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Nov. 23 (UPI) -- A listeria outbreak tied to recalled Yu Shang Food products has claimed the life of an infant and caused at least 10 others to take ill, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. A pregnant woman in California and her two infant twins became ill, and both infants died, according to the CDC. The location of the family wasn't listed.
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Only one of the infant twins tested positive for listeria, so the CDC only reported one infant death due to the listeria outbreak tied to recalled Yu Shang Food products.
CDC officials continue interviewing people infected with listeria, two of whom confirmed they ate Yu Shang Food's chicken products. Another seven said they shopped in stores or at online retailers that sell Yu Shang Food products.
The Listeria cases have been reported in California, Illinois, New Jersey and New York from July 31 to Oct. 24, but more cases are expected, the CDC reported.
"The true number of sick people in this outbreak is also likely higher than the number reported," CDC officials said. "Some people recover without medical care and are not tested for Listeria."
Of the 11 who have tested positive for listeria, nine were hospitalized, the CDC said.
Yu Shang Food on Thursday expanded its recall of poultry products and ready-to-eat meats due to potential Listeria monocytogenes contamination.
The recall applies to 72,240 pounds of all ready-to-eat products from Yu Shang Food that were produced before Nov. 9 and are marked with "P-46684" or "EST. M46684" establishment numbers that are located within the USDA inspection mark.
An earlier notice listed 4.589 pounds of recalled items, but Yu Shang Food on Thursday expanded the recall to include 67,651 pounds of ready-to-eat meats and poultry products produced before Oct. 28.
The recalled items were distributed to retail stores throughout the nation and sold online. They are dominated by pork and poultry products but include braised beef shank and lambs head soup products.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state public health officials are investigating a multi-state outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes infections that are linked to Yu Shang Food products.
Researchers with the FSIS have confirmed Listeria monocytogenes in Yu Shang Food product and environmental samples and are determining if those samples match the outbreak strain.
Consuming contaminated products could cause listeriosis, which the FSIS said is a "serious infection that primary affects older adults, persons with weakened immune systems and pregnant women and their newborns."
Others also could become ill with listeriosis, but less commonly so, according to the FSIS.
Listeriosis can cause fever, muscle aches, headaches, a stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions. Other symptoms might include diarrhea and other gastrointestinal problems.
Listeriosis also might cause miscarriages, stillbirths, premature deliver or life-threatening infection of newborns.
The infection could be lethal for older adults and people with weakened immune systems.
Anyone with questions about the recall can contact Ling Li at Yu Shange Food by calling 408-857-0901 or sending an email to [email protected].
