2 hospitalized in listeria outbreak connected to mushrooms

(Gray News) - Two people have been hospitalized in an outbreak of listeria that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says is connected to a specific type of mushroom.

The CDC says both people, one from Nevada and one from Michigan, ate enoki mushrooms or “at restaurants with menu items containing enoki mushrooms.”

The same strain of listeria was previously found in a sample of enoki mushrooms collected by the Food and Drug Administration.

The exact size of the outbreak is still not known and could involve other states. The CDC believes more people may have been sickened and didn’t seek medical care. Recent illnesses also may not yet have been reported as it takes three to four weeks to determine if a sick person is part of an outbreak.

Investigators are still working to identify specific brands of the mushrooms that may be contaminated.

The CDC previously reported a listeria outbreak in enoki mushrooms in 2020, resulting in more than 20 recalls.

Listeria can cause severe illness with symptoms that can include headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions, in addition to fever and muscle aches. Pregnant people typically have fewer symptoms, but listeria can cause pregnancy loss or premature birth.