Listeriosis Outbreak in Maryland and California From Roos Cheese : Caujada en Terron (fresh cheese curd)

Food Poisoning Bulletin

Listeriosis Outbreak in Maryland and California From Roos Cheese

February 22, 2014 by Linda Larsen  

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has started an investigation into an outbreak of listeriosis, caused by the Listeria monocytogenes bacteria, in Maryland and California. One person  in California was sick and died, and seven people are ill in Maryland. All seven people in Maryland have been hospitalized in this outbreak.

Five of the illnesses, two mother-newborn pairs and a newborn, were related to pregnancy. All of the patients are Hispanic. All patients in Maryland reported consuming soft or semi-soft Hispanic-style cheese and all shopped at different locations of the same food store. At this time, the CDC is identifying the store only as Chain A. Testing of cheese products collected from Chain A stores in Maryland and Virginia found the outbreak strain of bacteria.

The cheese is identified as Caujada en Terron (fresh cheese curd), produced by Roos Foods of Kenton, Delaware. That cheese was recalled on February 15, 2014, and consumer advisories and warnings about Roos cheese products were issued on February 19 and February 21, 2014. The cheese was repackaged in the Chain A store. Listeria monocytogenes was found in the cheese before it was repackaged. Pre-packaged cheese products at Chain A stores, by Roos Foods, have tested “preliminarily positive” for Listeria monocytogenes.

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