The Public Health Agency of Canada is investigating an E. coli O157 outbreak in five provinces. As of December 21, 2017, 40 people are sick in this outbreak, which is linked to the consumption of romaine lettuce. Individuals in Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador are advised to avoid romaine lettuce until more is known about this outbreak and the cause of contamination. This outbreak is ongoing, as illnesses linked to romaine lettuce continue to be reported to the Public Health Agency of Canada. Officials think that contaminated lettuce may still be on the market, including in restaurants, grocery stores, and any establishments that serve food. This product has a shelf life up to 5 weeks. There is a risk of E. coli infections associated with … [Read more...]
I.M. Healthy SoyNut Butter E. coli O157:H7 Outbreak Grows
As expected, the E. coli O157:H7 outbreak linked to the SoyNut Butter Company's I.M. Healthy SoyNut Butter products has grown. The CDC has just released an update on their investigation into this outbreak. Now, 23 people in 9 states are ill with the outbreak strain of E. coli. That's an increase of seven patients since the initial outbreak report on March 13, 2017. Ten of those sickened have been hospitalized. And seven people have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure. No deaths have been reported. Twenty, or 87%, of the ill persons in this outbreak are under the age of 18. No new states are included in the update. The patient case count by state is: Arizona (4), California (5), Maryland (1), Missouri (1), New Jersey (1), Oregon (6), Virginia (2), … [Read more...]
E. coli O157 Outbreak at OR Montessori of Alameda Preschool
An E. coli O157 outbreak has sickened six people associated with the Montessori of Alameda preschool in Portland, Oregon. All of the patients have laboratory-confirmed Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infections. One patient is an adult and five are preschoolers. One child has been hospitalized in this outbreak and as of March 10, 2017 was still in the hospital. All of the confirmed cases have occurred in one classroom at a Portland preschool. Samples from three of the patients have been typed so far and have been identified as E. coli O157. The Health Department is investigating the source of this pathogenic bacteria, including whether there is a link to this outbreak and the national recall of I.M. Healthy SoyNut Butter. The cause is not yet known. Dr. Paul Lewis, … [Read more...]
Four Arizona Children Sickened with E. coli O157
Four children in Arizona are sickened with E. coli O157 infections that "appear to be linked" to soynut butter-containing products from "The SoyNutButter Company," according to a news release from the Arizona Department of Health. The Arizona Department of Health Services is recommending that consumers avoid eating "I.M. Healthy" brand soynut butter and soynut butter-containing products. Dr. Cara Crist, director of the department, said in a statement, "Our disease detectives are working on the state and local level to rapidly identify the source of this outbreak. As we determine suspected food sources that may be linked to E. coli, our state lab will test those products to determine if there’s a match." The four children who are sick in Arizona live in Maricopa and Coconino … [Read more...]
Monroe Montessori School in WA Closed for Possible E. coli
According to the Snohomish Health District in Washington state, two young children have been hospitalized for complications from a Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) infection. The school they attend, at 733 Village Way in Monroe, Washington has been temporarily closed because other children and staff may have been exposed to the bacteria. Dr. Gary Goldblum, health officer and director of the Health District said, "the exact source of contamination in E. coli can be very difficult to identify, but at this point we believe the children were likely exposed to livestock near their home. The school has been cooperating fully as we work with the families and improve existing policies and procedures to prevent these incidents from happening in the future." Livestock carry E. coli … [Read more...]
Pho 75 Aurora Colorado Restaurant E. coli Outbreak Confirmed
Jan Stapleman, Deputy Director of Communications for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, confirmed to Food Poisoning Bulletin in an email that they are investigating an outbreak of E. coli linked to the Pho 75 restaurant in Aurora. Four people have been sickened in this outbreak, and one person was hospitalized. The restaurant has been closed by the health department, and the email stated that "there is no continuing threat to the public." The person who was hospitalized is a teenager whose kidneys started to fail. Thankfully, he is on the mend. The Tri-County Health Department is asking members of the public to take a short, confidential survey as part of their investigation into the outbreak. Anyone who ate at the restaurant or got take-out between May 24 … [Read more...]
Colorado Restaurant Closed Because of E. coli Outbreak
A restaurant in Aurora, Colorado, Pho 75, was closed on Friday, June 10, 2016 because an E. coli O157 outbreak has been reported to public officials. Several media outlets are reporting that at least four people have been sickened after eating at the restaurant, located at 2050 South Havana Street in Aurora. One of the four patients, a 14-year-old boy who ate at Pho 75 on May 24, has been hospitalized with serious illness. He has been in the intensive care unit with a severe case of pancreatitis since June 1, according to Fox31 Denver. The boy has improved, but is still hospitalized and may be for weeks, according to his father, Marc Thompson. According to health inspection records posted at the Tri-County Health Department (covering Adams, Arapahoe and Douglas Counties in … [Read more...]
Oak Leaf Dairy Farm CT E. coli Outbreak Grows to 41 Sick
The E. coli O157 outbreak linked to the Oak Leaf Dairy Farm in Lebanon, Connecticut has now grown to include 41 confirmed cases. The patients range in age from 9 months to 45 years, with a median age of five years. The patients include seven adults and 34 children under the age of 18. Twenty-two of the sick children are age five or under. Ten patients have been hospitalized in this outbreak. One person is still in the hospital. Three of the hospitalized children have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a serious complication of a shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) infection that can cause kidney failure and death. Two of the three children with HUS have recovered. The investigation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Connecticut Department of Public … [Read more...]
E. coli Outbreak Linked to Oak Leaf Farm in CT Grows
The Connecticut State Department of Public Health (DPH) issued an update on the E. coli outbreak linked to Oak Leaf Farm in Lebanon. As of 1:00 p.m. on March 28, 2016, there are 15 confirmed cases of E. coli O157 infection. The number of cases could increase in the next few days. DPH is actively identifying people who were not initially included in the outbreak count. Fourteen of those cases are linked to the farm. The patients range in age from 1 year to 44 years old, with a median age of six. Five patients have been hospitalized, and three are still in the hospital. Two of those hospitalized patients have been diagnosed with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Children are most susceptible to this complication of an E. coli infection, but the report did not state how old those patients … [Read more...]
California Confirms E. coli Outbreak Linked to Organic Pastures Raw Milk
The California Department of Public Health has confirmed to Food Poisoning Bulletin that there is an E. coli O157 outbreak linked to recalled Organic Pastures raw milk. Via email, they said "there is an outbreak, and as of February 8, 2016, six children with a unique strain of shiga toxin-producing E. coli O157 have been identified; of all of these six children, four have reported drinking Organic Pastures raw milk before they got sick." All six illnesses occurred in January 2016. Public health officials are investigating the dairy and that investigation is ongoing. CDPH's Food and Drug Branch (FDB) has "collected a number of samples from the marketplace, which are currently undergoing laboratory evaluation," according to the communication. The recalled product is Organic Pastures … [Read more...]
