A Snohomish County resident has been identified as part of a multistate Listeria monocytogenes outbreak, a severe bacterial infection linked to contaminated food products, according to Snohomish County Health Department officials.
The woman, whose identity remains confidential for privacy reasons, was hospitalized earlier this month and is currently recovering, health officials stated.
She represents the first person in Washington state associated with this outbreak, which has been traced to prepared pasta meals, according to health officials.
Consumers are advised to avoid eating the affected products and to dispose of them or return them to the place of purchase.
For a list of recalled items distributed in Washington, visit the Washington State Department of Health’s Food Recalls and Safety Alerts page.
Items distributed in Washington:
Sold at Sprouts Farmers Market: Sprouts Farmers Market Smoked Mozzarella Pasta Salad, product use by dates October 10 to October 29. Consumers are also advised to clean their refrigerator, containers, and surfaces that may have contacted the recalled products.
Sold at Walmart, Fred Meyer, or QFC: Home Chef Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo 12.5 oz, best-by date of June 19, 2025, or prior Kroger stores recalled deli bowtie and penne pasta salads, sold on August 29, 2025, through October 2, 2025 Marketside Linguine with Beef Meatballs & Marinara Sauce 12 oz, best if used by dates of September 22, 24, 25, 29, 30, 2025, and October 1, 2025 Marketside Grilled Chicken Alfredo with Fettuccine 12.3 oz, best-by date of June 26, 2025, or before; and 32.8 oz, best-by date of June 27, 2025, or before
Listeriosis, the illness caused by the bacteria, presents symptoms such as fever, muscle aches, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea.
It poses significant risk to individuals aged 65 and older, those with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women. In severe cases, it can lead to debilitating headaches, confusion, seizures, or loss of balance.
Health officials urge anyone experiencing these symptoms after consuming the recalled prepared meals, whether frozen or ready-to-eat, to contact a healthcare provider immediately.
Federal health agencies and public health officials have been investigating Listeria monocytogenes infections since August 2024 linked to the prepared meals.
So far, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports 27 cases across 18 states, with six deaths.
Listeria bacteria are found in the environment and can spread from contaminated food to surfaces. Listeria can grow on foods kept in the refrigerator for several days.
To prevent Listeriosis infection:
Avoid unpasteurized (raw) milk or foods made from unpasteurized milk. Thoroughly cook raw meat, such as beef, pork, or poultry. Wash raw vegetables thoroughly before eating. Keep uncooked meats separate from vegetables and from cooked foods and ready-to-eat foods. Wash hands, knives, and cutting boards after handling uncooked foods.
The Snohomish County woman representing Washington state’s first confirmed case in the outbreak indicating the contaminated products reached Pacific Northwest distribution networks, with her hospitalization demonstrating the infection’s severity beyond the mild food poisoning that many consumers might initially dismiss.
The hospitalization earlier this month followed by current recovery suggesting the patient received timely medical intervention preventing the fatal outcomes that claimed six lives nationally, with the positive prognosis likely reflecting either early symptom recognition, effective antibiotic treatment, or the patient’s underlying health status enabling her immune system to combat the infection.
The identity confidentiality for privacy reasons following standard public health practice protecting patients from stigma while enabling officials to warn the public about outbreak risks, with the anonymity preventing media intrusion while the woman recovers from a serious bacterial infection.
The prepared pasta meal contamination source indicating the outbreak stems from ready-to-eat convenience foods rather than raw ingredients, with the product category suggesting contamination occurred during manufacturing, processing, or packaging rather than through improper home preparation that consumers could control.
The disposal or return advice creating dilemma for consumers who may have already consumed portions of recalled products without obvious illness, with the guidance leaving unclear whether partially consumed items warrant immediate disposal or whether finishing them poses acceptable risk if no symptoms have emerged.
The Washington State Department of Health Food Recalls and Safety Alerts page providing centralized information resource, with the digital notification system representing modern public health communication contrasting with historical newspaper notices and phone tree alerts that delayed warnings allowing continued consumption of dangerous products.
