U.S. listeria toll up to 21, matches 1998 outbreak

* More than 100 sickened in 24 states

* New York company recalls fresh fruit

By Alina Selyukh

Oct 7 (Reuters) - Three more people in the United States have died from a listeria outbreak caused by tainted cantaloupes linked to a Colorado farm, bringing the toll to 21 deaths across 11 states, health officials said on Friday.

Deaths from the deadliest U.S. foodborne outbreak in more than a decade have now reached Indiana, New York and Wyoming, in addition to those reported in New Mexico, Colorado, Texas, Kansas, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska and Oklahoma.

That matches the death toll from a multi-state listeria outbreak linked to hot dogs and deli turkey from a Michigan processor that started in 1998 and stretched into 1999.

A total of 109 people across 24 states have been infected with one of the four strains of listeria involved in the latest outbreak, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

One woman who was pregnant when she became sick had a miscarriage, the CDC said.

Because listeria bacteria can cause illness as long as two months after a person has consumed contaminated food, health officials have warned that the cases of illness related to the cantaloupes likely will rise through October.

Several companies have recalled fruit following the original recall from Colorado's Jensen Farms on Sept. 14.

New York-based Fruit Fresh Up Inc became the latest on Friday, recalling mixed fresh fruit that included cantaloupe. No illnesses have been reported in connection with this recall of fruit that was distributed to Buffalo, New York, and surrounding areas.

Listeria monocytogenes is a frequent cause of U.S. food recalls in processed meats and cheeses, but contamination in fresh produce is a new and worrisome development.

People most at risk are the elderly, the pregnant and people with a weakened immune system, such as people who have had an organ transplant or cancer.

Symptoms include fever and muscle aches, sometimes preceded by diarrhea and other gastrointestinal problems. (Additional reporting by Anna Yukhananov; editing by Mohammad Zargham)