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A Listeria outbreak associated with queso fresco and other Hispanic-style cheeses has sickened ten people in Connecticut, Maryland, New York and Virginia. Nine of them have been hospitalized, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
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The CDC has issued a public health alert for queso fresco and other soft Hispanic-style fresh and soft cheeses such as queso blanco, and queso panela until the specific type or brand of cheese that is making people sick is identified. The agency urges people in high-risk groups to avoid eating these cheeses at this time. People in the high-risk groups for Listeria infections include pregnant women, seniors, and those with weakened immune systems. People who are not high-risks should make sure that they only eat pasteurized cheeses at this time. The CDC is currently analyzing genetic markers to determine if there is a link between this Listeria outbreak and Listeria found in a sample of El Abuelito brand queso fresco.
Listeria monocytogenes is a bacteria that exists in nature and grows well in cool, damp environments. So food manufacturers must take care that their facilities are sanitary. About 90 percent of listeriosis cases require hospitalization and about 20 are fatal. Among pregnant women, listeriosis can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery and infection of newborns.
Symptoms of a Listeria infection include headache, stiff neck, muscle aches, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions. Sometimes those symptoms are preceded by an upset stomach, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea. Usually, these symptoms appear within two weeks of exposure but sometimes they can take as long as 70 days to develop.
The seven people sickened in this outbreak reported the onset of symptoms on dates ranging from October 20, 2020, to January 22, 2021. Four of the illnesses were reported from Maryland, Connecticut, New York and Virginia reported one case each. Genetic tests on the bacteria showed that they were all sickened by the same Listeria serovar.
The case patients range in age from 45 to 75 years old. Three are female four are male. Six of them are Hispanic.
Health officials have interviewed four people about what they ate in the month before they became ill. Three of them said they ate at least one type of Hispanic-style fresh and soft cheeses and all three reported eating queso fresco, according to the CDC.
State officials have collected and are testing samples of Hispanic-style fresh and soft cheeses from stores where case patients shopped. These tests could reveal what brand and type of cheese is the source of these illnesses.
Previous Outbreaks Listeria Cheese Outbreaks
2020 Deli Meat and Cheese Outbreak
A Listeria outbreak linked to deli-sliced meats and cheeses that was discovered in 2020 ended earlier this month after sickening 10 people, one of whom died. That cases, which occurred from 2016 to 2019, were reported from five states: Massachusetts (1), Michigan (2), New Jersey (2), New York (2), Pennsylvania (3). The fatality was reported from Michigan.
2017 Vulto Creamery Raw Milk Cheese Listeria Outbreak
A newborn baby was one of eight people sickened in a four-state Listeria monocytogenes outbreak linked to soft raw milk cheeses from Vulto Creamery of Walton, NY. All eight were hospitalized, two of them died. Five of the case-patients, who ranged in age from less than one year old to 89 years old, were from New York. Connecticut, Florida and Vermont reported one case each. Pritzker Hageman Listeria lawyers represented a client sickened in this outbreak.
2015 Karoun Dairies Soft Cheeses Listeria Outbreak
A 2015 Listeria outbreak linked to soft cheeses produced by Karoun Dairies Inc. of San Fernando, CA sickened 30 people, killing three of them and causing one miscarriage.
2014 Listeria Outbreak Linked to Dairy Products Produced by Roos Foods
A 2014 Listeria outbreak linked to dairy products produced by Roos Foods sickened eight people in two states, killing one of them.
2014 Listeria Outbreak Linked to Oasis Brand Cheeses
A 2014 Listeria outbreak linked to Oasis brand cheeses sickened five people in four states killing one of them. One of the illnesses was diagnosed in a newborn baby. Cases were reported from Georgia, New York, Tennessee, and Texas. The fatality occurred in Tennessee, the only state to report two cases.
2013 Crave Brothers Cheese Listeria Outbreak
In 2013, Listeria monocytogenes in Crave Brothers cheese sickened six people in five states killing one of them and causing one miscarriage. The fatality was reported in Minnesota where one other case also occurred. Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Texas reported one case each.
2012 Frescolina Marte Brand Ricotta Salata Cheese
A 2012 Listeria outbreak linked to Frescolina Marte brand ricotta salata cheese sickened 22 people in 14 states, killing four of them. Pritzker Hageman Listeria lawyers filed a lawsuit against Whole Foods and Forever Cheese on behalf of a client who developed listeriosis after eating the contaminated cheese.
Experienced Listeria Lawyers
If you were sickened in this outbreak and would like to discuss your legal options, contact our Listeria lawyers for a free consultation. Call 1 (888) 377-8900, send a text to 612-261-0856. Or, complete the form below. The consultation is free and there is no obligation.
Brote de listeria vinculado a queso fresco y otros quesos de estilo hispano
Póngase en contacto con el equipo de Pritzker Hageman Listeria | Teléfono: 1-888-377-8900 | Texto: 1-612-261-0856
Un brote de Listeria asociado con queso fresco y otros quesos de estilo hispano ha enfermado a diez personas en Connecticut, Maryland, Nueva York y Virginia. Todos han sido hospitalizados, según los Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades (CDC).
El CDC ha emitido una alerta de salud pública para el queso fresco y otros quesos blandos, frescos y blandos de estilo hispano, como el queso blanco y el queso panela, hasta que se identifique el tipo o marca específica de queso que está enfermando a las personas. La agencia insta a las personas en grupos de alto riesgo a evitar comer estos quesos en este momento. Las personas en los grupos de alto riesgo de infecciones por Listeria incluyen mujeres embarazadas, personas mayores y personas con sistemas inmunológicos debilitados. Las personas que no son de alto riesgo deben asegurarse de comer solo quesos pasteurizados en este momento.
Listeria monocytogenes es una bacteria que existe en la naturaleza y crece bien en ambientes frescos y húmedos. Alrededor del 90 por ciento de los casos de listeriosis requieren hospitalización y alrededor de 20 son fatales. Entre las mujeres embarazadas, la listeriosis puede causar aborto espontáneo, muerte fetal, parto prematuro e infección de los recién nacidos.
Los síntomas de una infección por Listeria incluyen dolor de cabeza, rigidez de cuello, dolores musculares, confusión, pérdida del equilibrio y convulsiones. A veces, esos síntomas van precedidos de malestar estomacal, calambres abdominales y diarrea. Por lo general, estos síntomas aparecen dentro de las dos semanas posteriores a la exposición, pero a veces pueden tardar hasta 70 días en desarrollarse.
Las siete personas que enfermaron en este brote informaron la aparición de síntomas en fechas que van desde el 20 de octubre de 2020 al 22 de enero de 2021. Cuatro de las enfermedades fueron reportadas en Maryland, Connecticut, Nueva York y Virginia reportaron un caso cada una. Las pruebas genéticas de las bacterias mostraron que todas estaban enfermas por el mismo serovar de Listeria.
Los pacientes del caso tienen edades comprendidas entre los 45 y los 75 años. Tres son mujeres cuatro son hombres. Seis de ellos son hispanos.
Los funcionarios de salud han entrevistado a cuatro personas sobre lo que comieron el mes antes de enfermarse. Tres de ellos dijeron que comieron al menos un tipo de quesos frescos y blandos al estilo hispano y los tres informaron haber comido queso fresco, según los CDC.
Los funcionarios estatales han recolectado y están probando muestras de quesos frescos y blandos estilo hispano de las tiendas donde compraron los pacientes. Estas pruebas podrían revelar qué marca y tipo de queso es el origen de estas enfermedades.