Listeria Symptoms, Bacteria Outbreak & Meningitis Infection

Parkers Farm was recently declared safe by state health inspectors, and has resumed production operations weeks after recalling its entire line of peanut and cheese products.  Production at the Coon Rapids, MN plant was shut down due to a potentially deadly Listeria food poisoning outbreak.  It is unknown at this point whether the company will be fined for violating health regulations.

The food products produced by Parkers Farm were distributed at a wide range of retailers, including Wal-Mart, Target, Sam’s Club, Whole Foods, Hy-Vee and Costco.  Production was shut down by state investigators following a nationwide recall of these products.  While only a partial recall was required initially, a complete recall followed that included every product the company produces.  The recall went out to stores and consumers who may have had the products in their homes.

The Listeria contamination was first detected in Chilton, Wisconsin at a cheese reseller.  The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection reported it to the Minnesota Department of Agriculture.  Thankfully, no reports of illness due to the potentially deadly bacteria have been reported.  Listeria can be fatal in the elderly, young children and individuals with compromised immune systems.

Parkers Farms has been in business for 33 years, and employs approximately 50 people.  It is yet to be determined whether the complete recall of all of the company’s products will affect their future sales.  According to Jean Kinsey, director of the Food Industry Center companies who quickly take care of recall situations are not likely to experience serious repercussions, and consumers confidence in the company usually returns in just two to four weeks time.

The brand names produced at Parkers Farm include Kroger, Block & Barrel, Cobblestone and Happy Farms, among others.  It should be determined sometime this month if any penalties will be imposed on the company.  Usually, companies who violate safety regulations are fined $1000 to $1500 per health violation.  Over the past several years, previous state inspections of Parkers Farm revealed that no serious health violations were found.

Listeria contamination usually produces gastrointestinal symptoms like diarrhea, abdominal cramps and nausea.  Other Listeria symptoms occur if the infection spreads to the nervous system, including stiff neck, loss of balance, headache and confusion.  Meningitis and encephalitis can occur in those with weak immune systems.

Individuals who experience symptoms of Listeria should seek medical attention immediately, especially those individuals at increased risk of serious complications.

The costs associated with bacterial infections caused by tainted foods are significant and substantial.  Listeria is one cause of food poisoning, which affects an estimated 76 million people every year.  The listeria infection spreads in a variety of ways, unlike most other foodborne illnesses.  This bacteria is widely spread in nature and usually found in water and soil.  Food poisoning is one way of contracting the bacteria, and infected animals are another source.  New mothers may also transmit the infection to the fetus.  If your medical examiner believes you are infected, contact a food poisoning attorney immediately.

According to an article published in the Chicago Tribune recently, locating the source of most foodborne illnesses is a tough task.  Tracing the infections back to the source is often a futile effort on the part of public heath agencies.  Unfortunately, most victims of food poisoning caused by the listeria bacteria never recover the compensation they may be entitled to.

In 1999, a national study revealed that each year, of the millions of people who suffer food poisoning, over 323,000 are hospitalized and approximately 5,000 die.  The data that is available currently cannot provide the actual extent of the problem today, because most cases of food poisoning are not reported according to public health experts.  Because the symptoms in some people are not severe enough that they feel they need medical attention, numerous cases of food poisoning caused by listeria and other bacteria go unreported.

Listeria can only be identified through laboratory tests, and since many cases are mild and not reported, it is most likely more common than you may suspect.  If more people were aware that they could seek legal compensation for their illness, more cases may be reported.  When someone becomes ill because of the negligence of someone who did not take the necessary precautions to prevent spreading bacteria, they can often be compensated for medical bills and other costs.

The economic costs associated with food poisoning is not known, but is believed to be billions of dollars.  Some economists who analyze these illnesses estimate the cost using data related to lost wages and medical treatment, so the figures cannot be exact.  For individuals who become severely ill or even disabled due to food poisoning, the costs can be astronomic.  In fact, in 2007 over 60% of all bankruptcies that were filed were due to medical costs.  Three fourths of those who filed bankruptcy were covered by medical insurance.  While listeria is not usually life threatening, it can be very dangerous in certain people.  The elderly, young children and pregnant women are most at risk of serious complications.

If you become ill because of listeria or any other foodborne bacteria, contact a reputable attorney.  You may be entitled to compensation, and those who are negligent should be held responsible for their actions.  Listeria can be deadly in certain circumstances, and you deserve payment for costs incurred as a result of the infection.