The Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention have linked soft and fresh cheeses such as queso fresco, queso blanco, and queso panela to a cluster of listeria cases in Connecticut, Maryland, New York, and Virginia.
CNN reports that according to the CDC, Food and Drug Administration, and state officials, these cheeses have been connected to seven hospitalizations. The CDC is warning people who present a higher risk for severe listeria illness, such as the elderly over age 65 or pregnant women, to avoid consuming these cheese products.
“People who are not at higher risk of severe illness should make sure the Hispanic-style fresh and soft cheeses (like queso fresco) they eat have labels that say, ‘Made with pasteurized milk,'” said the CDC in a statement on Friday.
“Don’t eat any Hispanic-style fresh and soft cheeses (like queso fresco, queso blanco, and queso panela) until we identify a specific type or brand that is making people sick,” they added.
Listeria is an infection caused by eating foods contaminated with the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. It can cause symptoms such as fever, muscle aches, and sometimes diarrhea. Listeria can be treated with antibiotics.
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