Listeria outbreak tied to sliced deli meats sickens 28, including 2 in Mass.

Two Massachusetts residents are among those sickened in a multistate listeria outbreak tied to sliced deli meats, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed.

The CDC said 28 people in 12 states have been hospitalized with a strain of Listeria monocytogenes and two have died. Of the 18 that health officials have interviewed, 16 reported eating meats sliced at deli counters. Authorities are investigating exactly what meat may be contaminated.

The CDC noted that it does not appear the outbreak is tied to prepackaged deli meats.

Those with a higher risk of serious illness should avoid eating sliced deli meats from counters unless it has been cooked. This includes people who are pregnant, over 65 or have weakened immune systems.

If there is a chance you purchased contaminated meats, throw them out and clean your refrigerator, containers and any surfaces that may have made contact.

Symptoms of listeria include headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions, in addition to fever and muscle aches. In some cases, listeria can cause severe illness when the bacteria spreads out of the gut to other parts of the body. During pregnancy, listeria infection can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery or life-threatening infections of the newborn.

Symptoms of severe illness typically start one to four weeks after eating contaminated food but can start much earlier or later. If you have any concerns, call your health care provider.