A Los Angeles County Brucella outbreak is linked to raw cheese that was imported from Mexico, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LAC DPH). This Brucella melitensis outbreak has sickened an unnamed number of people.
Evvery one of the patients reported consuming the cheese made from unpasteurized milk before they got sick. This is a rare disease, with fewer than 15 cases usually reported every year in Los Angeles county. Most cases of brucellosis are linked to consumption of imported cheese, work with animals abroad, or accidental laboratory exposures.
We don’t know the patient age range, illness onset dates, or whether or not anyone has been hospitalized. We also don’t know what type of cheese is it, or what the brand name is. The risk to the general public is low, but this outbreak is a good reminder that eating or drinking unpasteurized dairy products is a risk to your health.
Symptoms of brucellosis include rapid onset of fever and one or more of the following: night sweats, which can be heavy, headache, fatigue, weakness, loss of appetite, weight loss, joint and muscle pain, meningitis, and endocarditis. Most people get sick within one to four weeks after being exposed to this bacteria, but the incubation period may be as long as six months. This infection can be treated with antibiotics.
This pathogen is designated as a federal Select Agent because only a few bacteria are needed to cause illness, and it can travel through the air. Labs must be alerted if specimens from a patient are being submitted, and Public Health must be informed about any confirmed illnesses within one day.
If you have eaten raw cheese imported from Mexico and you have been experiencing these symptoms, see your doctor. You may be part of this brucellosis outbreak.
