City health officials are warning the public to avoid eating unpasteurized cheese after an El Paso man was hospitalized with brucellosis.

Health officials said the man, who is in his 60s, ate goat cheese that was purchased from an unlicensed food vendor, and became ill with a fever, joint pain and fatigue.

“We want our residents to keep in mind that purchasing food from an illegal vendor can be very dangerous. One should assume all cheese sold on the street is unpasteurized,” said Robert Resendes, public health director.