CONNECTICUT, USA — A warning has been issued by the Connecticut Department of Public Health for El Abuelito Queso Fresco cheese due to findings of Listeria monocytogenes collected from a state retail food store last week.
The CT DPH was collected as part of an investigation into a multi-state outbreak in a multi-state outbreak of listeriosis. As of Tuesday, there has been one case of illness reported in Connecticut after eating this brand.
The brand was manufactured in Paterson, New Jersey, and sold as a fresh 10-ounce item packaged in a plastic container with a sticker with a lot number of A027 and date of February 26, 2021.
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FDA Recommendations:
If you are at higher risk for severe Listeria illness (if you are pregnant, aged 65 or older, or have a weakened immune system due to certain medical conditions or treatments) do not 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.
Call your healthcare provider right away if you have these symptoms after eating Hispanic-style fresh and soft cheeses:
- Pregnant people typically experience only fever, fatigue, and muscle aches. However, Listeria infection during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, or life-threatening infection of the newborn.
- People who are not pregnant may experience headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions, in addition to fever and muscle aches.
