A strawberry hepatitis A outbreak has sickened at least 17 people in three states and has hospitalized 12 of those patients, according to the FDA. That is a very high hospitalization rate. The berries are FreshKampo and HEB brands. The berries are past their shelf live and are no longer available in stores, but some consumers probably froze some for later consumption. Freezing does not kill the hepatitis A virus. The case count by state is: California (15), Minnesota (1), and North Dakota (1). The berries were sold nationwide. Illness onset dates range from March 28, 2022 to April 30, 2022. But because it can take up to 50 days for hepatitis symptoms to appear and because some people may have preserved the berries, more cases may be diagnosed. We do not yet know the patient age … [Read more...]
California Hepatitis Cases Added to List of Severe Illness Reports
California has ben added to the list of states reporting severe child hepatitis cases, joining Alabama, Illinois, North Carolina, and Wisconsin. There are seven California hepatitis cases, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. The World Health Organization has received reports of at least 169 cases of severe pediatric hepatitis, mostly from Europe. In the United States, there are least 25 cases: nine in Alabama, two in North Carolina, three in Illinois, four in Wisconsin, and seven in California. So far there has been one death in Wisconsin, and four of these children have needed liver transplants. In most of these cases, the children had gastrointestinal symptoms before jaundice appeared. No common exposure has been found, but doctors think that adenovirus is a cofactor. … [Read more...]
Dozens of Drivers Sickened at Coachella Music Festival
Dozens of shuttle bus drivers at the Coachella Music Festival in Riverside County, California have been sickened with some type of food poisoning after eating a catered meal, according to the Riverside University Health System. The drivers work for a shuttle bus company. The press release states that more than 40 people were taken to three hospitals in the Coachella Valley early on Monday, April 25, 2022 after they got sick. Symptoms include stomach cramps, dizziness, nausea, and diarrhea. Some of those patients were admitted to the hospital. News reports are that a hundred people were sickened. Investigators with the Riverside County Departments of Public Health and Environmental Health are collaborating to try to solve this outbreak. They want to interview as many people as … [Read more...]
Possible Hepatitis A at Sunlife Organics Juice Bar in West Hollywood
A possible Hepatitis A exposure at the Sunlife Organics Juice Bar in West Hollywood, California has been reported by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. That facility is located at 8570 West Sunset Boulevard Suite 61 B in West Hollywood. Public health officials are recommending that anyone who ate food or drank beverages at that location from March 14 to March 17, 2022 get a hepatitis A or immune globulin vaccination as soon as possible. Since these vaccines are only effective when given within two weeks of exposure, that means that anyone who ate there on March 14, 2022 needs to get a shot today. Hepatitis A vaccinations will be offered for free to anyone who has ben exposed at the Sunlife Organics Juice Bar. The shots will be offered at the Hollywood Wilshire … [Read more...]
Shigella Outbreak in Eureka, California Sickens Five, 11 Suspected
A Shigella outbreak in Eureka, California has sickened at least three people, according to the Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services. Three cases are lab confirmed, and two cases are being investigated as of February 2022. In a March 5, 2022 update, there are now five cases and 11 more illnesses being investigated according to news reports. The cases occurred in multiple households and involve school age children, adults, and one person who is experiencing homelessness. The confirmed and suspected cases have been linked to locations on the waterfront area on the U.S. Highway 101 corridor in greater Eureka, according to an update by the health department. The update, which was on a video narrated by public health nurse Daniel Tran, states, "Based on current and … [Read more...]
Simple Truth and Nature’s Basket Greens Associated With E. coli Outbreak
Simple Truth and Nature's Basket Power Greens are associated with an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak that has sickened at least 13 people in six states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Both brands are organic. Four people have been hospitalized, and one person has developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure. The patient case count by state is: Alaska (2), California (1), Mississippi (1), Ohio (1) Oregon (1), and Washington (7). The patient age range is from four to 79 years. Illness onset dates range from November 27, 2021 to December 9, 2021. Of 12 people who gave information to investigators, four were hospitalized, for a hospitalization rate of 33%. And of those 12 people interviewed, all reported eating packaged salads … [Read more...]
Fratelli Beretta Antipasto Salmonella Outbreak is Number 3 of 2021
The Fratelli Beretta antipasto Salmonella outbreak is the number three multistate food poisoning outbreak of 2021. There were two types of Salmonella in this outbreak: Infantis and Typhimurium. Forty people in 17 states were sickened, and 12 people were hospitalized. Twenty-six people were sickened with Salmonella Typhimurium, and 14 were sickened with Salmonella Infantis. The patient case count by state was: Arizona (5), California (8), Colorado (1), Illinois (5), Indiana (1), Maryland (1), Michigan (2), Minnesota (2), Nevada (1), New York (1), Ohio (3), Oregon (2), Texas (3), Utah (1), Virginia (1), Washington (2), and Wisconsin (1). Illness onset dates ranged from May 9, 2021 to August 16, 2021. The patient age range was from one year to 91 years. Fratelli Beretta uncured … [Read more...]
Citterio Brand Salame Sticks Salmonella Outbreak is Number Five of 2021
The Citterio brand Salame Sticks Salmonella outbreak is the number five multistate food poisoning outbreak of 2021. At least 34 people in 10 states were sickened. Seven people were hospitalized because they were so ill. The patient case count by state was: California (13), Illinois (6), Kansas (2), Maryland (1), Michigan (3), Minnesota (3), New Jersey (2), New York (1), Pennsylvania (1), and Virginia (2). The patient age range is from one to 75 years. Illness onset dates ranged from September 18, 2021 to October 30, 2021. The outbreak was declared over by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on December 8, 2021. Citterio brand Premium Italian-Style Salame Sticks were recalled on November 10, 2021. A public health alert was issued in late October since the … [Read more...]
Real Water Hepatitis Outbreak Is the Number Eight Outbreak of 2021
The Real Water hepatitis outbreak is the number eight outbreak of 2021 with 21 probable cases. There are also four suspected cases in this outbreak. The outbreak is considered "non-viral hepatitis," which means it was not caused by a virus, but instead caused acute liver damage through inflammation. This inflammation scars the liver tissue and liver failure can be the result. It can be caused by chemicals, contaminated water or food, solvents, metals, pesticides, paint thinners, prescription and over the counter drugs, and nutritional supplements. The patient case count by state is: California (3 probable cases) and Nevada (18 probable cases, four suspect cases). There are no confirmed cases because a causative agent for the illnesses has not been identified. Illness onset dates … [Read more...]
Jule’s Foods Cashew Brie Salmonella Outbreak is Number Nine For 2021
The Jule's Foods Cashew Brie Salmonella outbreak is the number nine multistate food poisoning outbreak of 2021. At least 20 people were sickened in four states. Five people were hospitalized because they were so ill. Two serotypes of Salmonella caused this outbreak: Urbana and Chester. The patient case count is: California (15), Florida (2), Maryland (1), and Tennessee (2). The patient age range is from one to 72 years. Illness onset dates ranged from December 11, 2020, to May 9, 2021. Cashew Brie is a vegan food that is made from raw cashews, which, since they are a raw agricultural product, can be contaminated with pathogens. Officials in California and Tennessee found that samples of Jule's Truffle Cashew Brie were contaminated with Salmonella. Lab tests conducted in … [Read more...]