The Sprouts Farmers Market Smoked Mozzarella Pasta Salad recall with October use-by dates indicating products sold recently are still within consumption windows, with the timing meaning many households likely purchased and consumed the salads before recall announcements went public.
The refrigerator, container, and surface cleaning advice recognizing Listeria’s persistence on kitchen surfaces, with the decontamination requirement reflecting the bacteria’s ability to form biofilms on equipment and countertops enabling cross-contamination to safe foods stored or prepared nearby.
The Walmart, Fred Meyer, and QFC distribution indicating contaminated products reached major retailers serving Snohomish County and broader Puget Sound region, with the widespread availability suggesting thousands of local households potentially purchased affected items creating substantial exposure risk.
The Home Chef Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo June 2025 best-by date indicating the product’s extended shelf life typical of frozen meals, with the distant expiration meaning consumers may have stored the dinners in freezers for months without realizing they’re consuming recalled items until symptoms emerge.
The Kroger deli bowtie and penne pasta salads August through October 2025 sales window representing three-month distribution period, with the extended timeframe suggesting either delayed contamination detection or gradual recall expansion as investigators traced the outbreak source through complex supply chains.
The Marketside Linguine and Grilled Chicken Alfredo September and October 2025 best-by dates reflecting Walmart’s private label products manufactured by third-party suppliers, with the store brand contamination demonstrating that recalls affect both national brands and retailer-specific products complicating consumer recall awareness.
The listeriosis symptoms including fever, muscle aches, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea resembling common flu or food poisoning, with the similarity potentially causing patients to self-treat at home rather than seeking medical care that could identify the bacterial infection requiring antibiotic intervention.
The particular risk to individuals 65 and older, immunocompromised people, and pregnant women reflecting Listeria’s exploitation of weakened immune defenses, with the vulnerable populations facing substantially higher mortality risks than healthy adults who may experience only mild illness from equivalent bacterial exposures.
The severe symptoms including debilitating headaches, confusion, seizures, and loss of balance indicating Listeria’s ability to cross the blood-brain barrier causing meningitis, with the neurological complications representing the infection’s most dangerous manifestations that require immediate hospitalization and aggressive antibiotic treatment.
The healthcare provider contact recommendation for anyone experiencing symptoms after consuming recalled meals attempting to increase diagnosis rates, with the guidance recognizing that many patients won’t connect gastrointestinal distress occurring days or weeks after eating to specific meals they consumed.
The August 2024 investigation start date indicating the outbreak has persisted for months before receiving public attention, with the extended timeline reflecting the challenges tracing foodborne illness sources when patients become sick days or weeks after consumption and may not recall specific products eaten.
The 27 cases across 18 states representing geographically dispersed outbreak suggesting national distribution networks, with the breadth indicating the contaminated products originated from centralized manufacturing facilities shipping to retailers nationwide rather than local production affecting limited regions.
The six deaths among 27 confirmed cases representing approximately 22% mortality rate far exceeding typical foodborne illness fatality rates, with the proportion reflecting either particularly virulent Listeria strain, delayed diagnosis preventing timely treatment, or concentration of cases among high-risk populations with compromised immune systems.
The environmental Listeria prevalence and surface spreading ability creating persistent contamination challenges, with the bacteria’s ubiquity in soil, water, and food processing environments making complete elimination impossible requiring instead rigorous sanitation protocols preventing bacterial proliferation to dangerous concentrations.
The refrigerator growth capability distinguishing Listeria from many foodborne pathogens, with the cold-tolerant characteristic meaning refrigeration that protects against most bacterial contamination actually enables Listeria to multiply slowly on stored foods that consumers assume remain safe throughout their shelf life.
The prevention recommendations emphasizing pasteurization, thorough cooking, vegetable washing, and kitchen hygiene representing layered food safety approach, with the multiple safeguards recognizing that no single practice eliminates all contamination risks requiring instead comprehensive protocols addressing different transmission pathways.
