The BrightFarms salad greens Salmonella outbreak has been updated by the FDA. A new recall, for BrightFarms baby spinach, was issued on July 28, 2021. The last best by date for this product, through 7/26/21 (July 26, 2021), has ended so it should not be available in stores, but some people may still have it in their home refrigerators. The company is not producing or distributing any product from areas associated with environmental samples that tested positive for Salmonella bacteria. All of the salads that have been recalled were produced in the company's Rochelle, Illinois greenhouse farm that is located in Ogle County. After the FDA visited the facility and collected environmental samples, testing revealed that Salmonella Liverpool was present. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) … [Read more...]
Cake Mix E. coli Outbreak Sickens 16 in Twelve States; One HUS Case
A cake mix E. coli outbreak has been announced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Sixteen people in twelve states are sick. Seven people have been hospitalized. The patient case count by state is: Illinois (2), Indiana (1), Iowa (2), Massachusetts (1), Michigan (1), Nebraska (2), Ohio (2), Oregon (1), South Carolina (1), Utah (1), Virginia (1), and Washington (1). The patient age range is from 2 t0 73 years, with a median age of 13. The age range for outbreaks linked to baking ingredients usually skews young; 75% of children in this outbreak are under the age of 18. The hospitalization rate is 44%. That is high for an E. coli outbreak, which is usually around 20%. And one person has developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure. The … [Read more...]
Huddle House Hepatitis A Employee Diagnosed in Hamilton, Alabama
A Huddle House hepatitis A case has been diagnosed in an employee of the restaurant, which is located at 210 River Road in Hamilton, Alabama, according to the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH). The worker was a food handler who worked there from July 9, 2021 through July 21, 2021. Anyone who ate food there, whether it was dine-in, pickup, or delivery, may have been exposed to the virus. Dr. Burnestine Taylor, Medical Officer for Disease Control and Prevention, ADPH said in a statement, "Adults with hepatitis A may have symptoms that include fatigue, low appetite, stomach pain, nausea and jaundice. These symptoms usually resolve within two months of infection. Children less than 6 years of age generally do not have symptoms or have an unrecognized infection. Almost all … [Read more...]
Pennsylvania Camp Yersinia Outbreak in 2019 Linked to Pasteurized Milk
A Pennsylvania camp Yersinia outbreak in 2019 was linked to pasteurized milk that was produced and pasteurized at a small local dairy in the northeastern part of the state. Cases occurred in campers, camp staff, and community members who were not affiliated with the camp. One hundred nine people were sickened, and seven people were hospitalized. This was only the sixth Yersinia enterocolitica outbreak reported worldwide in association with pasteurized milk. Four of these outbreaks were at small dairies conducting on-site pasteurization. Five clinical isolates from camp members, two from community members, and nine isolates from unpasteurized milk from the dairy were indistinguishable using whole genome sequencing. The risk for yersinosis among camp staff who drank the dairy's … [Read more...]
FDA Weighs In On BrightFarms Salmonella Outbreak
The FDA is weighing in on the BrightFarms Salmonella Typhimurium outbreak that has sickened at least 11 people in three states. Two people have been hospitalized. The outbreak has grown from the eight patients mentioned in the first investigation outbreak notice on July 14, 2021. The eleven patients live in Michigan (1), Illinois (6) and Wisconsin (4). Illness onset dates range from June 10, 2021 to July 1, 2021. The FDA has visited BrightFarms farm where the salad greens were grown in a greenhouse, and has collected samples. The public will be informed about those sample results when available. And the government is working with the company to see if there are more products that may be involved in this outbreak, or if more "best by" dates have been affected. BrightFarms … [Read more...]
BrightFarms Salads Salmonella Outbreak Sickens 11 in MI WI and IL
The BrightFarms Salads Salmonella outbreak has now sickened at least 11 people in three states, according to a new update by the CDC. A new state, Michigan, has been added to the outbreak total, joining Illinois and Wisconsin. One more person has been hospitalized because they are so sick. The patient case count by state is: Illinois (6), Michigan (1), and Wisconsin (4). That includes one more patient each from Illinois and Wisconsin from the previous CDC update on July 16, 2021, and the new patient in Michigan. Illness onset dates range from June 10 2021 to July 1, 2021. That is an expansion of the previous illness onset date range, which was from June 10 to June 15, 2021. The patient age range is from 19 to 61 years. Two people have been hospitalized because thy are so … [Read more...]
Hepatitis A in Applebee’s Restaurant Employee in Montgomery, AL
Hepatitis A in Applebee's restaurant employee in Montgomery, Alabama has been diagnosed, according to a notice by the Alabama Public Health Department. That restaurant is located at 3195 Taylor Road in Montgomery. The restaurant was closed for a day of cleaning out of an abundance of caution, and had no violations during a recent environmental inspection. Anyone who ate food at that restaurant, whether it was dine-in, delivery, or pickup, from July 8, 2021 through July 16, 2021 may have been exposed to the virus. All of those patrons are eligible for a hepatitis A or immune globulin vaccination. That vaccine is only effective if given within two weeks of exposure, so anyone who ate there on July 8, 2021 needs to get the shot today. You can get the vaccine from your doctors office … [Read more...]
Cyclospora Outbreak Grows to 62 Sick; No Food Identified Yet
On the FDA's Core Outbreak Investigation Table, the cyclospora outbreak grows to 62 sick, with no food identified yet. Traceback has been initiated, and samples are being tested, but no outbreak investigation information has been released by the FDA or the CDC. Those 62 patients are only a subsection of the total number of cyclospora illnesses in the country this summer. Every year since 2013, there have been large Cyclospora outbreaks in the United States. This illness used to be limited to tropical regions, with the only U.S. cases among those who traveled to those areas of the globe. But now the parasite is contaminating food imported from other countries and food grown in this country. There is currently one recall of produce for possible cyclospora contamination: Dole … [Read more...]
Salmonella Weltevreden Shrimp Outbreak Ends With Six Ill
The Salmonella Weltevreden shrimp outbreak has ended with six people sick in two states, according to an update by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This outbreak was linked to a recalled product: shrimp imported from India by Avanti Frozen Foods. The patient case count is: Arizona (2) and Nevada (4). This case count has not increased since the initial investigation report was released almost a month ago. The patient age range is from 30 to 80 years of age. Of five people who gave information about their condition to the CDC, two were hospitalized, for a hospitalization rate of 40%, which is high for a Salmonella outbreak. And of those interviewed, all said they ate shrimp the week before they got sick. Epidemiologic, traceback, and laboratory evidence … [Read more...]
Illinois BrightFarms Salad Salmonella Outbreak Sickens Five
The Illinois BrightFarms salad Salmonella outbreak has sickened five people who live in Cook, DuPage, and McHenry counties, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. The illnesses are linked to a particular recalled BrightFarms salad called Sunny Crunch. There are nine people sickened in this outbreak: five in Illinois and four in Wisconsin, even though the CDC's current total is at eight. The Wisconsin Department of Public Health has stated there are four people sick in their state, and one person is hospitalized. Illness onset dates range from June 10, 2021 to June 15, 2021. The Illinois cases reported purchasing BrightFarms Sunny Crunch salad that was produced in the company's Rochelle, Illinois facility located in the northeastern part of the state. Illinois … [Read more...]
