Twin Sisters Creamery of Ferndale, Washington, certain cheese products made from raw and unpasteurized milk because they may be contaminated with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli and E. coli O103. You people have become infected with E. coli.
Between July 27 and October 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. The products could be further distributed to retail stores for repackaging or sold pre-cut into crescent-shaped pieces with different lot numbers or expiration dates.
The affected Whatcom Blue, Farmhouse, Peppercorn and Mustard Seed cheese wheels have the following batch codes:
- Lot code 250527B Whatcom Blue
- Lot code 250610B Whatcom Blue
- Lot code 250618B Whatcom Blue
- Lot code 250624B Whatcom Blue
- Lot code 250603F Farmhouse
- Lot code 250616B Farmhouse
- Batch code 250603P Peppercorns
- Batch code 250616M Mustard seed
To date, there have been three reports of STEC infections caused by E. coli O103 in Oregon and Washington. The Oregon patient had consumed Twin Sisters Creamery Farmhouse cheese before becoming ill.
The recall was initiated after Twin Sisters Creamery was notified that a sample of Farmhouse cheese analyzed by a third-party laboratory confirmed the presence of E. coli O103 and E. Coli STEC found in Whatcom Blue samples analyzed by the Washington State Department of Agriculture and the United States Department of Agriculture. 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 disinfect surfaces touched by them. Consumers concerned about a medical condition should contact a healthcare professional.
About E. coli infections
Anyone who has eaten any of the recalled cheeses and develops symptoms of an E. coli infection should seek medical attention and tell their doctor about their possible exposure to the bacteria. Diagnosing infections requires special tests that can mimic other diseases.
Symptoms of an E. coli infection vary from person to person, but often include severe stomach cramps and diarrhea that is often bloody. Some patients may also have a fever. Most patients recover within five to seven days. Others may develop serious or life-threatening symptoms and complications, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
About 5 to 10 percent of people diagnosed with E. coli infection develop a potentially life-threatening complication of kidney failure known as hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Symptoms of HUS include fever, abdominal pain, feeling very tired, decreased frequency of urination, minor unexplained bruising or bleeding, and paleness.
Many people with HUS recover within a few weeks, but some suffer permanent injury or death. This condition can occur in people of any age, but it is most common in children under five years of age due to their immature immune systems, in older adults due to a deteriorating immune system, and in people with weakened immune systems such as cancer patients.
People experiencing symptoms of HUS should seek emergency medical help immediately. People with HUS are more likely to be hospitalized because the disease can cause other serious and permanent problems, such as hypertension, chronic kidney disease, brain damage, and neurological problems.
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