Listeria Outbreak In Wisconsin Cheese Suspected Of Hospitalizing 4 People, Killing 1
Minnesota health officials are warning people not to consume a certain line of cheese, after a possible Listeria outbreak sent five people to the hospital in four states, with one person dying. One of the people was a pregnant woman who had a miscarriage.
Wisconsin producer Crave Brothers Farmstead Classics has been linked to the cheese, which is sold under the line of Las Freres cheeses, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said. Each person sickened with the infection showed the same strain of listeriosis.
Two of the five cases occurred in Minnesota. The other three occurred in Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. The age range among the infected varied, between 31 and 67 years old, though both cases from Minnesota involved older adults, the Minnesota Health and Agriculture departments said. One later died.
Health officials warn people against consuming Las Freres, Petit Frere, and Petit Frere with Truffles cheeses. The state's Departement of Agriculture has advised grocery stores and distributors to suspend sale of the suspected cheeses until they receive further information.
According to the FDA, the incidents took place between May 20 and June 17.
Minnesota health officials are warning consumers not to consume the Les Freres, Petit Frere and Petit Frere with Truffles cheeses. The state's Department of Agriculture has advised grocery stores and distributors to pull the products until it gets further information, CNN reports.
Listeriosis, which comes from eating food contaminated with the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes, primarily affects pregnant women, the elderly, and children with weakened immune systems. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), pregnant women are 10 times more likely to get listeriosis, with about one in seven cases occurring during a pregnancy.
"Overall, Listeria monocytogenes ranks third as a cause of death due to major known foodborne pathogens in the United States," said Dr. Benjamin Silk, CDC expert. "Unlike most bacterial causes of foodborne illness, Listeria monocytogenes can continue to grow at refrigeration temperatures. This means that storage times are an important consideration for prevention of listeriosis, particularly for foods that are known to favor growth of Listeria."
These include many soft cheeses, unpasteurized dairy products (including raw milk), deli and lunchmeats, cold cuts, hot dogs, pâté, and meat spreads.
Symptoms of a listeriosis infection can include fever and muscle aches, sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms, the CDC says. People may also experience headaches, stiff necks, confusion, loss of balance, or convulsions.