ALABAMA A&M and AUBURN UNIVERSITIES

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RECALL ACQUAINTS CONSUMERS WITH ANOTHER DEADLY FOOD PATHOGEN

AUBURN, FEB. 5---First it was E.coli. Now consumers must worry about another pathogen associated with the recent recall of some luncheon meats.

Listeria, as the pathogen is known, already has claimed the lives of 15 people nationwide since August, the federal Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta reports. Three of the deaths were from miscarriages after the mothers were exposed to the pathogen, and at least 79 people have gotten sick.

The initial outbreaks prompted a massive recall of hot dogs and cold cuts by Bil Mar Foods. And recently, three other companies ordered a similar recall. Foods implicated in the recalls include unpasterized milk and cheese, vegetables, poultry and meats, seafood and prepared, chilled, ready-to-eat foods.

While the symptoms associated with exposure to listeria don't appear as severe as those associated with E.coli 0157:H7, listeria is a far more pervasive pathogen and can be as deadly.

For this reason, listeria should be treated as a serious health risk, says Dr. Jean Weese, an Alabama Cooperative Extension System food scientist.

"One thing distinguishing listeria from E.coli 0157:H7 is its sources of origin," Weese says. "Unlike E.coli, which isfound in the intestinal tracts of warm-blooded animals, listeria is found virtually everywhere: in the soil, water and even the air."

The recent nationwide outbreak of listeria, which began in August, marks the first time a serious outbreak of the pathogen has occurred since the 1980s.

The pervasive nature of the pathogen is of special concern to meat processors because of the various ways it can get into a plant, such as on the hooves, carcass and intestines of a livestock animal.

Moreover, listeria, compared with other food-borne pathogens, is far more cold-tolerant, which increases the risk of cross-contamination. Cross-contamination occurs when a contaminated product comes in contact with an uncontaminated one.

Cold-cut meats are a major concern because these products typically aren't re-heated prior to serving, says Weese.

Flu-like symptoms such as fever, backache, chills, nausea, headache, vomiting, diarrhea or a stiff neck are associated with listerosis.

"With listeria exposure, you're not going to get the kidney damage and related complications associated with E.coli 0157:H7," Weese says. "However, some people who fail to get treatment can develop a form of meningitis. Some even developarthritic symptoms that linger throughout their lives."

Symptoms associated with listeria tend to last longer than similar conditions associated with other pathogens.

While healthy adults and children usually recover fully from exposure to listeria, individuals with compromised immune systems often are not so lucky. These include the very young, the very old and AIDS sufferers.

Listeria also has been identified as a major cause of miscarriages, especially in high cheese-consuming countries where dairy products generally aren't pasteurized, Weese says.

The Center for Disease Control reports about 1,850 people become seriously ill from exposure to listeria each year, and about 425 of them die. Listeria can be prevented by thoroughly cooking meats and washing raw vegetables before consuming them.