San Diego County Public Health officials issued a warning this weekend urging residents not to eat Northern California-based Sierra Nevada Graziers raw milk cheese.
The warning was issued Friday after the cheese was linked to a multi- state Shiga toxin-producing E. coli outbreak that has sickened two people in San Diego County. County epidemiologists identified the E. coli outbreak linked to raw milk cheese.
Sierra Nevada Graziers issued a voluntary recall Thursday for its grass-fed raw milk cheeses, including medium cheddar, sharp cheddar, jalapeno jack and Monterey jack. The recalled products were sold in 8-ounce or 16-ounce packages at retail stores and in 5-pound loaves to food service customers or wholesalers.
Health officials have identified 13 cases across 10 states including three each in California and Nevada, and individual cases in Oregon, Utah, Colorado, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia and Michigan.
Two of California’s three cases occurred in San Diego County in children under 5 years old. The average age of the 13 cases is 5 years.
County health officials recommend that people throw away any Sierra Nevada raw cheese products and they have shared information about these products with local retailers.
“We are deeply grateful for the rigorous work of our epidemiology team, whose swift detection helped bring this recall to light,” County Public Health Officer Sayone Thihalolipavan said. “Raw milk products like unpasteurized cheese can carry dangerous bacteria, including Shiga toxin- producing E.coli. These infections can cause severe illness, especially in young children, pregnant women, older adults and people with weakened immune systems.”
Health officials say E.coli can cause symptoms such as stomach cramps, diarrhea and vomiting, while severe cases may result in hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a serious condition that can lead to kidney failure.
The county recommends anyone who has the cheese to throw it away and not eat it.
