WebMD Medical News Daniel J. DeNoon Laura J. Martin, MD Oct. 10,
2011 -- The current listeria outbreak from cantaloupes is now
the second largest in U.S. history. The toll now stands at 109
cases and 21 deaths. A pregnant Iowa woman miscarried due to
cantaloupe-linked listeria infection. A person infected with
listeria may take up to two months to develop the serious
illness known as listeriosis. It may be several weeks before an
illness is reported to the CDC, so cases that began after Sept.
11 may not yet be counted. That count now has passed the 1998
listeria outbreak in hot dogs and deli meats. That outbreak
sickened 108 people. There were 14 deaths and four miscarriages.
The largest U.S. listeria outbreak was in 1985, when 142 people
became ill after eating Mexican-style cheese contaminated with
unpasteurized milk. Pregnant women were disproportionately
affected. There were 18 adult deaths, 20
miscarriages/stillbirths, and 10 deaths of newborns. Pregnant
women are at high risk of listeriosis. While the w