Tarrant County resident hospitalized with listeria

Dec. 20--A Tarrant County resident is one of almost 30 people nationwide to become sickened by bacterial food poisoning linked to packaged caramel apples.

Investigators are trying to determine the brand of the caramel apples and where they were purchased, Tarrant County Public Health Director Vinny Taneja said Friday.

"We don't know where [the contaminated apples] came from," Taneja said.

The person, who remains hospitalized, had underlying health conditions before becoming sick, Taneja said.

No further information was released about the person.

The most vulnerable to getting an infection are those with underlying health conditions, including pregnant women, newborns and the elderly. The infection, listerosis, can be treated with antibiotics.

Someone who becomes ill with listeria can have fever and muscle aches. It can be preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms, according to health officials.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday that it is working with the Food and Drug Administration to investigate a listeria outbreak in 10 states, including Texas. So far, there have been five deaths. A total of 28 cases have been reported, including four in Texas, with 26 people hospitalized.

The CDC reported that 15 of the 18 sick people interviewed said they had eaten prepackaged caramel apples.

No illnesses have been linked to apples that are not caramel-coated.

"This seasonal apple season is winding down," Taneja said. "Stay away from commercially produced caramel apples. Fresh apples are OK. If you want to have caramel or candy apples, make your own at home. And practice good hygiene and wash your hands."

Bill Hanna, 817-390-7698

Twitter: @fwhanna

What is Listeria?

Listeriosis is a life-threatening infection caused by eating food contaminated with the bacterium (germ) Listeria monocytogenes. The disease primarily affects pregnant women and their newborns, older adults, and people with immune systems weakened by cancer, cancer treatments, or other serious conditions (like diabetes, kidney failure, liver disease, and HIV). Rarely, people without these risk factors are affected.

Source: CDC

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