The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced yesterday that foodservice salad from Taylor Farms de Mexico served at Red Lobster and Olive Garden restaurants in Iowa and Nebraska was the source of a Cyclospora outbreak that sickened 232 people in those states. Now, what about the 210 people in 14 other states who have also been sickened by the rare parasite? A total of 442 cases of Cyclospora infection have been reported from sixteen state health departments. With the 148 cases in Iowa and the 84 cases in Nebraska solved, that still leaves 210 cases in the following states: Texas (140), Florida (25), Wisconsin (12), Arkansas(8) New York (6), Illinois (4) Georgia (4), Missouri (3), Connecticut (2), Louisiana (2), Kansas (2), Minnesota (1), New Jersey (1), Ohio (1). Federal … [Read more...]
Law Firm to File Cyclospora Suit Against Olive Garden Parent
A national food safety law firm is planning to file lawsuits in connection with the Cyclospora outbreak Monday on behalf of women who allege they fell ill with Cyclosporiasis after eating at an Olive Garden restaurants in Nebraska and Iowa. At least 442 people in 16 states have been diagnosed with Cyclosporiasis, the infection caused by the rare parasite Cyclospora. Health officials in two states, Iowa and Nebraska, established that the 232 cases in their states were caused by the same source, pre-packaged salad. Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that the salad was produced by Taylor Farms de Mexico and served at Olive Garden and Red Lobster restaurants in Iowa and Nebraska. Symptoms of a Cyclospora infection include explosive diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, … [Read more...]
Cyclosporiasis: 442 people sick, 22 Hospitalized
Cyclosporiasis, the infection caused by the rare parasite Cyclospora, has been diagnosed in 442 people in 16 states, 22 of whom have required hospitalization. Taylor Farms de Mexico food service salad served at Olive Garden and Red Lobster restaurants has been determined to be the source of 232 of those illness in Iowa and Nebraska. Taylor Farms salads sold at grocery stores are not implicated in this outbreak, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). A recall of the foodservice salad has not been issued. In addition to Iowa and Nebraska, 14 other states have reported cases of Cyclosporiasis, but it is not clear at this point if all of the cases are related. Those 16 states reported a total of 442 cases of Cyclospora infection to Food Poisoning Bulletin on August 2. … [Read more...]
Cyclospora Source: Taylor Farms Salad at Olive Garden, Red Lobster
Taylor Farms de Mexico food service salad served at Olive Garden and Red Lobster restaurants is the source of the Cyclospora outbreak that sickened at least 232 people in Iowa and Nebraska. Health officials from those states announced July 30 that a salad mix containing iceberg and romaine lettuces, carrots and red cabbage was the source of the illnesses, but did not release the name of the company that produced it as the tainted salad was no longer in circulation in those states. Over the last few days, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been conducting a traceback investigation of the salad identified by Iowa and Nebraska. The agency today announced that illness clusters at four restaurant sites were all linked to the same supplier, Taylor Farms de Mexico, S. de R.L. de … [Read more...]
FDA: Finding Source of Cyclosporiasis Outbreak “Painstaking” Work
The spotlight on the Cyclosporiasis outbreak investigation has swiveled from state health departments to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the agency that could but hasn't named the companies involved in growing, distributing, selling and serving tainted produce that has likely sickened 400 people in 16 states. Earlier this week, state health departments in Iowa and Nebraska, who have said for weeks that they believe their cases were linked, named pre-washed, bagged salad containing romaine and iceberg lettuces, carrots and red cabbage as the source of an outbreak that sickened 221 people in those states. Neither state named the maker of the salad, the stores where is was sold or the restaurants where is was served. And health officials in Iowa said they had no plans to do … [Read more...]
Attorney Investigating Cyclospora Outbreak Says Chain Restaurant is Involved
Noted food safety attorney Fred Pritzker is actively investigating the Cyclospora outbreak that is linked to bagged, mixed salad. Pritzker says he has been investigating this outbreak for several weeks and there may be at least one nationally advertised restaurant chain involved. “Any restaurants that are associated with this outbreak are responsible for the harm suffered by those sickened according to the law,” said Pritzker, who represents food poisoning victims in personal injury lawsuits against food processors, restaurants and others. To date there are a total of 397 cases of Cyclospora infection (cyclosporiasis) from 15 states, according to the CDC and state health officials: Iowa (143), Texas (122), Nebraska (76), Florida (24), Wisconsin (10), New York (5), Illinois (4) … [Read more...]
Cyclospora: 398 sick, Bagged Salad Source of Multi-State Outbreak
Cyclospora, a rare parasite usually found in tropical or sub-tropical regions, has sickened 398 people in 15 states, hospitalizing 21 of them. Most, but not all, of these illnesses are part of a multi-state outbreak linked to contaminated bagged salad mix sold at grocery stores and served at restaurants. “The evidence points to a salad mix containing iceberg and romaine lettuce, as well as carrots and red cabbage as the source of the outbreak reported in Iowa and Nebraska,” said Steven Mandernach, chief of the Food and Consumer Safety Bureau of the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals (DIA). Food Poisoning Bulletin has been reporting restaurant lettuce as a source of Cyclospora illness for weeks. Nebraska’s Department of Health and Human Services reported that the … [Read more...]
Cyclospora Food Poisoning Outbreak: 4 Questions and Answers
1. How is Cyclospora transmitted by food? Cyclospora cayetanensis is a parasite. People can become infected with Cyclospora by ingesting sporulated oocysts, the infective form of the parasite, in food. Unsanitary conditions at a farm, processing plant or distribution center can allow human feces containing Cyclospora oocysts to contaminate food. It generally takes days or even weeks for these fecal oocysts to become sporulated, and thereby infective, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). So the contamination of the food happens days or weeks before it is eaten. This makes it more difficult to find the source of a Cyclospora food poisoning outbreak. 2. What evidence is needed to prove that a grower, processor, distributor, grocery store and/or restaurant … [Read more...]
Sulfa Allergies Limit Effective Cyclospora Treatment
Hundreds of people from Iowa to Texas are battling infections from Cyclospora, a rare parasite that causes months of diarrhea, and for some of them there isn’t a good treatment option. Cyclospora is commonly treated with an antiobiotic that contains sulfa called Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMX) which is sold under the brand names Bactrim, Septra and Cotrim. However, “no highly effective alternative antibiotic regimen has been identified yet for patients who do not respond to the standard treatment or have a sulfa allergy,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). For these patients, treatment of symptoms may be the only option. Symptoms of a Cyclospora infection usually begin about a week after exposure and include bouts of watery or explosive … [Read more...]
Cyclospora Attorney Investigates Lawsuit for Outbreak in Iowa, Nebraska, Illinois, Kansas, Texas and Wisconsin
Attorney Fred Pritzker is actively investigating the Cyclospora outbreak that has sickened people in Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska, Texas and Wisconsin. The source of the outbreak has not been definitively identified, but it is a vegetable product that was widely distributed to several locations. The tainted product may have found its way to restaurants, grocery stores and food service companies. "The outbreak patients who have contacted our law firm have suffered severe diarrhea for long periods of time," said Pritzker, a national food safety lawyer. "Sulfa is used in combination with another antibiotic to treat these infections. Anyone who is allergic to sulfa are left without a good treatment option and may be sick for months. This illness can also seem to resolve and then recur … [Read more...]
