Cheese linked to E. coli outbreak recalled

Twin Sisters Creamery of Ferndale, WA, some of its cheese products, which were made from raw and unpasteurized milk, because they may be contaminated with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli and E. coli O103. Thee people have become infected with E. coli.

Between July 27 and Oct. 22, the affected 2.5-pound round cheese wheels of Whatcom Blue, Farmhouse, Peppercorn and Mustard Seed cheese products were shipped to distributors in Oregon and Washington. Products may have been further distributed to retail stores for repacking or sold as pre-cut into half-moon shaped pieces with different lot numbers or expiration dates.

The affected cheese wheels of Whatcom Blue, Farmhouse, Peppercorn and Mustard Seed have the following batch codes:

• Batch Code 250527B Whatcom Blue
• Batch Code 250610B Whatcom Blue
• Batch Code 250618B Whatcom Blue
• Batch Code 250624B Whatcom Blue
• Batch Code 250603F Farmhouse
• Batch Code 250616B Farmhouse
• Batch Code 250603P Peppercorn
• Batch Code 250616M Mustard Seed

There have been three reports of STEC infections caused by E. coli O103 in Oregon and Washington to date. The patient in Oregon consumed the Twin Sisters Creamery Farmhouse cheese prior to becoming ill.

The recall was initiated after Twin Sisters Creamery was notified that the Farmhouse cheese sample analyzed by a third-party lab confirmed presence of E. coli O103 and E. Coli STEC was detected in Whatcom Blue samples analyzed by Washington State Department of Agicultue and theU.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The recalled products should no longer be available for purchase but may be in consumers’ refrigerators or freezers. If consumers still have recalled products in your home, do not eat or use them, throw them away, and clean and sanitize surfaces they touched. Consumers concerned about an illness should contact a medical professional.

About E. coli infections
Anyone who has eaten any of the recalled cheese and developed symptoms of E. coli infection should seek medical attention and tell their doctor about their possible exposure to the bacteria. Specific tests are required to diagnose the infections, which can mimic other illnesses.

The symptoms of E. coli infections vary for each person but often include severe stomach cramps and diarrhea, which is often bloody. Some patients may also have a fever. Most patients recover within five to seven days. Others can develop severe or life-threatening symptoms and complications, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

About 5 to 10 percent of those diagnosed with E. coli infections develop a potentially life-threatening kidney failure complication, known as a hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Symptoms of HUS include fever, abdominal pain, feeling very tired, decreased frequency of urination, small unexplained bruises or bleeding, and pallor. 

Many people with HUS recover within a few weeks, but some suffer permanent injuries or death. This condition can occur among people of any age but is most common in children younger than five years old because of their immature immune systems, older adults because of deteriorating immune systems, and people with compromised immune systems such as cancer patients. 

People who experience HUS symptoms should immediately seek emergency medical care. People with HUS will likely be hospitalized because the condition can cause other serious and ongoing problems such as hypertension, chronic kidney disease, brain damage, and neurologic problems.

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