CDC: Soft cheeses linked to 24 illnesses, one death from Listeria

One person from Ohio who died from a Listeria monocytogenes infection is among the two dozen people in 9 states associated to a multistate outbreak of the foodborne illness linked to consumption of soft cheeses, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported today.

While no cases of Listeria have been reported in Arkansas, one has been reported in neighboring Tennessee.

The company has since recalled some of its cheeses, although none of its products have tested positive for Listeria so far.

“This advice is particularly important for consumers at higher risk for listeriosis, including pregnant women, adults 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems”, warns the CDC. Those who are sick range in age from 1 to 92 and 75% of them are female.

Karoun Dairies introduced its voluntary nationwide recall on Wednesday and listed 15 cheeses together with Goat Milk Feta, Queso Blanco, Nabulsi and others. Four of seven who specified the brand of cheese eaten reported brands distributed by Karoun Dairies.

Listeria bacteria are commonly found in soil and water, and because they can infect animals without causing symptoms, the bacteria can sometimes contaminate meat and dairy products, the CDC said. “No other brand of cheese was reported a few times”, the CDC said. The cheeses are sold vacuum packed, in jars or pails, in weights from 5 ounces to 30 pounds.

Whole genome sequencing maps all of an organism’s DNA. Five of the cases were pregnancy-related, one them resulted in a miscarriage.

If you or a family member became ill with a Listeria infection after consuming food and you’re interested in pursuing a legal claim, contact the Marler Clark Listeria attorneys for a free case evaluation.

The CDC noted that its investigation of the outbreak is ongoing, and that the agency has not definitively confirmed that soft cheeses are the source of the illnesses.

This year alone frozen greenbeans, spinach, hummus, and ice cream have all been recalled due to possible listeria outbreak and Blue Bell Creameries shut down their entire production line while they decontaminated their factories due to an outbreak dating back to 2010.