The American Veterinary Medical Association says that pig ear dog treats are still a Salmonella risk despite interventions. Last year, 154 people in 26 states were sickened with Salmonella Javiana infections after coming into contact with pig ears that were sold as treats for dogs. Thirty-five people were hospitalized in that outbreak because they were so sick. The pig ears were contaminated with seven different serotypes of Salmonella, and some were antibiotic resistant. Pig ears that were imported from Brazil, Columbia, and Argentina were recalled as part of the outbreak investigation. But that isn't the first time outbreaks have been linked to this product. Pig ear dog treat outbreaks have been occurring since 1999. In response, the FDA has been blocking the import of some … [Read more...]
FDA Investigation of Romaine Multistate E. coli O157:H7 HUS Outbreak
The FDA has announced that the romaine multistate E. coli O157:H7 HUS outbreak is over after sickening 167 people in 27 states. The romaine lettuce that. made people sick is no longer on the market, since it was grown and harvested in the Salinas, California region and that area's growing season is over. The case count by state is: Arizona (4), California (8), Colorado (6), Delaware (1), Florida (4), Iowa (1), Idaho (4), Illinois (15), Maryland (5), Michigan (2), Minnesota (7), Montana (1), North Carolina (3), Nebraska (2), New Jersey (9), New Mexico (2), New York (3), Ohio (12), Oregon (1), Pennsylvania (21), South Carolina (1), South Dakota (1), Tennessee (1), Texas (6), Virginia (6), Washington (6), and Wisconsin (35). Patient illness onset dates ranged from September 20, 2019 to … [Read more...]
It’s National Pizza Week: Are Pizzas Linked to Outbreaks?
It's National Pizza Week! Have pizzas been linked to any food poisoning outbreaks in the U.S.? The answer is yes. The ingredients in pizza that could be problematic include flour in the dough, cheeses, produce such as leafy greens, and any type of meat toppings. But since pizzas are usually cooked so thoroughly, how can people get sick? There are three answers to that question: handling the pizzas before they are cooked, cross-contamination, and microwave cooking. Raw dough is considered a risky food, since flour used to make it has long been associated with E. coli O157:H7 outbreaks, from the Nestle raw cookie dough outbreak in 2009, to the General Mills flour E. coli outbreak in 2016 that sickened 63, to the E. coli O157:H7 outbreak linked to ADM Milling flour last year that … [Read more...]
FDA Weighs in on Fresh Express Sunflower Crisp E. coli Outbreak
The FDA is weighing in on the Fresh Express Sunflower Crisp E. coli O157:H7 outbreak that sickened 10 people in 5 states. Four people were hospitalized and one patient developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure. This salad mix also made 25 people sick in Canada, where the Fresh Express product was recalled. There was no recall issued in the U.S. The contaminated Fresh Express Sunflower Crisp Chopped salad kits that made people sick are "likely no longer available on the market," according to the FDA statement. The outbreak has ended as of January 15, 2020 after sickening 1 person in Georgia, Illinois, and North Dakota; three in Wisconsin; and four in Minnesota. Once again, the FDA states that this outbreak, the outbreak associated with Evergreen … [Read more...]
Fresh Express Sunflower Crisp E. coli O157:H7 Outbreak Ends With 10 Sick
The Fresh Express Sunflower Crisp E. coli O157:H7 outbreak is over, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), after sickening 10 people in 5 states and hospitalizing 4. One patient developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). That is an increase of two more patients in two more states from the latest outbreak update that was released on December 9, 2019. The two new patients live in Georgia and Illinois. The case count by state is: Georgia (1), Illinois (1), Minnesotas (4), North Dakota (1), and Wisconsin (3). Illness onset dates ranged from November 5, 2019 to November 16, 2019. The patient age range is from 21 to 92. Four of 10 patients were hospitalized, and one person developed HUS. No deaths were reported. The contaminated Fresh Express Sunflower Crisp … [Read more...]
Salinas Romaine E. coli O157:H7 Outbreak Over After Sickening 167
The Salinas romaine E. coli O157:H7 outbreak is declared over by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), after sickening 167 people in 27 states. That is an increase of 29 more patients and two more states since the last outbreak update on December 19, 2019. Eighty-five people were hospitalized, 15 people developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure, and there were no deaths. The CDC is no longer telling people to avoid romaine lettuce from the Salinas Valley growing region in California, but the growing season is over in that area until later this year. Once again, no specific grower or producer was named in this outbreak, although several recalls of products were issued. The case count by state is: Arizona (4), California (8), Colorado (6), … [Read more...]
Minnesota State Fair Lawsuit Filed For a Child Sickened with E. coli O157:H7
The lawyers at Pritzker Hageman have filed a lawsuit on behalf of a 4-year-old boy who was sickened with an E. coli O157:H7 infection he contracted at the Minnesota State Fair last summer. The boy suffered permanent kidney damage as a complication of this infection. The outbreak at the fair sickened 11 people ; it was announced in mid-September 2019. Contact with livestock was a key factor in this outbreak according to public health officials, and in fact many patients said they visited the Miracle of Birth exhibit and had direct contact with goats, sheep, piglets, and calves. Ruminant animals such as goats, sheep, and cows can carry E. coli O157:H7 bacteria in their intestines. The pathogen is shed in their feces, and can contaminate bedding, floors, fences, and gates in the … [Read more...]
Timeline of Three Romaine E. coli O157:H7 Outbreaks
This timeline of three romaine E. coli O157:H7 outbreaks is intended to reduce confusion about the illnesses and the products and restaurants they are linked to or potentially linked to. The three outbreaks are a large multistate outbreak linked to romaine lettuce grown in Salinas, California; an outbreak linked to Fresh Express Sunflower Crisp Chopped Salad Kit that has sickened people in the upper Midwest; and an E. coli outbreak associated with seven Evergreen restaurants in the Seattle, Washington area. Only the outbreak associated with Evergreen restaurants has been declared over. All three of these outbreaks have been named by the FDA as having a common grower, even though the strains of E. coli are different. The FDA notice states, "Currently, the tracebacks on all three … [Read more...]
Seven Seattle Evergreen Restaurants Associated with E. coli Outbreak
There are now seven Seattle Evergreen Restaurants associated with an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak that has sickened 15 people, an increase of two more patients since the last update posted in December 2019. The outbreak appears to be over, according to the Seattle King County Health Department, but the investigation is ongoing. Three people were hospitalized because they were so sick. The seven Seattle Evergreen restaurants named by the health department include Evergreen locations at: Pioneer Square (106 1st Avenue S, Seattle) University District (4609 Village Ter NE, Seattle) Downtown (823 3rd Avenue, Seattle) Chinatown-International District (504 5th Ave South, Seattle) Sammamish Highlands (600 228th Avenue NE, Sammamish) Seattle-Tacoma International Airport … [Read more...]
Stater Bros Ground Beef Salmonella Outbreak Ends With 13 Sick
The Stater Bros ground beef Salmonella Dublin outbreak has ended with 13 sick in 8 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Nine people were hospitalized, and one person who lived in California died. Since the last update on November 17, 2019, two more ill persons from Colorado and New Mexico were added to the outbreak total. The case count by state is: California (2), Colorado (4), Iowa (1), Kansas (2), New Mexico (1), Oklahoma (1), Texas (1), and Washington (1). Illness onset dates range from August 8, 2019 to October 22, 2019. The patient age range was from 39 to 74 years. The hospitalization rate, given that 11 people talked to public health officials, was 82%, which is four times the average hospitalization rate for a Salmonella outbreak. In … [Read more...]
