A cyclospora outbreak in the Boston area has sickened more than 80 people since May 2019, according to news reports. Dr. Larry Maddoff, medical director for the Bureau of Infectious Diseases and Laboratory Sciences at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health told Boston 25 News about this outbreak. Most of those sickened live in the greater Boston area and eastern Massachusetts. There is no word on which food may have carried the parasite, but most cyclospora outbreaks in the U.S. in the past few years have been linked to fresh produce. Cyclospora outbreaks have been occurring every summer in the United States in the past years. Last year, a cyclospora outbreak linked to McDonald's salads sickened more than 500 people. And a cyclospora outbreak linked to Del Monte vegetable … [Read more...]
Agroson’s Will Not Recall Cavi Papayas Likely Linked to Salmonella Outbreak
The FDA has updated the Salmonella Uganda outbreak likely linked to fresh papayas imported from Mexico, stating that they have asked Agroson's LLC, the distributor of the Cavi brand of papayas, to recall that product. Agroson's has refused to initiate a recall. The FDA has contacted the company's wholesale customers to make sure that the fruit is no longer for sale, has been discarded, or has not been further processed or frozen. The FDA is recommending that consumers in all states not eat Cavi brand whole, fresh papayas and should throw them away. If you can't determine the brand of papayas you purchased, discard them. And retailers, restaurants and other food service providers should not serve or sell whole, fresh papayas under the Cavi brand. The update also states that … [Read more...]
CDC Weighs In On Bison Burgers E. coli O103 and O121 Outbreak
An E. coli O103 and O121 outbreak linked to Northfork Bison ground bison and Bison Burgers/Buffalo Burgers has sickened at least 21 people in 7 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). These products are imported from Canada. The case count by state is: Connecticut (1), Florida (4), Michigan (1), Missouri (1), New Jersey (2), New York (9), and Pennsylvania (3). Eight people have been hospitalized. No cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure, have been reported. Illness onset dates range from March 18 to June 18, 2019. The patient age range is from 6 to 79 years. Six people are sick with E. coli O103, 13 are sick with E. coli O121, and 2 people are sick with both of these pathogens. Epidemiologic and traceback information … [Read more...]
Kentucky, Georgia, Tennessee Hit Hardest in Ground Beef E. coli O103 Outbreak
Consumers in Kentucky, Georgia, and Tennessee have been hit hardest in the ground beef E. coli O103 outbreak that has sickened at least 177 people in 10 states. Those states alone have 158 sickened in this outbreak. According to CDC and FDA reports, no one has developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure, in this outbreak, and no one has died. But 21 people have been hospitalized because their illness is so severe. There have been two recalls of ground beef associated with this outbreak, although the CDC report states that there is no one business or brand that can account for all of the illnesses in this outbreak. K2D Foods recalled 113,424 pounds of raw ground beef products for possible E. coli O103 contamination on April 24, 2019. And Grant Park Packing … [Read more...]
Raw Chicken Salmonella Infantis Outbreak: Number 9 in Top Food Poisoning Outbreaks of 2018
The raw chicken Salmonella Infantis outbreak was the number 9 largest food poisoning outbreak of 2018, with at least 92 people sickened in 29 states. Twenty-one people were hospitalized in this outbreak. The CDC notice stated that "many types of raw chicken products from a variety of sources are contaminated with Salmonella Infantis and are making people sick." That broad statement is bad news for the American consumer. A single supplier of raw chicken products hasn't been identified. That means that the outbreak strain is present in live chickens and in many type of raw chicken products, meaning it may be widespread in the chicken industry. Food safety experts have warned consumers for years to treat raw chicken as if it is contaminated. And this outbreak is scattered all over … [Read more...]
Top 10 Food Poisoning Outbreaks of 2018: Salmonella in Melons
It's time for the Top 10 Food Poisoning Outbreaks of 2018! Number 10 is the Salmonella Adelaide outbreak that was linked to pre-cut melons. It was very easy to choose this list this year, since there were so many outbreaks. Those that didn't make the list included the current romaine E. coli O157:H7 outbreak and the two Salmonella outbreaks that were linked to shell eggs. In this outbreak, at least 77 people in nine states were sickened. Thirty-six people were hospitalized, which is a very high percentage for a Salmonella outbreak. All of the epidemiologic and traceback evidenced found that pre-cut melons supplied by Caito Foods was the likely source of this outbreak. Most of those sickened said they ate pre-cut cantaloupe, watermelon, or a fruit salad mix made with melon from … [Read more...]
Johnston County Hams Listeria Monocytogenes Outbreak Ends With 4 Sick
The Johnston County Hams Listeria monocytogenes outbreak has ended with four sick, according to a notice posted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). One person who lived in Virginia died, and the remaining four patients were hospitalized because they were so sick. Johnston County Hams, located in Smithfield, North Carolina, recalled their ham products on October 3, 2018 because of this outbreak. Several other secondary recalls were issued. The products that were recalled include: Johnston County Hams, Inc. Country Style Fully Cooked Boneless Deli Ham Ole Fashioned Sugar Cured The Old Dominion Brand Hams Premium Fully Cooked Country Ham with sell-by dates from 4/10/2018 to 9/27/2019 Padow’s Hams & Deli, Inc. Fully Cooked Country ham Boneless Glazed … [Read more...]
Salmonella Outbreak in Washington Linked to Costco Cucumbers; Lawsuits Possible
A Salmonella outbreak in Washington state has been linked to Costco cucumbers that were sold in those stores in August and September, 2018. At least six people are sick in this outbreak. The outbreak notice did not state whether or not anyone has been hospitalized, the patient age range, or when the illnesses began. It also did not name the strain of Salmonella that has sickened people. The case count by county is: King (1), Snohomish (1), Thurston (1), Yakima (2), and Pierce (1). All were sickened with the same strain of Salmonella bacteria. Five of the six people sickened said they bought and ate Costco cucumbers English cucumbers from various stores in the state. These are English cucumbers that were sold in three-packs of individually wrapped cucumbers. If you purchased … [Read more...]
E. coli O26 Outbreak Associated With Homegrown Restaurants in Washington State; Lawsuits May Be Filed
King County Public Health is investigating an E. coli O26 outbreak that is associated with Homegrown restaurants in the Washington state area. The restaurants are located in Redmond, Kirkland, and Seattle on Westlake Avenue. Four people are sick in this outbreak. No one has been hospitalized, and no one has died. This outbreak is caused by Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) bacteria, that can cause serious illness. Four people have tested positive for the pathogenic bacteria after eating food from three different Homegrown restaurants in King County. All four patients ate the chicken pesto sandwich from one of those locations. Three of the patients are adults, and one is a child. The illness onset dates ranges from April 24 to May 6, 2018. Exact meal dates are not known for all … [Read more...]
Multistate Outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 HUS Linked to Romaine Investigated by Lawyers
The FDA has weighed in on the multistate E. coli O157:H7 HUS outbreak that is linked to romaine lettuce from the Yuma, Arizona growing region. Now 121 people in 25 states are sick. Fifty-two people are in the hospital, and 14 have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, which is a kind of kidney failure. One person in California has died. Lawyers are asking: how did the romaine lettuce get contaminated? The FDA has received confirmation from the Arizona Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement that is administered by the Arizona Department of Agriculture that romaine lettuce is no longer being grown and distributed form the Yuma growing region. The product, however, has a 21-day shelf life, so officials can't be sure that the lettuce from this region is not in the supply chain. Public … [Read more...]
