An E. coli outbreak at six Calgary, Alberta daycare centers has sickened at least 128 people, according to Alberta Health Services and news reports. Since AHS last released an update on September 4, 2023, five more daycare centers located in that city in Canada have been added. As of September 7, 2023, 25 children are hospitalized. Nine patients have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), and three children have been discharged from the hospital. The facilities identified by Alberta Health Services, which are all located in Calgary, have been issued a closure order. They are: Fueling Brains Braeside Fueling Brains West 85th Fueling Brains New Brighton Fueling Brains Centennial Fueling Brains Bridgeland Fueling Brains McKnight Braineer Academy Kidz Space Little Oak … [Read more...]
E. coli Outbreak in Utah County, Utah Sickens 8, 5 Hospitalized
An E. coli outbreak in Utah County, Utah has sickened at least eight people. Five of those people have been hospitalized because they are so sick. Two of the cases have confirmed E. coli O57:H7 infections. All patients are residents of Lehi City in that county or have close ties to the area, according to Lehi City officials. A three-year-old girl is one of the hospitalized patients according to news reports. While epidemiologists are working to find the source of the infection, preliminary results indicate that using pressurized irrigation water for drinking and play may be the source of the pathogen. Mark Johnson, Mayor of Lehi City, said in a statement, "This is a critical situation, and I am concerned for the public. I want residents to be aware that pressurized irrigation water … [Read more...]
CDC Discusses 2022 Lucky Ladd Farms E. coli Outbreak
In the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) for the week of July 21, 2023, the 2022 Lucky Ladd Farms E. coli O157:H7 outbreak is discussed. In that outbreak, 12 children were sickened after visiting the farm in Tennessee, and there were two secondary infections. Three week-long summer camps were held at that farm during the summer. Animal husbandry was taught; children aged 6 to 10 were assigned a baby goat to care for. Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) bacteria live in the guts of ruminant animals such as goats, sheep, cattle, and deer, but the animal does not get sick. They excrete the pathogen in their feces. This outbreak was similar to petting zoo outbreaks which have occurred over the years. The Tennessee Department of Health conducted an environmental … [Read more...]
New E. coli O157:H7 Outbreak on FDA CORE Outbreak Table
A new E. coli O157:H7 outbreak has been listed on the FDA's CORE Outbreak Investigation Table, joining six other outbreaks that are currently being investigated. Four of the seven outbreaks have not been linked to any product. The new E. coli O157:H7 outbreak has sickened at least 11 people. The FDA has established traceback but there is no recall, on-site inspection, or sample collection and analysis. We do not know there the ill persons live, the patient age range, or if anyone has been hospitalized. In the first Cyclospora outbreak investigation, the case count has increased from 105 to 112. In that outbreak, sample collection and analysis has begun. In the second cyclospora outbreak, the FDA has initiated onside inspection along with sample collection and analysis. The … [Read more...]
Tennessee E. coli Raw Milk Outbreak Sickened Two Infants
A Tennessee E. coli raw milk outbreak sickened two infants in 2022, according to a study conducted by the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and published in their weekly Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. One of the babies developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) and became seriously ill. The milk was sold through a cow-share arrangement, since raw milk, or unpasteurized dairy, sales through retail outlets are illegal in that state. The two infants, who were 10 months old at the time, got sick on July 25 and August 1, 2022. Stool specimens tested positive for Shiga toxin-producing E. coli bacteria (STEC) by polymerase chain reaction. One of the infants developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure, and was hospitalized for 27 days. The … [Read more...]
Alleged Wendy’s E. coli Outbreak Was Number One in 2022
The alleged Wendy's E. coli outbreak was the number one outbreak of 2022, with at least 109 people sick in six states, and 52 patients hospitalized. The CDC says that they were unable to confirm a food source, but more than 80% of patients who were interviewed by public health officials said they ate at a Wendy's restaurant, choosing burgers and sandwiches made with romaine lettuce, before they got sick. The case count by state was: Indiana (11), Kentucky (2), Michigan (67), New York (1), Ohio (24), and Pennsylvania (4). The Wendy's restaurants where sick people ate were in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. The patient age range was from 1 to 94 years. Illness onset dates ranged from July 26, 2022 to August 17, 2022. Fifty-two people were … [Read more...]
HelloFresh Ground Beef E. coli O157:H7 Outbreak is Number Eight of 2022
The HelloFresh ground beef E. coli O157:H7 outbreak is the number eight outbreak of 2022, with at least seven people in six states. Six people were hospitalized because they were so ill. The ground beef was in some Hello Fresh meal kits and has the establishment number "EST. 46841" stamped inside the USDA mark of inspection. The kits were shipped from July 2 to July 21, 2022. The case count by state is: Maryland (1), New Jersey (2), New York (1), Pennsylvania (1), Virginia (1), and Washington state (1). The patient age range is from 17 to 69 years, and illness onset dates ranged from June 8, 2022 to August 17, 2022. This is a long illness onset date range, but is explained by the fact that HelloFresh meal kits can be frozen up to two months. Some people may still have those kits … [Read more...]
FDA Adds Salmonella Outbreak; USDA Adds E. coli Outbreak
FDA adds Salmonella outbreak to its CORE Outbreak Investigation Table, while the USDA adds an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak to theirs, which may be associated with beef. Very little information has been provided for these new outbreaks. For the new outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium on the FDA site, the food has not yet been identified. There are currently 264 cases, which is a very high case count for an unidentified outbreak. The FDA is working with partners to investigate "multiple food items of interest" to try to determine the cause of this outbreak. Traceback has been initiated. The new E. coli O157:H7 outbreak on the USDA table is suspected to be linked to beef. There is no information about patient case counts, patient ages, states where ill persons live, or what type of beef … [Read more...]
New Listeria Monocytogenes Outbreak Added to FDA CORE Table
A new Listeria monocytogenes outbreak has been added to the FDA's CORE Outbreak Investigation Table. This investigation joins four other active outbreak investigations on that Table. In the new outbreak, which is not the same as the new Listeria outbreak linked to deli meats and cheeses in the upper northeastern part of the United Sates, at least two people are sick. A possible source of the pathogen has not been identified. Traceback has been initiated, but no recall has been issued, there has been no on-site inspection, and no sample collection or analysis. We do not know the patient age range, illness onset dates, or whether or not anyone has been hospitalized. There is one other mystery outbreak on the Table: an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in a not yet identified food that has … [Read more...]
Three Sick in E. coli O157:H7 Outbreak in King County, Washington
Three people are sick in an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in King County, Washington, according to information from the King County Health Department. No one has been hospitalized and no deaths have been reported. And no source for the pathogen has been identified. Three people from three separate households have been sickened with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli bacteria (STEC). The illness onset dates range from October 4 through October 16, 2022. The patient age range is from 18 to 36 years. Confirmed cases are linked through whole genome sequencing, which means they likely have a common source of infection. Two out of those three patients reported eating dishes that were prepared with raw or undercooked beef before they got sick. But officials cannot rule out other possible sources … [Read more...]
