"Rare" Listeria becoming a Global Issue

News provided by

Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm

Jul 06, 2018, 15:16 ET

SEATTLE, July 6, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Although experts label Listeria as "rare", it is becoming a more and more frequent danger in our food supply. Today, European public health authorities released new information about a deadly Listeria outbreak linked to frozen vegetables in Europe killing nine people. In total, 47 people have been sickened across Austria, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

This year, the largest Listeria outbreak in history was tied to "polony" in South Africa. Marler Clark is currently consulting on a historic class action lawsuit to help the over 1,000 people sickened and 200 killed in the outbreak. Additionally, Australia experienced a Listeria outbreak this year tied to rock melon with 20 cases reported, 7 deaths, and 1 miscarriage.

"Listeria is a growing threat to our food supply domestically and internationally," said, William (Bill) Marler, of the Food Safety Law Firm based in the United States. "Manufacturers of our food need to be vigilant in combating this deadly bacteria."

Listeria is a bacterium that can be found in soil and water. It is most commonly found in raw foods such as fruit or vegetables, however, Listeria can also be found in ready to eat foods that have been contaminated during processing.

For most people Listeria presents as a mild illness with fever and muscle aches, but for the immune compromised, young, elderly, and pregnant, it can be much more serious. Listeria can invade the central nervous system and cause meningitis and even brain infection. In pregnant women, Listeria can lead to miscarriage, infection of the newborn, or stillbirth.

With at least three major outbreaks in 2018, there needs to be greater awareness of this "rare" illness and increased contamination prevention.

Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm, is the nation's leading law firm representing victims of Listeria outbreaks. The Listeria lawyers of Marler Clark have represented thousands of victims of Listeria and other foodborne illness outbreaks and have recovered over $600 million for clients. Marler Clark is the only law firm in the nation with a practice focused exclusively on foodborne illness litigation. Our Listeria lawyers have litigated Listeria cases stemming from outbreaks traced to a variety of foods, such as cantaloupe, cheese, celery and milk.

Listeria Litigation in the United States: