TweetThe current listeria outbreak that involves cantaloupes is not the first food to make people sick, however this is not just causing illness it is also responsible for at least 15 reported deaths. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention the 85 confirmed illnesses and 15 deaths might not be the final results from this melon, since the listeriosis bacteria can last in the body without symptoms for up to two months after the contaminated food was consumed.
In other outbreaks:

• There was a listeria outbreak that occurred during the 1980’s that was found to be in Mexican style cheese that at the time was reported to be responsible for 84 deaths, but is listed in federal data as 52 deaths.
• There were salmonella tainted peanuts and peanut butter products that were responsible for nine deaths and approximately 700 people that became ill.

Just these two outbreaks show that the Listeria infected cantaloupe is not the first deadly food outbreak, it is not something that should be ignored. The fact that there are deaths attributed to these melons that were grown in Colorado, is the latest and one of the most deadly Listeria outbreaks.
The people that are most at risk are the elderly, the young and pregnant women, but not to the pregnant woman. She will have flu like symptoms; the unborn baby on the other hand is who will be affected. Listeria can cause miscarriages, stillborn births and neonatal infections. Anyone of any age can have symptoms and become extremely ill or Listeria can be deadly.

When you or a loved one has become sick or a loved one is has been lost due to eating food contaminated with Listeria, it is possible to hold the company growing the food in this case accountable and other parties in some cases. The cantaloupe Listeria outbreak is one such case that victims and their families might be able to hold the negligent parties responsible for the sale of food that caused damage. This can be a complex legal claim and not every attorney has experience in this area of the law, which means that the Listeria personal injury lawyers specializing in contaminated foods is able to provide the best legal representation.