HEALTH MANAGEMENT. Listeria Outbreak probe expands to three States

By Keith Coffman
DENVER | September 9, 2011 7: 16 pm EDT
DENVER (Reuters) - has expanded an investigation into a Listeria outbreak has killed at least one person with three States where was consumed potentially contaminated cantaloupe, Colorado health officials said on Friday.
The Colorado Department of public health and the environment, said in a release that the all patients recently melon ate nine confirmed cases of the gastric infection in Colorado, two suspected cases in Texas and Nebraska.
Chris Urbina, medical Chief for the Department said that officials still pursued still not, where the tainted were sold melons.
"While the investigation continues the cooker of the listeria, it is advisable for people at high risk for Listeria infection to consume of melon," URBINA said in a written statement.
At the age of 60, pregnant women and people, whose Immunsystem have weakened by disease or organ transplantation, are the most likely of the bacteria become ill URBINA said.
Because of the outbreak is gone-State, the US Centers for disease control and prevention coordinated the investigation in conjunction with the U.S. food and drug administration and the U.S. Department of agriculture.
Although Colorado has reported since early August 13 cases of Listeria associated the State to the current outbreak only nine cases.
In four other cases the melon link has excluded or laboratory results aren't yet Health Department said.
Two patients have in Colorado of Listeria last month died, but investigators can only be a dead link to the current outbreak.
Avoid people in the groups at risk for contracting the infection should unpasteurized soft cheese, chilled, smoked fish and Deli meat unless they have been heated to 165 degrees Celsius.
Healthy people are usually not affected by the bacteria. In severe cases, the infection can lead to convulsions and stillbirths or miscarriages in pregnant women.

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