Outbreaks | Food Poisoning Bulletin

China Confirms First Human Case of H7N9 Bird Flu

December 4, 2013 by Linda Larsen Leave a Comment

Officials in China have confirmed the first seasonal case of the H7N9 bird flu in a human being in that country. The person is hospitalized in critical condition. The 36-year-old patient had direct contract with live poultry. Four family members also have symptoms of the disease. This summer, there were 139 cases of the H7N9 bird flu in eastern China. Forty five people died in that outbreak. The virus does not spread easily from person-to-person at this point, but it may evolve that capability. The virus is now in the southern part of the country, around Hong Kong. The city is on a heightened alert status. Officials plan to inspect poultry farms. The problem is that birds do not exhibit symptoms of the disease. Yesterday officials said they are putting temporary bans of live poultry … [Read more...]

Filed Under: News, Outbreaks

Outbreak: Vibrio From Raw Oysters, Clams Sickens 104 in 13 States

December 3, 2013 by Carla Gillespie Leave a Comment

Raw oysters are one source of a multistate Vibrio outbreak.

A Vibrio outbreak associated with eating raw oysters and raw clams has sickened at least 104 people in 13 states over the last six months, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Six people have been hospitalized. Public health investigators have traced the source of some of these illnesses to shellfish harvest areas in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, and Virginia. Massachusetts issued a recall of oysters, Connecticut issued a recall of oysters and clams. Implicated harvest areas in Virginia were closed in July and remain closed. In Massachusetts, they were closed in August and remain closed. In New York they were closed in June and reopened in mid-September. In Connecticut, they were closed in August and reopened in mid-September. Reports of … [Read more...]

Filed Under: News, Outbreaks Tagged With: Oysters, Raw Oysters, Vibrio

Vegas Rio Hotel Outbreak was Norovirus

December 3, 2013 by Linda Larsen Leave a Comment

The Southern Nevada Health District has confirmed that the outbreak at the Rio Hotel that sickened about 100 people was norovirus. Most people sickened were part of the National Youth Football Championship. Norovirus is very common, especially among groups in close contact with each other, such as people on cruise ships and in hotels, day care centers, and schools. The virus is very contagious. Symptoms of a norovirus infection include vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, muscle aches, headache, chills, and fatigue. Symptoms usually appear one to two days after exposure. People are infectious when symptoms begin, until about three days after symptoms abate. Some people can be contagious two weeks after they get better. Public health officials are still getting calls from ill … [Read more...]

Filed Under: News, Outbreaks Tagged With: Norovirus Outbreak

Flu-Like Outbreak at Vegas Youth Football Event

December 1, 2013 by Linda Larsen Leave a Comment

Health officials are reporting that there was an outbreak of flu-like illness among dozens of young players, parents, and coaches at a football tournament this week in Las Vegas. An unknown number of people were taken to the hospital for treatment. KVVU-TV in Las Vegas is reporting that 18 people were taken to hospitals; 13 of those people were children. Norovirus may be the cause. Flu-like symptoms of diarrhea and vomiting have sickened about 100 people, according to KSNV-TV in Las Vegas. People started getting sick on Friday, November 29, 2013. The event is the National Youth Football Championships and those sickened were staying at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino. At least nine of the seventy teams participating in the event have been affected. Public health officials are … [Read more...]

Filed Under: News, Outbreaks Tagged With: Norovirus, Outbreak

Lettuce was Likely Cause of Federico’s E. coli O157:H7 Outbreak

November 29, 2013 by Linda Larsen Leave a Comment

In a new report, the Maricopa County Department of Public Health (MCDPH) says lettuce was the likely cause of an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak at Federico's Mexican Food restaurant last summer. Ninety four people were sickened in that outbreak. Two patients developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a serious complication of a STEC infection that damages the kidneys. People who ate at the restaurant were sickened between July 18 and July 30, 2013. MCDPH was contacted about a potential cluster of cases with bloody diarrhea on July 30. Many of the patient's family members said that the only shared meal was at Federico's Mexican Restaurant at 13132 W. Camelback Road in Litchfield Park, AZ. Preliminary results from restaurant samples found high levels of coliform bacteria (an indication of … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Featured, News, Outbreaks Tagged With: E. coli 0157:H7 outbreak, E. coli Lawsuit, Federico's

Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Pints and Quarts Pub, C.F. Prime Chophouse & Wine Bar

November 27, 2013 by Carla Gillespie Leave a Comment

Salmonella outbreak linked to Pints and Quarts Pub, C.F. Prime Chophouse and Wine Bar.

