Table 1.

Characteristics of Foodborne Disease Outbreaks Due to Cheese, by Pasteurization Status, Foodborne Disease Outbreak Surveillance System, 1998–2011^a

	Milk used to make cheese
	Unpasteurized	Pasteurized
Outbreaks, no.	38	44
Illnesses, no.	816	987
Hospitalizations, no.	168	61
Deaths, no.	3	3
Etiology	N = 38 n (%)	N = 33 n (%)
Salmonellab	13 (34)	6 (18)
Campylobacter	10 (26)	1 (3)
Brucella	5 (13)	0 (0)
Shiga toxin–producing Escherichia colic	4 (11)	1 (3)
Listeria monocytogenes	4 (11)	8 (24)
Shigella	2 (5)	1 (3)
Bacillus cereus	0 (0)	1 (3)
Norovirus	0 (0)	13 (39)
Other virus	0 (0)	1 (3)
Staphylococcus aureus	0 (0)	1 (3)
Cheese source or setting of preparation	N = 34 n (%)	N = 44 n (%)
Imported from Mexico	13 (38)	0 (0)
Private home	7 (21)	4 (14)
Dairy or farm	7 (21)	3 (7)
Restaurant, deli, or banquet	1 (3)	28 (64)
Commercial product without further preparation	1 (3)	7 (16)
Otherd	5 (15)	2 (5)

^aAn additional 8 outbreaks with 79 illnesses, 1 hospitalization, and no deaths in which the pasteurization status was unknown were reported.

^bSalmonella serotypes in outbreaks due to cheese made from unpasteurized milk were Typhimurium (6 outbreaks), Newport (2 outbreaks), Bovismorbificans (1 outbreak), Meleagridis and Newport (1 outbreak), serotyping only identified Group B (1 outbreak), not reported (2 outbreaks). Salmonella serotypes in outbreaks due to cheese made from pasteurized milk were Montevideo (2 outbreaks), Java, Newport, Typhimurium (1 outbreak each), not reported (1 outbreak).

^cAll 4 outbreaks due to cheese made from unpasteurized milk were caused by E. coli O157:H7. Three non-O157 Shiga toxin–producing E. coli serogroups were isolated in the outbreak due to cheese made from pasteurized milk.

^dOther settings for outbreaks with cheese made from unpasteurized milk were street vendor (2 outbreaks), grocery store (2 outbreaks), and fair or festival (1 outbreak). For pasteurized cheeses: grocery store (1 outbreak) and school (1 outbreak).