At least 12 people have died and dozens more hospitalized after they drank frozen shakes tainted with listeria.
The nutritional supplement shakes branded Lyons ReadyCare and Sysco Imperial were sold to nursing homes and hospitals across the US.
The CDC said there were 38 cases in 21 states. All but four of those cases were people in case facilities or already admitted to hospital when they were infected.
While cases date back to 2018, the majority of cases occurred in late 2024 or this year.
It is common for listeria outbreaks to last several years because it is a hardy germ that can survive on surfaces for long periods of time.
Certain Lyons ReadyCare and Sysco Imperial Frozen Supplemental Shakes are being recalled as a result. The shakes were not available to the general public, officials said.
The nutritional supplement shakes branded Lyons ReadyCare and Sysco Imperial were sold to nursing homes and hospitals across the US
These are the states with cases
Any facility that bought them should dispose of the containers and sanitize anything they touched, as listeria can easily spread.
Symptoms usually start within two weeks after eating food contaminated with but may start as early as the same day or as late as 10 weeks after.
Mild symptoms may include a fever, muscle aches, nausea, tiredness, vomiting, and diarrhea.
If the more severe form of listeriosis develops, symptoms may include headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions.
The recall was announced over the weekend by the FDA and confirmed today by the CDC.
CDC statistics suggest about 1,600 people are hospitalized with listeria every year, mostly aged 65 years and older, and about 260 die from the disease.
