Czech doctors: Listeria bacteria spreading
Czech public health officials say listeria bacteria has spread to more food products, killing 14 people across the country.
A recent outbreak of listeriosis originated in a Czech dairy plant, whose production was stopped immediately but the latest contaminated food was bacon sold in the Litomerice region, Prague Radio reported Tuesday.
In January, health officials said 13 people had died of the listeria bacteria illness in the Czech Republic. More than 90 people have fallen ill with listeria-poisoning during the past several months.
The strain of bacteria has been discovered in soft cheese, salads and fish before it was recently found in bacon.
Doctors say elderly people and children are most vulnerable to listeriosis. They said unseasonably mild weather and poor storage conditions were to be blamed for the spread of the disease, the radio said.
Copyright 2007 by United Press International
