Table 3.

Estimated incubation period for patients who consumed Marte Brand Frescolina Ricotta Salata or only one type of another cut and repackaged cheese (n = 9)

Patient	Age (years)	Pregnancy-associated?	Clinical syndrome	Outcome	Type of cheese consumed	No. of days consumed	Estimated incubation period (days)*
1	68	No	Meningitis	Survived	l’Édel de Cléron, blue†	⩽13	12
2‡	86	No	Bacteraemia	Died	Ricotta salata§ or cross-contaminated menu item	2	7
3	65	No	Meningitis	Survived	Blue	⩽7	7||
4	82	No	Bacteraemia	Survived	Brie		26
5	56	No	Bacteraemia	Survived	Ricotta salata§	3	2
6	30	No	Meningitis	Survived	Ricotta salata§	1	3
7	38	Yes	–	Infant died	Ricotta salata§	⩽7	14
8	29	Yes	–	Delivered healthy baby	Ricotta salata§		8
9	29	Yes	–	Delivered healthy baby	Ricotta salata§	2	3

^*The first date of consumption was used for patients reporting they may have consumed cheese on multiple days.

^†The index patient was included in analysis (even though multiple cut and repackaged cheeses were reportedly consumed) because both the l’Édel de Cléron and blue cheese, which were contaminated with the outbreak strain, were bought on the same day.

^‡Patient 2 dined at a restaurant on 21 and 22 March. Records show Marte Brand Frescolina Ricotta Salata was delivered to the restaurant 20 March and used in several menu items. Whether the patient consumed ricotta salata or a cross-contaminated menu item is unknown.

^§Italian-imported Marte Brand Frescolina Ricotta Salata.

^||An estimate of 7 days between purchase and illness onset was used for one patient who reported purchasing a cut and repackaged cheese the week before illness onset.