LAS CRUCES -- The New Mexico Department of Health’s Scientific Laboratory Division has confirmed the outbreak strain of E. coli in an intact sample of Bravo Farms Dutch Style Gouda Cheese from Costco.
The outbreak strain had been isolated at other laboratories in already opened packages of cheese, but this is the first confirmation from an intact cheese sample.
“Collaboration with the Dairy Division of the New Mexico Department of Agriculture led to the collection of the intact samples of cheese that definitively linked a specific brand to human cases,” said Dr. C. Mack Sewell, state epidemiologist for the Department of Health.
The current investigation involves multiple federal, state and local agencies including the Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, other affected states and the City of Albuquerque’s Health and Environment Department to determine the cause of the E. coli cases.
“Within hours of this particular recall, we had some of our dairy inspectors at the stores to make sure the recalled products were off the store shelves and no longer available to consumers,” said Alf Reeb, NMDA dairy division director.
Both the FDA and CDC have issued alerts to consumers and health professional about the outbreak. Based on current information, there is a link to the consumption of Bravo Farms Dutch Style Gouda Cheese (Costco Item 40654 manufactured by Bravo Farms, Traver, Calif.) that was sold and offered as free in-store samples between Oct. 5 and Nov. 1.
Thirty-seven people from five states including New Mexico have become sick with E. coli since mid-October. Cases in New Mexico include a 41-year-old man, a 7-year-old girl from Bernalillo County and a 4-year-old boy from Valencia County who are all recovering. No one in New Mexico is hospitalized. Arizona has 19 cases reported, Colorado has 10, California has 3 and Nevada has two. Nationally there have been 15 reported hospitalizations, one case of hemolytic uremic syndrome and no deaths.
People who have any of the cheese should not eat it. People should return the cheese to the place of purchase or dispose of it in a closed plastic bag placed in a sealed trash can. This will prevent people or animals from eating it.
Most people infected with E. coli develop diarrhea and abdominal cramps, but some illnesses may last longer and can be more severe. While most people recover within a week, some may develop a severe infection. Rarely, as symptoms of diarrhea improve, a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome can occur.
This can happen at any age but is most common in children younger than 5 years old and in older adults. People with HUS should be hospitalized immediately, as their kidneys may stop working and they may be at risk for other serious health problems.
For more information visit the CDC web site at: http://cdc.gov/ecoli/2010/cheese0157/index.html .
