(Washington, D.C.) – The DC Department of Health (DOH) advises District residents not to purchase or consume Roos cheese products. The products have presumptively tested positive for Listeria bacteria. Roos Foods, is based out of Kenton, Del., and includes the following brands: Santa Rosa de Lima, Amigo, Mexicana, Suyapa, La Chapina and La Purisima Crema Nica.

No lot or date coding information has been identified; but as a measure of precaution District food safety officials are pulling the products from shelves today. Any individuals who purchased the product should not consume and should discard any remaining portions. Those who have already consumed the product should be aware of the risks and symptoms associated with Listeria monocytogenes.

Listeria bacteria can cause listeriosis, a serious infection that usually occurs within three days to 10 weeks of consumption of tainted products. Listeria monocytogenes infection commonly can exhibit short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea when it affects healthy individuals.

Anyone who has symptoms of listeriosis and has consumed a Roos product should contact their health care provider immediately.

The District of Columbia has not had any reported cases of listeriosis associated with this cheese as of February 19, 2014.