BFMTV INFO. Listeriosis cases: several other cases reported in Europe, an "international epidemic"

France is not the only country affected by cases of listeriosis. On Tuesday, August 12, French health authorities sounded the alarm after the appearance of 21 cases of listeriosis , including two fatal ones, with a "possible link" to the consumption of cheeses subject to a recall.

But, as BFMTV learned from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), France is not the only country affected. In a document we were able to consult, the ECDC notes other infections on European soil.

"Four other countries (Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway) have reported four confirmed cases," the ECDC details in the document communicated to BFMTV.

"The cases (...) reported having consumed pasteurized soft cheese" in question, while 40 products from different brands are affected by a large-scale recall . The patients identified outside France are people aged 35 to 70, who presented symptoms between April 14 and July 9, 2025.

Should we expect to see cases appear worldwide? The ECDC lists that the cheeses have been sold in around thirty countries: Australia, Hong Kong, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, South Korea, Spain, Japan, and the United States.

"To protect consumers and as a precautionary measure, the food products have been recalled. Food safety authorities in the countries where food is distributed are implementing official control measures, including the publication of public warnings," the European health body explains.

Please note that no cases were reported in the following countries before August 13: Austria, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

Faced with this "international epidemic," the European organization is calling for widespread caution, given a disease that can manifest itself "up to 28 days" after contamination. All countries are being asked to remain vigilant and report any new cases detected.

Chavegrand, which recalled its products, deplored the "extremely rare" incident and assured that it had improved its health controls. "We have increased the number of analyses on products and equipment by a factor of 100 to ensure there were no contaminants. All our employees, who have been working very hard since June, are stunned by this news," the manufacturer declared last week.