So far one lawsuit has been filed in connection to a listeria outbreak traced to cantaloupes that were sold in 25 states throughout the country, including New Jersey. As of now it seems the danger for illness and death is not nearly over, as officials claim it can take weeks for symptoms to show.

According to one woman, her mother knew something was wrong when her 87-year-old father suddenly collapsed to the floor and was unable to get up. Just a few days later he died, and now the family has sued Jensen Farms claiming that his death was linked to the listeria food poisoning outbreak that has been traced to the company's facility.

It also appears that this 87-year-old was not the only person to pass away from the listeria tainted cantaloupes, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported that 72 people have fallen ill and 13 people have died from the bacteria. Three other recent deaths are also being investigated to see if there is a connection to this listeria outbreak.

So far with 13 deaths, this is the most deadly listeria outbreak since 1998 when 21 people died from contaminated deli meats and hotdogs. Before that, 52 people died in 1985 after listeria was linked to Mexican-style soft cheese.

In this most recent outbreak, Dr. Robert Tauxe of the CDC said that there will most likely be more deaths and illnesses in the coming weeks as symptoms of the poisoning don't show up for some time.

Listeria is a real risk for the elderly, those with weak immune systems and those who are pregnant, as it's believed the bacteria can be easily passed on to a fetus. Signs of listeria include gastrointestinal symptoms, fever and muscle aches.

As of now the cantaloupe has been recalled, however, it may still be out on shelves or already purchased. The label may say "Distributed by Frontera Produce,""Colorado Grown," "Sweet Rocky Fords," or "Jensenfarms.com." Additionally, some of the cantaloupes may not even have a label, which would make it hard for people to tell if they did or did not buy a listeria tainted cantaloupe.

The tainted cantaloupe was shipped to stores between July 29 and Sept. 10. If you are someone who purchased cantaloupe recently and has since become ill, there is a good chance that you ate some of the tainted fruit. If you still have any remaining pieces of the cantaloupe, make sure to freeze it immediately.

Source: USA Today, "Cantaloupe outbreak is deadliest in a decade," Sept. 28, 2011