CDC Warns of E. Coli outbreak linked to raw milk cheese

A CDC food safety alert regarding a multistate outbreak of E. coli infections has been posted: https://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/raw-milk-cheese-2-24/index.html

Key Points: 

• Ten people infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli have been reported from four states. Four people have been hospitalized and one person developed hemolytic uretic syndrome. This is a serious condition that can cause kidney failure. No deaths have been reported.
• Of the 6 people who remembered the details of the raw milk cheese they ate, all reported eating RAW FARM brand raw cheddar cheese.
• CDC advises people not to eat, sell, or serve RAW FARM brand raw cheddar cheese while the investigation is ongoing.
• RAW FARM LLC has agreed to recall products and is working with FDA.

What People and Businesses Should Do: 

• Do not sell or serve RAW FARM brand raw cheddar cheese.
• Wash and sanitize items and surfaces that may have come in contact with contaminated cheese.
• Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any severe E. coli symptoms.
• Wash surfaces and containers that may have touched these products using hot soapy water or a dishwasher.

E. coli Symptoms: 

• Most people infected with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli experience severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (often bloody), and vomiting.
  • Symptoms usually start 3 to 4 days after swallowing the bacteria.
  • Most people recover without treatment after 5 to 7 days.
• Some people may develop serious kidney problems (hemolytic uremic syndrome, also called HUS) and would need to be hospitalized.
  • Clues that someone is developing HUS include decreased frequency of urination, feeling very tired, and losing pink color in cheeks and inside the lower eyelids.
• For more information about E. coli, see the E. coli Questions and Answers page.

If you have questions about cases in a particular state, please call that state’s health department.

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

CDC works 24/7 protecting America’s health, safety and security. Whether diseases start at home or abroad, are curable or preventable, chronic or acute, or from human activity or deliberate attack, CDC responds to America’s most pressing health threats. CDC is headquartered in Atlanta and has experts located throughout the United States and the world.