A listeria outbreak in Dallas has been traced to flavored shakes distributed to nursing homes, resulting in the deaths of 11 individuals.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed that the outbreak, which dates back to 2018, has been linked to these products.
Investigators had struggled for years to identify the source of the contamination, but advanced genome sequencing techniques have now pinpointed the flavored shakes as the cause.
The CDC, in collaboration with state health departments and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), worked to track the source of the outbreak.
Listeria, a bacterial infection that can be life-threatening, poses the greatest risk to vulnerable populations such as the elderly, pregnant women, newborns, and those with weakened immune systems.
Healthy individuals may experience mild symptoms, but the infection can be severe and fatal in some cases.
The manufacturer of the affected shakes, whose name has not been disclosed, is fully cooperating with health authorities and has initiated an internal review to prevent future contamination.
Health officials are advising nursing homes, hospitals, and other care facilities to dispose of any remaining stock of the implicated shakes.
These facilities have been urged to monitor residents for symptoms of listeria infection, including fever, muscle aches, and confusion, among others.
