VietNamNet Bridge – Director of the Viet Nam Food Administration Nguyen Cong Khan said yesterday, Oct 4, there were no killer cantaloupes in Viet Nam.

Khan was referring to a variety of cantaloupe that has caused the deadliest outbreak of food poisoning in the United States for more than a decade.

The outbreak, linked to fruit grown at Jensen Farms in Colorado, has claimed the lives of 15 people so far and hospitalised at least 84 people in 19 states as of September 29, according to the United States Centres for Disease Control and Prevention report.

Khan said his staff were watching the situation closely and would warn the public of any developments.

The Viet Nam Food Administration and Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and other regulatory agencies are tightening checks on importers of foreign produce.

The killer cantaloupes are said to be infected with listeria, a strain of bacteria which mostly affects older adults, pregnant women, new-born children and adults with weak immune systems.

The disease can cause fever, muscle ache, gastro-intestinal disorders - and sometimes death.

Given promptly, antibiotics can cure the illness, but it can take months for the bacteria to incubate.

At the moment, there is no vaccine against listeria.

This is the first time listeria has been linked to cantaloupes. It is more commonly found in processed meats and unpasteurised milk and cheese.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News