Recalled Mexican-Style Dairy Linked to Death, 3 Listeria Illnesses

Mexican-style dairy products manufactured by Oasis Brands Inc. of Miami, FL, which were recalled for Listeria contamination earlier this year, have been linked to three cases of Listeria, including one death, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  The illnesses occurred in September 2013 and June and August of 2014 and spread across New York, Tennessee and Texas. The patient from Tennessee died, and all three patients were hospitalized.  All three ill people were identified as being of Hispanic ethnicity, and the two surviving patients reported eating Mexican-style soft cheese, but they could not remember the brand.  In August 2014, Oasis Brands recalled a quesito casero product for possible contamination with Listeria. On Oct. 6, the company recalled a cuajada en hoja product for the same reason, and then it recalled a number of other cheese products under the Lacteos Santa Martha brand name 10 days later.  Whole-genome sequencing of product samples from Oasis Brands suggests a possible link between those products and the illnesses. CDC says that the investigation is still ongoing.