 84 cases in 19 states.

The strain was caused by the person eating contaminated canteloupes from Colorado-based Jensen Farms. The company, according to the FDA website, included Wisconsin in a recall on Sept. 14.

According to the CDC, if a person has been infected with the listeria bacteria, they will have "fever and muscle aches, sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms. Almost everyone who is diagnosed with listeriosis has 'invasive' infection, in which the bacteria spread beyond the gastrointestinal tract. The symptoms vary with the infected person." For more information on the disease, please click here.

To reduce the risk of eating contaminated food, the CDC offers the following guidelines:

• Rinse raw produce, such as fruits and vegetables, thoroughly under running tap water before eating, cutting, or cooking. Even if the produce will be peeled, it should still be washed first.
• Scrub firm produce, such as melons and cucumbers, with a clean produce brush.
• Dry the produce with a clean cloth or paper towel.
• Separate uncooked meats and poultry from vegetables, cooked foods, and ready-to-eat foods.

For more information, please call the Central Racine County Health Department at 898-4460.