Public Health Director Warns of Iowa's First Cantaloupe Listeria Case

Officials in Iowa are reporting the state's first case linking a woman's illness to the multistate outbreak from Listeria-tainted cantaloupe that has claimed at least 18 lives.

This would make Iowa the 21st state to report a case of Listeria, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

An identified woman, who is between the ages 18 and 40, from Northwest Iowa has recovered from an infection, according to a news release from the Iowa Department of Public Health on Wednesday. Public health officials believe her infection was connected to the outbreak traced to cantaloupes from Jensen Farms, CO.

The woman was pregnant at the time of her illness and subsequently suffered a miscarriage. Pregnant woman are 20 times more susceptible to Listeria than the general public, according to the state public health department.

She had eaten cantaloupe purchased from an Iowa store, according to the news release.

“While Jensen Farms has issued a voluntary recall of its Rocky Ford-brand cantaloupes, and the recalled items should be off store shelves, more illness may be reported because it can take up to two months for a person to develop listeriosis after eating contaminated food,” state public health medical director, Dr. Patricia Quinlisk said.

That is the only case reported thus far in Iowa, according to the public health department.

The department describes listeriosis as a bacterial infection with symptoms that include fever, muscle aches, nausea and diarrhea. Healthy adults and children occasionally get infected with Listeria, but rarely become seriously ill.

Here are tips from the public health department:

• If you develop fever and chills while pregnant or if you are very sick with fever and muscle aches or stiff neck, consult your health care provider immediately.
• The most important way to avoid listeriosis and other foodborne illnesses associated with fruits and vegetables is to make sure you thoroughly wash them, even if the item has a skin or rind. Any bacteria on the outside of the fruit or vegetable can be pulled to the inside when the knife slices through. For melon safety in particular, follow these steps:Individuals and food preparers should wash their hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds before and after handling any whole melon, such as cantaloupe, watermelon, or honeydew.
• Scrub the surface of melons, such as cantaloupes, with a clean produce brush or dish cloth and dry them with a clean cloth or paper towel before cutting.
• Cut melon should be promptly eaten or refrigerated at or less than 40 degrees for no more than seven days.
• Cut melons left at room temperature for more than four hours should be thrown away.

Here are links to more information about the outbreak: www.cdc.gov/listeria/outbreaks/cantaloupes-jensen-farms/093011/#advice-consumers and www.idph.state.ia.us/eh/food_safety.asp.