Soft Cheese Listeria Outbreak in Oregon
When it comes to Listeria poisoning, public health officials preach over and over that pregnant women are among the most vulnerable to infection and that their babies are at risk for becoming seriously ill or dying.
In Oregon right now, two women and their babies are victims of a Listeria outbreak that the Oregon Health Authority has associated with Queso Fresco and two other soft cheeses made by a small business in Yakima, Washington.
Health reporter Lynne Terry of the Portland Oregonian newspaper has written that both mothers were hospitalized and that their babies were born with serious illnesses, but no one has died.
A fifth person also has been hospitalized in the outbreak, which was announced Friday in conjunction with a recall of three cheeses made by Queseria Bendita.
William Keene, senior epidemiologist with the Oregon Public Health Division, told the newspaper that one mother lives in Clackamas County and the other is in Washington County. Keene said both babies were delivered slightly prematurely because of fetal distress.
The Oregon Health Authority said in a news release that the Queseria Bendita cheeses under recall are sold primarily at Hispanic specialty markets in the greater Portland and Umatilla County areas, but may have been resold to Mexican restaurants or other outlets.
The company has ceased production and distribution of its products as the Washington State Department of Agriculture, the Food and Drug Administration and the company continue their investigations into what caused the problem.
National food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen is monitoring this outbreak and accepting cases from individuals sickened by Listeria. It can take up to 70 days after eating food contaminated with the bacteria to feel sick.
Infected pregnant women may have only a mild illness, but infections during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage or stillbirth, premature delivery or infection of the newborn. To talk to a Listeria lawyer at Pritzker Olsen, call 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or complete the contact form on the side of this Web page.
