News outlets are reporting that an alleged cyclospora outbreak has occurred after people ate at Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurant, located in the Markets at Town Center near the St. Johns Town Center in Jacksonville, Florida. People who belong to the Exchange Club held a banquet at that venue last month. Illnesses started in mid-June. Some of the restaurant's patrons still have symptoms, which is not unusual with cyclosporiasis, the illness caused by this parasite. Patients can be sick for weeks or months, and the illness can seem to resolve and then recur without warning. The Duval County Health Department is sending a survey to people who were at the restaurant last month and is examining lab tests. Results may not be back for several days. Several of the people who … [Read more...]
Hepatitis A in Food Worker at Piccolo Italian Market & Deli in Sarasota, FL
A food worker at the Piccolo Italian Market & Deli at 6518 Gateway Avenue in Sarasota, Florida has been diagnosed with hepatitis A, according to the Sarasota County Health Department. Laboratory confirmation of the illness was received on July 3, 2019. That person worked at the Piccolo Italian Market between June 21 and June 29, 2019. That means that anyone who ate food or drank beverages at the restaurant on June 21, 22, and 23rd is no longer eligible for a hepatitis A vaccination. The vaccines are only effective if given with two weeks of exposure. If you ate there on June 24 to the 29th, 2019, you should call your doctor about being vaccinated or visit your local county health department. Sarasota County Health Department is offering the vaccine at their main office at … [Read more...]
Silverthorn Country Club FL Employee Diagnosed with Hepatitis A
An employee at the Silverthorn Country Club in Spring Hill has been diagnosed with hepatitis A, according to the Florida Department of Health in Hernando County. The employee worked at that location between April 12 and April 30, 2019. That means that anyone who ate there on April 18, 2019 or later is still eligible to receive a hepatitis A vaccination. Those shots are only effective if given within two weeks of exposure. It's too late for anyone who ate there before April 18 to get a shot; all those people can do is monitor themselves for the symptoms of hepatitis A and see their doctor if they do appear. Anyone who ate there April 18, 2019 must be vaccinated today. Any customers who have questions about this can call the DOH-Hernando at 352-247-6111 and leave their information … [Read more...]
EPA Wants to Spray Antibiotics to Stop Citrus Greening Disease
Advocates from environmental and public health groups have delivered a petition to the Environmental Protection Agency asking them to delay a proposal to spray antibiotic on citrus fields to treat a pathogen that causes citrus greening disease, according to the Center for Biological Diversity. Advocates think that this action could make bacterial antibiotic resistance worse. Citrus greening is a bacterial disease. Florida citrus trees are being destroyed by this pathogen and have been for more than 10 years. The pathogen is spread through an invasive insect. The bugs move through the tree's vascular tissue under the bark. Steven Roach, a senior analyst at Keep Antibiotics Working, said of the plan,"They are doing a huge experiment with limited monitoring." Officials estimate that … [Read more...]
Deadly E. coli O26 Outbreak Linked to Cargill Meat Solutions Ground Beef; Lawsuits May Be Filed
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released information about the deadly E. coli O26 outbreak linked to recalled ground beef from Cargill Meat Solutions. This outbreak has already been declared over. The link to Cargill beef was just announced yesterday by the FDA. The outbreak was originally announced in a USDA recall by Publix grocery stores in Florida. Eighteen people in four states were sickened in this E. coli O26 outbreak. Six of those patients were hospitalized because they were so ill. One person died. The case count by state is: Colorado (1), Florida (15), Massachusetts (1), and Tennessee (1). Illness onset dates ranged from July 5, 2018 to July 25, 2018. The person who died lived in Florida. The patient age range in this E. coli O26 outbreak is … [Read more...]
Publix Ground Chuck Associated with E. coli O26 Outbreak in Florida; Lawsuits May Be Filed
The USDA has issued a recall that contains an announcement about an E. coli O26 outbreak among people, who primarily live in Florida, who have eaten Publix ground chuck products. At least 18 people are sick with this infection, with illness onset dates ranging from July 5 to July 25, 2018. Publix is voluntarily recalling ground chuck items that were purchased by consumers from June 25, 2018 through July 31, 2018. The list of recalled products is very long, and includes Bacon & cheddar burgers, Bacon & Fried onion slider, Badia seasoned ground chuck burger, Blue cheese burgers, Ground chuck, Ground chuck for chili, Jalapeño & cheddar slider, Jalapeño and cheddar meatballs, meat loaf grillers, Mesquite seasoned ground chuck burger, Seasoned meatloaf (oven ready), Spanish … [Read more...]
E. coli O157:H7 HUS Outbreak Linked to I.M. Healthy SoyNut Butter Sickens 29
The CDC has announced that the E. coli O157:H7 HUS outbreak linked to I.M. Healthy SoyNut Butter has grown again. Now 29 people in 12 states have been sickened in this outbreak. That is an increase of six people since the last update on March 21, 2017. Three more states are now included in the count: Florida, Illinois, and Massachusetts. Twelve patients have been hospitalized because their illnesses are so serious. Two of the newly sickened have been hospitalized with hemolytic uremic syndrome, a type of kidney failure, which brings the total with HUS in this outbreak to nine. No deaths have been reported to date. The case count by state is: Arizona (4), California (5), Florida (1), Illinois (1), Massachusetts (1), Maryland (1), Missouri (1), New Jersey (1), Oregon (9), Virginia … [Read more...]
Two Dead, Six Ill in Vulto Raw Milk Cheese Listeria Outbreak
The CDC has announced a Listeria monocytogenes outbreak is linked to soft raw milk cheese produced by Vulto Creamery in Walton, New York. Two people have died and six are sickened in this outbreak. The case count by state is: New York (3), Florida (1), Vermont (1), and Connecticut (1). Illnesses began on September 1, 2016. All six patients were hospitalized. One person from Connecticut and one person from Vermont died. One illness was reported in a newborn. Infants can be born with Listeria monocytogenes infections when their mothers eat products contaminated with the bacteria. The bacteria can pass through the placenta because the mother's immune system response attacks the placenta. The outbreak strain of Listeria monocytogenes was identified in samples taken from three intact … [Read more...]
Outbreak at Science Olympiad at Florida Gateway College
At least 28 children and 2 adults were sickened after eating a catered lunch at the middle school Science Olympiad at Florida Gateway College in Lake City. The Columbia County Sheriff's Office had a notice posted on its Facebook page that those sickened were taken to hospitals for suspected food poisoning. The event was held on Saturday, February 4, 2017. Ambulances were called from several counties to help transfer patients to Lake City Medical Center and Shands Lake Shore. Health officials in Columbia county and from the Florida Department of Health are investigating the outbreak. All of the patients were treated and released by Saturday evening. A meal served at the event is being investigated as the potential source of the illnesses. Officials collected leftover food samples … [Read more...]
Preschoolers Sickened at Ave Marie Friends School in Florida
Twenty-one preschool children were taken by ambulance to three hospitals from Ave Marie Friends Preparatory School in Lauderhill, Florida on Monday, November 7, 2016. They were treated for nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and dehydration, symptoms of gastrointestinal distress and classic symptoms of food poisoning. Some of the children have been discharged from the hospital as of Tuesday night. The school, at 5801 Northwest 19th Street, served the children lunch that was catered by an outside vendor. Jeff Levy, assistant chief of Lauderhill Fire Rescue told the Sun-Sentinel that "the only common denominator is what the children ate for lunch." The Florida Department of Health is investigating the outbreak and did not respond to Food Poisoning Bulletin's questions yesterday. … [Read more...]