A Salmonella outbreak that has sickened 29 people in Muskegon and Ottawa counties in MI has been linked to food served at Pints and Quarts Pub and C.F. Prime Chophouse & Wine Bar which share a kitchen. Those sickened, 25 from Muskegon and 4 from Ottawa, ate meals containing chicken or lettuce between Oct. 30 and Nov. 2, 2013, according to Public Health Muskegon County. “We conducted over 100 interviews with food service workers, restaurant patrons, and others,” Ken Kraus, Director of Public Health Muskegon County said in a statement. “We spoke with those who were ill as well as those who did not get sick to gather as much information as possible about what may have happened during this four-day period.” Health officials also reviewed food-handling processes, explored cross … [Read more...]

Filed Under: News, Outbreaks

Increase in Shigella Cases in Iowa

November 26, 2013 by Linda Larsen Leave a Comment

According to the Siouxland District Health Department in Iowa, there has been a "significant increase in the number of reported cases of Shigella" in the Sioux City area. Shigella is a bacterium that causes an infection called shigellosis. Symptoms include diarrhea, which may be painful and bloody with mucous, fever, and stomach cramps that usually begin 24 to 48 hours after infection. The disease is very contagious and public health officials are concerned about implications of this outbreak for daycare centers, schools, and food workers. In the last year, there have been 105 probable or confirmed Shigella cases, compared to none for all of 2012 and up from 98 two weeks ago. Sixty percent of those infected are under the age of 10. Shigella is spread in the feces of an infected … [Read more...]

Filed Under: News, Outbreaks Tagged With: Shigella Outbreak

Federico’s E.coli Outbreak Sickened 94, 2 With HUS

November 25, 2013 by Carla Gillespie Leave a Comment

An E.coli outbreak linked to Federico's Mexican Restaurant in Litchfield Park, AZ sickened 94 people in July and August, according to a report from the Maricopa County Public Health Department. (MCDPH). The outbreak is one of the 10 largest E.coli outbreaks in he last 10 years, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). At least 23 people were hospitalized, two of whom developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). HUS, a condition that develops in about 5 to 10 percent of E.coli cases, leads to kidney failure. Other complications form HUS include seizure, stroke and coma. Those who became ill ate at the restaurant between July 18 and July 31. Health officials were unable to identify the specific food source of the outbreak, but lettuce was "strongly … [Read more...]

Filed Under: News, Outbreaks Tagged With: E. coli, Federico's

Salmonella Outbreak at Oklahoma Prisons

November 23, 2013 by Linda Larsen Leave a Comment

NewsOK.com is reporting that seven inmates in Oklahoma state prisons have been hospitalized in the the last three weeks with Salmonella food poisoning. At the women's Eddie Warrior Correctional Center in Taft, 47 people are sick. At Jim E. Hamilton Correctional Center in Hodgen, 37 inmates are ill; five of those people were hospitalized. One inmate at the Joseph Harp Correction Center in Lexington and one person at Bill Johnson Correctional Center in Alva were hospitalized. The illnesses began in late October. Officials say that the cases don't rise to the level of an outbreak, even though the definition of an outbreak is two or more unrelated persons ill with the same strain of pathogenic bacteria. Salmonella outbreaks are usually linked to food that is not properly cooked or held … [Read more...]

Filed Under: News, Outbreaks Tagged With: Prison, Salmonella Lawyer, Salmonella Outbreak

FDA, USDA Update Retail List for Recalled E. coli Salads, Wraps

November 22, 2013 by Linda Larsen Leave a Comment

The USDA and FDA have issued an updated retail list of stores that sold the Glass Onion Catering chicken and ham salads and wraps that have been recalled for possible E. coli O157:H7 contamination. There is an outbreak associated with this recall. As of November 21, 2013, there are 32 people ill in 4 states. The recalled products were sold in Trader Joe's stores in Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, Utah, and Washington state. The outbreak is linked to two Trader Joe's salads. Walgreens stores sold the salad in northern California, as did Whole Food stores. Look through the long list carefully. It mentions retailers, the street address, and city by name. All of the remaining stores are in California. Some of the stores that carried the products include Quik Stop, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: News, Outbreaks Tagged With: California E. coli Outbreak, E. coli Lawsuit, E. coli O157:H7 outbreak, Trader Joe's