FDA Finds Listeria at Plant, Links Karoun Dairies to Outbreak

 

September 23, 2015 by Carla Gillespie

Food Poisoning Bulletin

FDA inspectors found Listeria at a manufacturing facility where cheese associated with a a deadly Listeria outbreak is made. Genomic testing has revealed that the strain found in samples taken from the plant closely resembles the outbreak strain in those who became ill.

An outbreak associated with soft cheeses produced by Karoun Dairies, Inc. of San Fernando, California has caused 24 illnesses, one miscarriage and one fatality. The most recent illnesses were reported this summer. Then health officials used genetic testing to identify cases in nine states going back to 2010. This is similar to how the Blue Bell Listeria outbreak was discovered and investigated.
Several of the case patients in  this outbreak mentioned eating Karoun cheeses before becoming ill. Investigators collected samples from Central Valley Cheese Inc., a manufacturing facility in Turlock, California that makes cheese for Karoun Dairies. Whole genome sequencing tests on two environmental samples collected this month showed they closely resembled strains cultured from those who became ill. Tests on samples collected from the same facility in 2010 also showed Listeria strains highly related to the outbreak strains. These tests establish an epdemiologic link between the illnesses and the cheeses.

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