CDC: Soft cheeses linked to 24 illnesses, one death from Listeria

Kim Painter | Special to USA TODAY

A California company has recalled several brands of soft cheese that may be linked to illnesses in at least 24 people in nine states and the death of one person in Ohio, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday.

The illnesses were caused by Listeria, bacteria that can cause life-threatening infections and trigger miscarriages in pregnant women. One pregnant woman who became ill lost a fetus, CDC said, and 21 people have been hospitalized.

The recalled cheeses are made by Karoun Dairies, Inc., of San Fernando, Calif., and are sold under the brands Karoun, Arz, Gopi, Queso Del Valle, Central Valley Creamery, and Yanni, the company said in a statement. The products are vacuum-packed and sold in jars or pails.

None of the products tested positive for Listeria, the company said, and CDC said it has not conclusively identified the source of the outbreak. But CDC said 18 of the people who became ill reported eating soft cheese and four named Karoun brands. More possible cases are under investigation, CDC said.

The reported cases, which have been occurring since 2010, but were just recently linked by CDC investigators, were in these states: California (14), Colorado (1), Illinois (1), Massachusetts (2), Michigan (1), New York (2), Ohio (1), Tennessee (1), and Washington (1).

The CDC said consumers should not eat and stores should not sell the recalled cheeses, listed here.