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Is it possible an infected person could transmit this bacteria to other people?

Experts say it is extremely unlikely, except in the case of a pregnant woman passing it on to her fetus. John Brumell, a cell biologist at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, noted that most people have lived in the same house as someone with a bacterial infection and had no problems. Transmission of listeria is theoretically possible, he said, but would probably require ingesting large quantities of the infected person's vomit or feces.

If I used a utensil or a tool in my home to work with contaminated meat, what should I do to stop the bacteria surviving in my kitchen?

You should be fine, assuming you washed the implement with soap and hot water after using it. “In the household, simple washing is enough,” said Dr. Walter Schlech, assistant professor of microbiology and immunology at Dalhousie University in Halifax. “The likelihood that people would get cross-contamination is low.”

The warning signs for listeriosis are similar to other conditions, so does the number of “suspected cases” include anyone who might turn out to have something else entirely?

According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, suspected cases are people who definitely have Listeria monocytogenes but who are awaiting DNA test results that will tell whether the bacteria they are carrying has the same genetic fingerprint as the outbreak strain. Can listeriosis be treated?

Antibiotics are used to treat listeriosis, although not always successfully. Infections can cause death even with prompt treatment. This is particularly likely in the elderly and in persons with other serious medical problems, notes the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.

Will Listerine kill listeria?

Although both take their names from Joseph Lister – a 19th-century surgeon famed for advancing cleanliness techniques in medicine – the mouthwash is ineffective against the bacterium. “By the time you clean your mouth the bug is already in your belly,” said Dr. Subash Sad, a research officer with the Institute for Biological Sciences at the National Research Council in Ottawa. “Once you have a contamination, it's very hard to get rid of it without antibiotics.”

Who is ensuring that the recalled products are removed from circulation?

The effectiveness of the recall is being monitored by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. The priority is high-risk institutions such as hospitals and nursing homes, and, along with public-health units across Canada, the CFIA is verifying that all affected product is removed from these places. Retail stores are checked through a normal verification process.

Are any of the products on the recall list designated halal for observant Muslims?

Maple Leaf says none of the products it has recalled is halal.

Isn't all the salt in cold cuts a greater risk to your health than a bacterium?

This should not be a serious issue among healthy people, whom Dr. Shlech notes have good excretory functions. Ingesting salt tends to make a person thirsty, provoking drinking and ultimately urination that flushes the system. “If you've got high blood pressure and your doctor has told you to stay away from it, yes it can be dangerous,” he added.