A woman who became “deathly ill” after eating a common sausage linked to a nationwide listeria outbreak is suing its manufacturer.
Sue Fleming, 88, who lives with her husband Patrick, 76, in High Ridge, Missouri, ate a Boar’s Head liverwurst late last month after purchasing it at the local grocery store.
But in the days that followed, she suffered from nausea, diarrhea and stomach cramps, followed by shaking and pain throughout her body.
She was rushed to the hospital, where tests confirmed a listeria infection, the lawsuit says. She spent nine days in intensive care and 11 in rehabilitation, but claims she continues to suffer from neurological symptoms and has not fully recovered.
Sue Fleming, 88, and her husband Patrick, 76, are suing deli meat manufacturer Boar’s Head and the store where they bought the meat after Mrs Fleming became “seriously ill” with listeria.
She had eaten a Boar’s Head liverwurst the day before she got sick. This meat is now included in the multi-state recall for listeria-contaminated products
The couple is now suing Boar’s Head, seeking more than $25,000 in damages for medical and legal expenses, and for harm to their “enjoyment of life” and their marital relationship.
At least two people have died and 34 have been sickened in a multi-state listeria outbreak linked to Boar’s Head deli meats. More people are likely infected, the CDC said.
The major supermarket chain announced a recall of more than 100 tons (or 207,000 pounds) of meat in 13 states, including Illinois, New York and Missouri, late last week.
It is not clear how the meat became contaminated, but the bacteria can remain on surfaces and spread to cutting tools and countertops if they are not thoroughly cleaned regularly, potentially contaminating the meat and causing an outbreak.
The lawsuit, filed in St. Louis County Superior Court, states: “Patrick Fleming has lost the love, services, cooperation, comfort, instruction, guidance, counsel and support of his wife.
‘Sue Fleming continues to suffer from the effects of her infection, including a range of neurological symptoms, fatigue and general weakness.’
The couple had been buying meats from Boar’s Head regularly for years and say they’ve never had any problems before, the lawsuit states.
They are suing Boar’s Head on nine counts, including negligence and violation of an implied warrant, and have demanded a jury trial.
The lawsuit also names Schnucks Market as a defendant, the store where they bought the meat.
The couple say the illness, from which Ms Fleming has not yet recovered, has sapped the joy from their lives and damaged their marriage. They are pictured above with a book the couple wrote about how to heal the trauma of past abuse.
Their attorney Ryan Osterholm, of OFT Food Safety and Injury Lawyers in Minnesota, said: ‘Unfortunately, we have seen this before with meat products.
‘(Listeria) gets into the facility, and if you don’t clean thoroughly enough, it sticks around. That’s how listeria spreads.
‘From there it gets into the food and people get very sick. Then people are hospitalized and sometimes — far too often — people die.’
Listeria, which kills about one in five people infected, is especially dangerous for the elderly, pregnant women and people with underlying health conditions.
These people have a weaker immune system, which may make them less able to fight an infection.
Symptoms may appear several days to 10 weeks after infection and initially begin with fever, chills, stomach cramps, and diarrhea.
As the infection progresses, patients may experience convulsions, loss of balance, and confusion.
The bacteria can be fatal if it spreads into the blood and causes sepsis (where organs begin to fail) or if it infects the nerves and brain lining and causes encephalitis (inflammation of the brain lining).
Infections can be treated with antibiotics. These are administered intravenously and can kill the bacteria.