Whole genome sequencing has allowed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to connect at least 24 Listeria infections over the past five years to soft cheese, according to Food Safety News.
The 24 illnesses in nine states have been report since Aug. 8, 2010. One death was reported from Ohio. Twenty-one people were hospitalized. Five illnesses were pregnancy-related; one resulted in a fetal loss.
The illnesses are in California (14), Colorado (1), Illinois (1), Massachusetts (2), Michigan (1), New York (2), Ohio (1), Tennessee (1), and Washington (1).
CDC says that additional illnesses are under investigation.
There are five rare DNA fingerprints of Listeria included in this investigation, which whole genome sequencing has shown to be closely related genetically.
The cluster was first identified in August 2015 after investigators saw an increase in one of the five rare PFGE fingerprints reported to PulseNet. Whole genome sequencing found that the three other PFGE fingerprints were closely related genetically to the first outbreak strain. Illnesses associated with those PFGE fingerprints were added to the investigation, including illnesses that occurred more than five years ago.
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