Over the weekend, the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported that a recent outbreak of Listeria Disease has been traced to several brands of soft cheese. 24 Listeria cases across nine states have been reported in the past five years. The outbreak's sole casualty occurred in 2012, when pregnancy complications arising from the disease resulted in a fetal death.
The CDC's official announcement states:
CDC is collaborating with public health officials in several states and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to investigate a multistate outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes infections (listeriosis). Listeria can cause a serious, life-threatening illness.
Further information on the individual cases was stated:
Ill people range in age from less than 1 year to 92, and the median age is 77. Seventy-five percent of ill people are female. Twenty-one (91%) of 23 ill people for whom information is available reported being hospitalized. Five of the illnesses were pregnancy-related, and one illness resulted in a fetal loss. One death was reported from Ohio.
The Associated Press reported that a California based company has already begun recalling several of the soft cheese brands in question.
'The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday that Karoun Dairies, Inc., has voluntarily recalled and stopped production of several cheeses, including those sold under the brand names Karoun, Arz, Gopi, Queso Del Valle, Central Valley Creamery and Yanni.'
Many of those infected with the disease are of Middle Eastern or Eatern European Heritage according to the findings:
Fifteen (63%) of 24 people with available information are of Middle Eastern or Eastern European descent or shopped at Middle Eastern-style markets. Of 22 ill people for whom information is available, 18 (82%) consumed soft cheeses, and 16 (89%) reported eating Middle Eastern, Eastern European, Mediterranean, or Mexican-style cheeses, including ani, feta (including Bulgarian feta), Middle Eastern-style string cheese, and nabulsi.
