According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than two dozen cheese brands, under one cheese company, have been recalled in connection with a listeria outbreak that has hospitalized six people.
Laboratory Medicine
Recalled Cheese Brands Linked to Listeria Outbreaks
The cheese company, Old Europe Cheese, recalled 25 brands of brie and camembert on Friday in response to a multistate outbreak of listeria monocytogenes infections linked to the products.
According to ABC NEWS, six people have been infected, with five requiring hospitalization. There have been no reported deaths. Infected patients live in California, Georgia, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, and Texas.
Four of the patients said they had eaten brie or camembert before getting sick. According to the Food and Drug Administration, an analysis of environmental samples taken from Old Europe Cheese's Michigan facility revealed the presence of a listeria strain that matched the strain causing illnesses in the current outbreak.
The recalled products have best-by dates ranging from Sep. 28, 2022 to Dec. 14, 2022, and are sold at Stop & Shop, Whole Foods, Sprout, and Lidl.
CDC said that the company is already working with the FDA on corrective actions. The agency provided the recalled products on its website.
High fever, severe headache, nausea, stiffness, abdominal pain, and diarrhea are all symptoms that an infected person may experience. The agency advised that anyone experiencing severe listeria illness after eating the recalled cheese should contact their doctor immediately.
Listeria Risk and Incubation
Listeria monocytogenes is a highly resistant bacterium that can withstand refrigeration, drying, and freezing.
The bacterium causes listeriosis, a potentially fatal disease in pregnant women and immunocompromised patients. It causes a gastrointestinal-febrile syndrome in others, which resolves spontaneously and fairly quickly.
According to Professor Antonella Castagna, head of the San Raffaele Hospital's Infectious Diseases Unit, they only know the number of cases severe enough to require clinical attention. However, they have no idea how many people have had listeriosis and recovered naturally.
Listeria can cause a serious disease when it enters the blood, which can reach the central nervous system. It can endanger a fetus and can also lead to meningoencephalitis.
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Listeria Treatment and Prevention
Because Listeria is resistant to cephalosporins, a combination of ampicillin and gentamicin is given. As previously stated, milder cases rarely come to the doctor's attention. If the case is not too difficult, patients usually treat themselves at home by addressing gastrointestinal symptoms.
Castagna stated in an interview with Gazzetta Active (via Spark Chronicles) that it is critical to always consider the expiry date and the instructions provided for proper conservation. Hand washing is also essential before cooking or handling food. She stated that it is critical not to consume raw foods that require cooking because cooking reduces the bacterial load present.
She also stated that if cooked foods are not consumed immediately, they should be stored in the refrigerator and reheated to a suitable temperature before consumption, rather than being left at room temperature.
Take note to clean your refrigerator, containers, and any surfaces that may have come into contact with the recalled cheese. Listeria can survive in the refrigerator and spread to other foods and surfaces with ease.
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