Deadly listeriosis outbreak traced to Maple Leaf meats, officials confirm

Death on Vancouver Island attributed to the bacterium strain. B.C. health officials were reminding the public to be vigilant yesterday after it was confirmed that a Vancouver Island man has died from listeriosis.

An unidentified 64-year-old man died at Cowichan District Hospital on July 29.

Tests recently revealed he succumbed to the listeriosis outbreak which has now claimed four lives across Canada. Listeriosis is caused by eating food contaminated by the listeriosis bacterium. It can cause fever, muscle aches and gastointestinal problems.

The B.C. man's death was the first outside Ontario. The man, who had other underlying serious health issues, may have eaten the tainted meat while in hospital.

The meat linked to the outbreak was made by Maple Leaf Consumer Foods. The Burlington, Ont., company last Sunday recalled two of its brands and it was soon expanded to 23 other brands. B.C. chief medical health officer Dr. Perry Kendall said it appears the Maple Leaf meats are the sole source of the deadly Listeria monocytogenes bacterium.

Yesterday, the Public Health Agency reported there are now 21 cases of listeriosis in four provinces. Sixteen cases were found in Ontario, three cases in B.C. and one case each in Saskatchewan and Quebec. Two of the B.C. cases were at hospitals in Prince George and Fort St. John, where patients ate tainted meat. One patient was released from hospital while the other remains under care. Vancouver Coastal Health officials said they don't buy prepared meats from Maple Leaf.

- with files from Canwest News Service

Stuart Hunter, The Province

Published: Saturday, August 23, 2008

shunter@theprovince.com