E. coli case confirmed in Oregon came from Washington cheese, OHA says

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A case of E. coli confirmed in Oregon came from a cheese produced at a Washington state creamery, the Oregon Health Authority announced on Friday.

An Oregon resident was one of three people who tested positive for Shiga toxin-producing E. coli 0103 infection. That same pathogen was identified in laboratory-tested samples of leftover cheese obtained from the Oregon resident, who had consumed unpasteurized aged cheese from Twin Sisters Creamery in Washington, officials said.

The individual who ate the cheese was one of three people who experienced E. coli infection symptoms in Oregon between Sept. 5 and Sept. 16, OHA said.

Additional cheese samples were collected from several retail stores, with samples from unopened cheese purchased at grocery stores indicating E. coli, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s testing.

The Washington State Department of Health has more information about the E. coli infections and the investigation.