Deadly Boar's Head Listeria outbreak may be larger than reported, experts suggest
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A major deli meat recall remains in effect after 57 people across 18 states have had to be hospitalized and nine people have died due to a listeria outbreak.
Experts say they expect the listeria outbreak will get worse before things get better.
It can take up to 10 weeks for symptoms of listeria infection to develop, so many more people may have eaten tainted meat and just don't know it yet.
Some infections are mild, but people who are pregnant, immunocompromised, or addicted to alcohol are most at risk.
So far, Boar's Head has recalled more than 7 million pounds of its meats: liverwurst, ham, sausage, bologna, hot dogs, and bacon. The bacteria has been traced back to a facility in Virginia.
The Department of Agriculture reports 69 non-compliances at that facility within the past year. Inspectors say they found mold, dead and live insects, as well as puddles of blood.
ABC13's Briana Conner spoke to Dr. Amesh Adalja, an infectious disease physician, about the outbreak.
You can watch the full interview with Dr. Adalja in the video player above.
"It really is unfathomable that you would see that level of non-upkeep with that many breaches. I think this is an area where there needs to be an understanding of how this wasn't picked up by normal safety systems," Dr. Adalja said. "People need to be held accountable for such major lapses that have killed people."
Officials at Boar's Head have apologized and said they're working to prevent this from happening again. Consumers who find potentially-infected products are advised to return them to the place of purchase or throw them away.
For updates on this story, follow Briana Conner on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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