The CDC says that seven pathogens cause 9.9 million illnesses every year in the United States. This estimate is used to allocate resources and prioritize interventions. The seven pathogens are Campylobacter, Clostridium perfringens, invasive Listeria monocytogenes, norovirus, Salmonella, Toxoplasma gondii, and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC). And those illnesses cause about 53,000 hospitalizations and 931 deaths. Norovirus caused the most illnesses, followed by Campylobacter, and Salmonella. Salmonella infections were the leading cause of death, with 238 every year, followed by Campylobacter with 197 deaths and norovirus with 174. The issue with this estimate is that public health reports are limited because not all people sickened by those pathogens seek medical care and … [Read more...]
Top 10 Outbreaks of 2024: Raw Farm Salmonella E. coli 165 Sick
The top 10 list of outbreaks of 2024 continues with the Raw Farm Salmonella E. coli Campylobacter outbreak that sickened at least 165 people. Twenty people were hospitalized. The outbreak was not publicized when it happened. The patients lived in four states, but only California was named by the California CDC. One of the problems with raw milk is that children, who are one of the groups most susceptible to serious complications from food poisoning infections, make up the greatest number of patients in these types of outbreaks. In fact, the median age in this outbreak was 7 years. Thirty-nine percent of the patients were under the age of five. There were three pathogens in the milk: Salmonella Typhimurium, Campylobacter, and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC). Of 81 patients … [Read more...]
HuHill Farm Raw Milk Recalled For Possible Campylobacter
HuHill Farm Raw Milk is being recalled again for possible Campylobacter contamination, according to the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets. The milk from that dairy, which is located at 232 Lighthall Road in Fort Plain, New York, was also recalled in August 2024 for the same reason. No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with the consumption of this milk. A routine sample of the milk that was collected by a health inspector was found to be contaminated with that pathogen. On October 17, 2024, the producer was notified about a preliminary positive test result. On October 21, 2024, further laboratory testing confirmed that the milk was contaminated with Campylobacter jejuni. The dairy cannot sell raw milk until testing indicates that the product is … [Read more...]
HuHill Farm Raw Milk Recalled in NY For Campylobacter
HuHill Farm raw milk is being recalled in New York state for possible Campylobacter contamination, according to news reports. Testing conducted by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets found the pathogen. HuHill Farm is located at 232 Lighthall Road in Fort Plain, New York. No illnesses have been reported in connection with the consumption of this raw milk. A routine sample collected by an inspector from that Department tested positive for Campylobacter jejuni. On August 1, 2024, the producer was notified about a preliminary positive test result. Further testing that was completed on August 5, 2024 confirmed the presence of the pathogen in the milk sample. The producer cannot sell raw milk until sampling indicates that the product is free from harmful … [Read more...]
Five Raw Milk Outbreaks Highlight the Inherent Risks
Five raw milk outbreaks occurring at the same time this fall highlight the inherent risks of this product. Raw milk is unpasteurized, that is, it is not heat treated to kill dangerous pathogens such as E. coli, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella, Brucella, Campylobacter, and Cryptosporidium. The issue is that a cow's udders are close to the anus. And ruminant animals such as cows can harbor pathogens and not appear sick. The pathogens are excreted in feces and can easily contaminate the udders and milk. All together, these outbreaks have sickened at least 51 people. And since the multipliers for Salmonella and Campylobacter alone are around 30, that means there could be 1500 people sick. The Outbreaks These outbreaks occurred in September and October, 2023. Two of the outbreaks … [Read more...]
Wyoming Raw Milk Outbreak Sickens Four Children, One Adult
A Wyoming raw milk outbreak has sickened at least four children and one adult, according to news reports and the Wyoming Department of Health. The patients are sick with either E. coli or Campylobacter infections. Two children have been hospitalized. The raw milk was purchased through the Slow Food in the Tetons online market on either September 14 or September 21, 2023. Public health officials have traced the illnesses to the consumption of raw milk or raw milk products. The state did not identify the seller at this time. The patients live in Teton and Lincoln counties. Slow Food in the Tetons executive Director Scott Steen told the Jackson Hole News & Guide that the nonprofit organization stopped product sales after they were told about these illnesses. A press release from … [Read more...]
Foodborne Illness is Back to Pre-Pandemic Levels
Foodborne illness is back to pre-pandemic levels for some pathogens, according to research published in the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) for the week of June 30, 2023. The incidences that were higher were infections caused by Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, Yersinia, Vibrio, and cyclopsora. Campylobacter, Salmonella, Shigella, and Listeria illness levels did not change. In other words, progress in reducing enteric infection levels was not observed in 2022. The report states that collaboration among food growers, processors, retail stores, restaurants, and regulators is needed to reduce pathogen contamination during poultry slaughter and to prevent contamination of leafy greens. During the pandemic, foodborne … [Read more...]
Raw Farm Raw Milk Recalled in California For Campylobacter
Raw Farm raw milk is being recalled in California for possible Campylobacter contamination. The milk is produced and packaged by Raw Farm LLC of Fresno County, California. No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with the consumption of this unpasteurized milk. The farm is located at 7221 South Jameson Avenue in Fresno. The recall and quarantine order was announced by California State Veterinarian Dr. Annette Jones after Campylobacter was found in the farm's packaged whole raw milk. The milk was sampled and tested by the California Department of Food and Agriculture. Routine sampling conducted at the farm found the pathogen. The recalled product is Raw Farm Whole Raw Milk that is packaged in half gallon (64 ounce) and gallon (128 ounce) plastic jugs. The code date … [Read more...]
High Winds Increase Campylobacter Prevalence in Chicken Flocks
A study published in the journal Animals, by Washington State University, has found that high winds increase Campylobacter prevalence in outdoor chicken flocks. About 28% of individual chickens had the pathogen at the open environment farms in the study. And organic and free-range chicken farms had the same problem. Campylobacter is the largest single cause of foodborne illness in the United States. Co-lead author Olivia Smith, a recent Washington State University Ph.D. graduate in the School of Biological Sciences said in a statement, "Farms need to be aware of the risk. These environmental factors are influencing if the poultry are going to have foodborne pathogens, so farmers need to be aware of what's around them. If there's a lot of wind and if they're in really agricultural … [Read more...]
Safer Food Choices For Those at Risk For Food Poisoning
Every month there is at least one food recall about a potentially dangerous food in the United States. These recalls are for foods that may be contaminated with E. coli, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella, cyclospora, and Campylobacter. Unfortunately, some foods are inherently risky because of the way they are grown or prepared. While the general public certainly is at risk for illness from these foods, there are some people who can become seriously ill if they are infected. There are safer food choices for anyone who is at high risk for food poisoning complications. People at higher risk for serious complications from food poisoning include the very young, the elderly, pregnant women, people with chronic health problems such as diabetes, and anyone with a compromised immune system. … [Read more...]
