The Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene is warning consumers not to eat cheeses made by Roos Foods due to possible Listeria contamination. Roos Foods of Kenton, Delaware makes the following brands: Santa Rosa de Lima, Amigo, Mexicana, Suyapa, La Chapina, and La Purisima Crema Nica.
Consumers who have purchased these cheeses should not eat them as Listeria can cause serious illness. Listeria bacteria can cause an infection called listeriosis. Symptoms can appear as early as three days after exposure or take as long as 10 weeks. They include: nausea, diarrhea, fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions.
Listeriosis is especially dangerous for pregnant women. It can cause miscarriages and stillbirths although the pregnant women may themselves only experience fever and other flu-like symptoms which can be mild. Others at particular risk include newborns, seniors and those with weakened immune systems.
