A Salmonella Concord outbreak linked to Karawan Tahini and Halva brand tahini has sickened four people in three states and hospitalized one person. The original outbreak notice stated that the tahini was imported from Israel. The recall notice, which was posted on May 16, 2019, says the tahini was imported from Palestine. This outbreak is not related to the 2018-2019 Salmonella Concord outbreak linked to Achdut Tahini. That earlier outbreak, which ended in February 2019, sickened eight people. The tahini in that outbreak was imported from Israel and was sold under several different brand names, including Achdut, Soom, Pepperwood, and Baron. In this new outbreak, the case count by state is: New York (2), Massachusetts (1), and Texas (1). The last illness onset date was March 23, … [Read more...]
Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee Hardest Hit in Ground Beef E. coli O103 Outbreak
The states that have been the hardest hit in the ground beef E. coli O103 outbreak are Georgia, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Those states combined have 173 of the 196 people sickened in this outbreak. The outbreak does seem to be slowing down, according to the epidemiological Date of Illness Onset chart. Most cases were diagnosed in mid-March 2019, and have trailed off since then. But even though two companies have recalled raw ground beef products, the outbreak continues to grow. According to the epi chart, there could be as many as 50 more cases in this outbreak before it ends. States are investigating more illnesses that may be part of this outbreak. This outbreak actually begin in Kentucky, when public health officials there noticed a spike in E. coli cases. At first, … [Read more...]
Ground Beef E. coli O103 Outbreak Grows to 196 Sick
The ground beef E. coli O103 outbreak has now sickened at least 196 people in 10 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Twenty-eight people have been hospitalized because they are so sick. Two people have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). No one has died. That's an addition of 19 more ill persons since the last update on April 26, 2019. The patient case count by state is: Florida (5), Georgia (49), Illinois (1), Indiana (1), Kentucky (69), Minnesota (1), Mississippi (1), Ohio (12), Tennessee (55), and Virginia (2). The patient age range is from less than 1 year to 84 years, with a median age of 19. The hospitalization rate is 16%. The outbreak notice states that "Ill people in this outbreak ate ground beef from many sources. Some … [Read more...]
Oysters From Mexico Linked to Multistate Shigella Vibrio Outbreak
Oysters from Mexico are linked to a multistate Shigella, Vibrio, E. coli, Campylobacter, and norovirus outbreak, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Some patients were sickened with more than one pathogen. This outbreak was reported by the California Department of Public Health on May 7, 2019; all of the patients at that time lived in California. Now 16 people from five states are ill in this outbreak. Two people have been hospitalized because they are so sick. No deaths have been reported. One recall, by DiCarlo Seafood in Wilmington, California, has been issued. The case count by state is: Alaska (1), California (12), Illinois (1), New Hampshire (1), and Nevada (1). Illness onset dates range from December 16, 2018 to April 4, 2019. The patient age … [Read more...]
Will Two Salmonella Outbreaks Linked to Tuna and Melons Grow?
There are currently two Salmonella outbreaks that have sickened at least 130 people in the U.S.: one is linked to precut melons supplied by Caito Foods, and the other to raw ground frozen tuna supplied by JK Fish and imported by Jensen Tuna. The latest updates for these outbreaks were released in April 2019. Will these Salmonella outbreaks grow? It takes two to four weeks from the time a person eats contaminated food, starts feeling sick, sees their doctor, is tested, and gets the results. The illness is then reported to the government, and isolates from that patient may be sent to PulseNet, the national sub typing network of public health laboratories. The only new information provided in 3-1/2 weeks in the raw tuna outbreak was that the FDA has added JK Fish of Vietnam to an … [Read more...]
Raw Tuna Salmonella Outbreak: FDA Adds JK Fish of Vietnam to Import Alerts
In the wake of the frozen ground raw tuna recall and Salmonella Newport outbreak that is linked to Jensen Tuna, the FDA has added JK Fish of Vietnam to Import Alert 16-20 for fish from foreign processors. This lets the government detain product from that firm without any physical sampling and analysis. The Import Alert is guidance to FDA field personnel. This applies to foreign processors and products that have failed to meet the hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP) requirements for a specific product. The government believes that the recalled ground tuna was sold to restaurants and retailers and not directly to consumers, and that it was used to make sushi and other dishes. If you choose to buy or eat sushi or any product made with uncooked raw ground tuna, ask … [Read more...]
Butterball Ground Turkey Salmonella Schwarzengrund Outbreak Ends
The Salmonella Schwarzengrund outbreak linked to recalled Butterball ground turkey has ended with 7 sick in 3 states. One person was hospitalized in this outbreak, and there were no deaths. The case count by state is: Minnesota (2), North Carolina (2), and Wisconsin (4). Illness onset dates ranged from December 19, 2018 to March 16, 2019. The patient age range was from less than one year to 71. Butterball recalled more than 78,000 pounds of raw ground turkey products on March 14, 2019 that were shipped nationwide. The turkey was also packaged under the Food Lion and Kroger brands. The turkey was produced in July 2018. Some of this turkey, with establishment number "EST. P-7345" and a sell or freeze by date of 7/26/18, could still be in consumers' freezers. Check your freezer to … [Read more...]
Final Update on Raw Turkey Salmonella Reading Outbreak
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued the final update of the raw turkey Salmonella Reading outbreak. At least 358 people in 42 states have been sickened. More than 130 people were hospitalized in this outbreak, and one death was reported. The government says that the outbreak strain of Salmonella Reading is present in live turkeys and in many types of raw turkey products. The number of reported new illnesses is decreasing, but people could continue to get sick. The last reported illness was on March 31, 2019. The case count by state is: Alabama (4), Alaska (2), Arizona (5), Arkansas (2), California (30), Colorado (7), Connecticut (5), Delaware (1), District of Columbia (5), Florida (13), Georgia (2), Hawaii (4), Idaho (4), Iowa (50), Illinois (25), … [Read more...]
Ground Beef E. coli O103 Outbreak Sickens 177 in 10 States
The ground beef E. coli O103 outbreak has now sickened 177 people in 10 states, with 21 hospitalized, according to the latest update provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The government has named two companies that have recalled their raw ground beef for E. coli O103 contamination in the last few days - Grant Park Packing on April 24, and K2D Foods on April 23, 2019. The outbreak notice states that "Restaurants, retailers, and institutions should not sell or serve the following recalled ground beef products because they may be contaminated with E. coli O103 and could make people sick." More recalls will likely be announced, since the notice also states that "At this time, no common supplier, distributor, or brand of ground beef has been identified that … [Read more...]
Foodborne Illnesses Increased in 2018 Compared to 2015-2017
Foodborne illnesses increased in 2018 compared to the period of 2015-2017, according to a new report by the Center for Disease Control for its Weekly Morbidity and Mortality Report for the week of April 26, 2019. The report states that this increase may are partially attributable to increased culture-independent diagnostic tests (CIDTs). CIDT identifies pathogens that were not routinely detected by other methods. During 2018, FoodNet identified 25,606 infections, 5,893 hospitalizations, and 120 deaths. The incidence of cyclospora infections increased "markedly," in 2018 because there were several large outbreaks associated with produce. And the number of illnesses caused by Campylobacter and Salmonella remain high. FoodNet surveils the population for lab-diagnosed infections … [Read more...]
