The Southern Nevada Health District confirmed that a Clark County resident is among two Americans sickened in a Listeria outbreak linked to enoki mushrooms, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The white, long-stemmed mushrooms are popular in Asian cuisine, usually eaten cooked in soups, hot pots, and stir-fried dishes.
"Both sick people reported eating enoki mushrooms or eating at restaurants with menu items containing enoki mushrooms," the CDC states.
To date, CDC investigators have yet to identify the supplier associated with the mushrooms believed to be a potential source of the outbreak. They're still working to identify specific mushroom brands linked to reported illnesses.
The CDC investigated a 2020 outbreak of Listeria linked to enoki mushrooms. At the time, it was the first known Listeria outbreak in the U.S. linked to enoki mushrooms. Listeria was found in "many samples" collected from several states, resulting in more than 20 recalls of enoki mushrooms in the years since, according to a CDC report published Thursday.
A second infection linked to this outbreak was reported in Michigan. Both people were hospitalized.
"The outbreak strain was previously found in one sample of enoki mushrooms that FDA collected at import," the CDC stated.
The CDC advised people at high risk of infection to do the following:
- Do not eat raw enoki mushrooms.
- Keep raw enoki mushrooms separate from foods that won't be cooked.
- Wash your hands after handling raw enoki mushrooms.
- Call your healthcare provider right away if you experience any symptoms of Listeria illness (headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, convulsions, fever and muscle aches) after eating enoki mushrooms.
