Listeria fears grow as 27 vegetables sold at Walmart, Aldi and thousands of other stores across the country are recalled

A recall involving dozens of types of vegetables has been issued over several states in connection to a sometimes fatal illness.

Earlier this month, Ohio based Wiers Farm Inc. voluntarily had said some of their whole and bagged salad cucumbers sold at select Walmarts in Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio may have been compromised.

Saying the move was made 'out of an abundance of caution,' officials said they believed the produce may have been contaminated with listeria monocytogenes.

The bacteria can cause a deadly infection known as listeriosis - an illness that officials from the FDA Thursday said spurred them to widen the recall. Products involved, they said, were packed between July 5 and July 12. Now, the list of vegetables tainted includes certain peppers, beans and squash.

The warning applies to Walmarts in 13 states, as well as supermarkets like Aldi and Kroger.

'Consumers who have consumed the affected product[s] and are experiencing symptoms such as fever, muscle aches, and gastrointestinal issues should seek medical attention,' the FDA alert said. 

'Consumers should discard product[s],' it continued.

'The product involved is past its shelf life and should already be out of distribution, but if consumers have any product they question, do not consume it, but rather discard it.'

States where the potentially tainted vegetables may have been sold were mostly on the East Coast, at Walmarts in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia.

As for Aldi, stores in Kentucky, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia were told their greens may also be contaminated.

Pulled items include green beans, peppers, zucchini, jalapeños, and more -  as the recall was expanded to also include green beans and jalapeños sold under the banner of Freshire Farms, an Aldi brand.

In total, 27 products were affected, with some sold individually or in bulk at Walmart, Krogers and Save-a-Lots across the country.

No illnesses have been reported as of writing, but US health officials are already investigating a fatal outbreak of listeria that came in the form of fresh sliced deli meat.

It was blamed for two deaths and 28 hospitalizations across 12 states, with New York recording the most with sever. 

The people who died, however, were from Illinois and New Jersey, as feds continue to vet what happened.

Those who ate the affected products reported symptoms such as fever, aches and gastrointestinal issues - a fate that could be in store for vegetable lovers in more than half of the country if another outbreak comes to fruition.

In a statement, Wiers Farm said it was taking 'all measures necessary to fully resolve this situation', as listeria can prove especially deadly to those over the age of 65.

Victims of the previous outbreak, however, ranged in age from 32 to 94. The median age of those afflicted was 75.

While past their shelf life and out of circulation, the new set of potentially affected products could still be in unsuspecting peoples' fridges and pantries.

Symptoms also include feeling like you are coming down with the flu  -  so be sure to peruse the full list of recalled products below.

More information - such as what to do if you feel you may have been infected - can be found at the FDA's website.