Eight ill with one death. As of March 4, 2020, this outbreak appears to be over.

A total of eight people infected with the outbreak strain of Listeria monocytogenes were reported from five states.

Listeria specimens from ill people were collected from April 10, 2017, to December 7, 2019. Ill people ranged in age from less than 1 to 82 years, with a median age of 71. Sixty-two percent of ill people were male. Of seven ill people with information available, five hospitalizations were reported. One death was reported from Texas. One illness was reported in a newborn who was infected with Listeria while the mother was pregnant, but the newborn survived.

Epidemiologic and laboratory evidence indicated that hard-boiled eggs produced at the Almark Foods Gainesville, Georgia, processing facility were the likely source of this outbreak.

FDA found Listeria bacteria in an environmental sample taken at the Almark Foods Gainesville, Georgia, processing facility during an FDA inspection conducted in December 2019. WGS showed that the bacteria in the environmental sample was closely related genetically to bacteria from ill people.

On December 23, 2019, Almark Foods recalled all hard-boiled and peeled eggs in pails produced at its Gainesville, Georgia, facility. Retail products were sold under many brand names. Visit the FDA website for a full list of recalled products. Restaurants and retailers should not serve or sell recalled hard-boiled egg products. Consumers who have any recalled egg products in their homes should not eat them and throw them away.

Listeria:  Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm, is the nation’s leading law firm representing victims of Listeria outbreaks. The Listeria lawyers of Marler Clark have represented thousands of victims of Listeria and other foodborne illness outbreaks and have recovered over $700 million for clients.  Marler Clark is the only law firm in the nation with a practice focused exclusively on foodborne illness litigation.  Our Listeria lawyers have litigated Listeria cases stemming from outbreaks traced to a variety of foods, such as deli meat, cantaloupe, cheese, celery and milk.

If you or a family member became ill with a Listeria infection after consuming food and you’re interested in pursuing a legal claim, contact the Marler Clark Listeria attorneys for a free case evaluation.