Pregnant women and pensioners are being warned to avoid "ready-to-eat" foods, such as raw smoked salmon, without cooking it first after the latest listeria outbreak.
Fourteen people have fallen ill with Listeria monocytogenes since 2020, eight of these cases were found this year. The infection can cause a woman to miscarry and can be fatal for vulnerable people.
The majority of cases are in England and Scotland and one person was pregnant. Most people reported they had eaten fish before contracting the infection and falling ill.
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Listeria causes listeriosis and, while it can go away on its own, it can be very serious for vulnerable groups including those living with cancer. Listeriosis is typically caught from eating food containing listeria bacteria. This can be found in pre-prepared sandwiches, smoked fish, cured meats and unpasteurised milk.
It is a form of food poisoning caused by the bacterium and most people who are affected get mild gastroenteritis. Common symptoms are diarrhoea, vomiting and stomach pain.
The Food Standards Agency has issued advice to vulnerable people asking them to avoid "ready-to-eat smoked fish" without cooking it thoroughly first.
Doctor Caroline Handford, acting head of incidents at the FSA, said: “If anyone from these groups is eating ready-to-eat smoked fish, we are reminding them of the advice to ensure that it is thoroughly cooked before they eat, including when served as part of a dish."
In 2019 Liverpool was in the midst of a listeria outbreak which killed five people. Hospitals in Liverpool supplied patients with salads and sandwiches from the Good Food Chain. They were supplying the pre-packaged foods which were believed to have caused the illness.
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