Listeriosis: 21 cases spread across almost the entire country

The 21 cases of listeriosis identified by health authorities as "possibly linked" to the consumption of cheese from the Chavegrand cheese factory are spread across almost the entire French territory, according to a health update from Public Health France (SpF) on Wednesday.

"The cases are spread across the entire territory with the exception of the Pays de la Loire," according to the press release, which details the health situation of the infected people, two of whom have died. "There are eleven women and ten men aged between 34 and 95, 18 of whom are over 65," reports SpF.

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Among these 21 people, "three of them were taking long-term drug treatments likely to promote digestive infections and all the others had co-morbidities known as risk factors for listeriosis (cancers, diabetes, heart disease or advanced age)."

"Investigations carried out by Public Health France (...) led to the identification at the beginning of August of convergent epidemiological and microbiological elements, establishing a possible link between these" 21 cases of listeriosis, including 18 since June, "and the consumption of pasteurized milk cheeses produced by the Chavegrand company," indicated a joint press release from SpF and the Ministry of Agriculture on Tuesday.

"No Listeria contamination of products" was detected in the month following the first alert in mid-June on cheeses, but massive recalls were initiated as a precaution in August after a link was established with cases of listeriosis, the Ministry of Agriculture, however, qualified. The cheeses currently sold by the company are "manufactured and placed on the market under close surveillance by the operator and the authorities, with high levels of daily microbiological controls," the ministry told journalists.

The cheeses concerned , Camembert, creamy, or goat cheeses, among others, were marketed "until August 9, 2025" by the cheese factory throughout the "national territory" , notably in supermarkets, as well as "internationally" , according to this joint press release. Listeriosis, caused by Listeria monocytogenes, is the second cause of death by food poisoning with, in France, a few dozen deaths per year. The Chavegrand cheese company reacted on Tuesday by sending its "condolences to the affected families" . It had specified that the cheeses recalled in June and August were produced on an old production line, closed at the beginning of June, replaced by a new line, and subjected to "a very reinforced analysis plan" , which has still not found any trace of Listeria within the cheese factory.