Kenneth B. Moll & Associates, Ltd. is Investigating Claims of Deaths and Serious Injuries From Pilgrim’s Pride Deli Meats Contaminated With Listeria
Kenneth B. Moll & Associates, Ltd. announce that it is investigating claims related to an outbreak of listeria that has been linked to Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation’s processing plant in Franconia, Pennsylvania. Pilgrim’s Pride does business under the name Wampler Foods, Inc.
On October 15, 2002, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that its investigation, along with several State Health Departments, has identified a specific or “outbreak” strain of Listeria that was found in the plant and in 46 ill persons. Of the 46 persons with the outbreak strain, there have been 10 deaths, including 3 miscarriages or stillbirths.
According to Kenneth Moll, “We believe that the total number of cases will be much higher. Our experience in prior outbreaks is that cases of Listeriosis are routinely under reported.”
The affected patients live in 8 states: Pennsylvania (14 cases), New York (11 cases in New York City, 7 in other locations), New Jersey (5 cases), Delaware (4 cases), Maryland (2 cases), Connecticut (1 case), Michigan (1 case) and Massachusetts (1 case). The most recent patient became ill on September 30.
Epidemiologic data indicates that precooked, sliceable turkey deli meat is the cause of the outbreak.
The investigation at the Pilgrim’s Pride plant revealed one food product and 25 environmental samples tested positive for Listeria. Further testing of the DNA fingerprint confirmed that 3 environmental samples matched that of patients with the current outbreak strain.
Prior to the CDC’s announcement, Pilgrim’s Pride recalled 27.4 million pounds of fresh and frozen ready-to-eat turkey and chicken products under the Wampler brand that were produced since May 1, 2002 with the code P-1351 in the USDA seal of inspection.
Listeriosis is a serious and fatal infection caused by food contaminated with the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. About 2,500 cases of Listeriosis occur each year in the United States. The initial symptoms are often fever, muscle aches, and sometimes gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea or diarrhea.