E. coli found in cheese sold by Overton farmer

Friday, Feb. 7, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

Five members of a Southern Nevada family have become ill from E. coli found in cheese they purchased from an Overton farm, the Clark County Health District said.

The white, Mexican-style soft cheese, sold in two-pound chunks, was found to be "contaminated with high levels of E. coli and coliform bacteria," Clare Schmutz, director of the environmental health department of the health district, said Thursday.

Health officials also are testing the cheese for the bacteria listeria monocytogenes that caused the deaths of 29 people in Los Angeles in 1985. Victims of that listeriosis outbreak had purchased a similar white, Mexican-style soft cheese manufactured by a commercial company.

In the Overton incident, about 600 pounds of the contaminated cheese were sold, and about 100 to 300 pounds are believed to be unconsumed and possibly stored in refrigerators in Southern Nevada homes.

However, Schmutz is quick to note that the strain of E. coli has not yet been determined, and there is no reason to panic if you have purchased or eaten the contaminated cheese.

"Every warm-blooded animal has E. coli in their system," Schmutz said. "Some strains are more dangerous than others, and it (the degree of illness) depends on the person's immune system.

"We don't want people to panic. We just want to alert them to the possible consequences should they have purchased the cheese."

Daniel Maxson, senior environmental specialist with the health district, said listeria tests are to be completed early next week at the state Public Health Laboratory in Reno.

"I would have been surprised if the cheese did not contain E. coli, but I will be very surprised if it is type 0157:H7," Maxson said, referring to the strain found in undercooked hamburgers from the Jack in the Box restaurant chain that caused several deaths of children in Western states in 1993.

Maxson and two other health district officials, along with two Metro Police officers, visited the Overton farmer on Wednesday to issue a cease-and-desist order.

The family of Aristeo Ramos of 1060 N. Heyer Road said Thursday the farmer was unaware he broke any laws and that he feels bad that his cheese may have caused illnesses.

The health district confiscated about 50 pounds of the contaminated cheese on Wednesday. Ramos was not cited or charged with any crimes and was cooperative with authorities, Maxson said.

"We have stopped selling the cheese, and we are selling the cows," said a woman who identified herself only as a Ramos family member. "He never imagined that anything like this could happen."

The woman said her family over the years has made the cheese -- a thick cottage cheese-like substance popular in Mexican and other Latin American dishes -- at home and distributed it only among family members.

However, word of mouth traveled about how good it tasted, and soon people were coming to the door to buy it, she said.

"It was only in the last year that we have had a demand for it," the woman said.

The cheese was sold for $3 per two-pound chunk (5 1/2 inches round and two inches thick) only to close friends, she said. The cheese was distributed in aluminum foil with no label.

The woman said she does not know which customers got sick.

Maxson confirmed that the investigation found the Ramos' operation was not intended to be a commercial venture.

The names of the family members who fell ill after consuming the cheese on Jan. 29 were not released. They suffered from stomach aches and diarrhea, but none had life-threatening illnesses, Schumtz said.

The complaint was filed with the the health district on Jan. 30.

The woman at the Ramos residence said she has eaten the cheese for a long time and never gotten ill. She indicated the family now will purchase its cheese from commercial distributors.

Schmutz said while the purchase of fruit and vegetables from area farms is OK because no processing is involved, people should not purchase cheese or meat from such sources unless they are licensed operations.

"If they are not a permitted establishment, we are not able to inspect them to make sure they are in compliance with health codes," Schmutz said.

If you have purchased the contaminated cheese, contact the health district at 383-1263 (8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. weekdays) or 385-1291 (after hours or on weekends).