The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated the clover sprouts E. coli O103 outbreak that is associated with Jimmy John's restaurants and Chicago Indoor Garden raw clover sprouts. Since the last update on February 26, 2020, 25 more patients who live in two states have been identified. Twenty-four of the new patients live in Utah, and Florida has been added to the state count. The patient case count by state is: Florida (1), Illinois (6), Iowa (3), Missouri (1), Texas (1), and Utah (27). Illness onset dates range from January 6, 2020 to March 2, 2020. Two people have been hospitalized because they are so ill. The patient age range is from 1 to 79 years. This outbreak may continue to grow, since it can take up to a month from when a person gets sick to when their … [Read more...]
FDA Updates E. coli O103 Clover Sprouts Outbreak With New Product Info
The FDA updated its investigation into the E. coli O103 clover sprouts outbreak that has sickened at least 14 people in five states. Yesterday, Chicago Indoor Garden recalled its products made with clover sprouts, since the FDA found the outbreak strain of E. coli O103 in a sample of the raw sprouts. The original outbreak notice linked this outbreak to clover sprouts served on Jimmy John's sandwiches, but there is no longer any mention of that restaurant in the outbreak notice. These illnesses are new and are not linked to the E. coli O103 outbreak in Iowa that the FDA referenced in warning letters that were sent to both Jimmy John's and another sprouts growing company in late February 2020. Jimmy John's is not mentioned anymore, either in the March 13, 2020 outbreak update or … [Read more...]
FDA Weighs In On Jimmy John’s Sprouts E. coli O103 Outbreak
The FDA has weighed in on the Jimmy John's sprouts E. coli O103 outbreak that has sickened at least 14 people in Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Texas, and Utah. Epidemiologic evidence has indicated that clover sprouts served at Jimmy John's restaurants are a likely source of this outbreak. And this isn't the first time an outbreak like this has happened. The FDA recently sent a warning letter to Jimmy John's detailing the four other outbreaks linked to their sprouts since 2012. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is recommending that anyone who has eaten clover sprouts on a sandwich from Jimmy John's restaurants and who is sick with the symptoms of an E. coli infection see a doctor as soon as possible. Those symptoms include severe and painful stomach and abdominal … [Read more...]
Jimmy John’s Sprouts E. coli O103 Outbreak Info From the CDC
Information about the multistate Jimmy John's sprouts E. coli O103 outbreak has been released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This is a different outbreak from the E. coli O103 outbreak at Jimmy John's restaurants in Iowa that sickened 22 people in late 2019. Ill people reported eating clover sprouts that were served at Jimmy John's restaurants in Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Texas, and Utah. The government is investigating to see if contaminated sprouts were served at other restaurants or sold in grocery stores. The case count by state is: Illinois (6), Iowa (3), Missouri (1), Texas (1), and Utah (3). Illness onset dates range from January 6, 2020 to February 11, 2020. The patient case count is from 1 year to 79 years. No hospitalizations or deaths have … [Read more...]
New Jimmy John’s E. coli O103 Outbreak Sickens People in IA, IL, MO, TX, and UT
A new Jimmy John's E. coli O103 outbreak that has sickened at least 14 people in Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Texas, and Utah was just announced by Frank Yiannas, Deputy Commissioner for Food Policy and Response at the FDA. And yes, it is linked to clover sprouts served at Jimmy John's restaurants in those states. This is a different outbreak from the one that was announced in December 2019 that has sickened 22 people in Iowa alone, and about which the FDA sent a warning letter to Jimmy John's and Sprouts Unlimited this week. Yiannas said, "These 14 new cases are not associated with the warning letter that the FDA issued to the company yesterday, but they do underscore the seriousness of the issue as we work with Jimmy John's to prevent outbreaks like these in the future." The case … [Read more...]
As Many as 20 Sick in Wisconsin E. coli Lettuce Outbreak
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services is investigating an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in that state that may be linked to lettuce. There may be as many as 20 cases; three of the cases are children. The law firm of Pritzker Hageman has been retained by multiple patients in this outbreak and is representing two of those children. One is a 4-year-old who is hospitalized and seriously ill, and the other child is 14 and also hospitalized. Dr. Larry Lutwick posted a notice on ProMed-Mail on November 17, 2019 about three women sickened with E. coli O157 infections who live in northwestern Wisconsin; those women told investigators that they ate salad before becoming sick. Since then, there are news reports that there may be people in other states, in particular Illinois, who may also … [Read more...]
Why Are There So Many Outbreaks Linked to Romaine Lettuce?
In the past few years, there have been quite a few food poisoning outbreaks linked to romaine lettuce. Why is this product the source for hundreds of serious illnesses? And why are there so many E. coli outbreaks linked to romaine? The answer lies in three facts: It's very difficult to clean a product that is so delicate and has so many crenelations and areas for bacteria to hide. Second, produce is a raw product and is often eaten without a kill step to destroy pathogens. And third, because leafy greens including romaine grow on the ground and are subject to contamination through irrigation water and animals, and are handled so often between farm to fork, there are many opportunities for contamination. Romaine is difficult to clean Romaine lettuce, along with other leafy … [Read more...]
Mystery Deadly Listeria Monocytogenes Outbreak Ends With 24 Sick
The mystery deadly Listeria monocytogenes outbreak that sickened 24 people in 13 states and caused two deaths has been declared over by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention with no resolution. The outbreak notice states, "A specific food item, grocery store, food processor, or restaurant chain was not identified as the source of infections in the United States." People who were sickened in this outbreak were sickened by a strain of Listeria bacteria that was closely related genetically to Listeria that made people sick in a Canadian outbreak. That Canadian outbreak was linked to recalled Rosemount frozen cooked chicken. The Listeria outbreak in Canada was deemed over on November 6, 2019. The case count by state is: California (4), Florida (1), Iowa (1), Illinois (4), … [Read more...]
Pig Ear Salmonella Outbreak Has Sickened 143 People in 35 States
The pig ear Salmonella outbreak has now sickened at least 143 people in 35 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Thirty-three people have been hospitalized because they are so sick. People can get sick after handling the treats or caring for or touching the dogs who ate them. Dogs can get sick too. Sixteen ill persons have been added to this investigation after the last update on July 31, 2019. The case count by state is: Alabama (1), Arizona (1), California (1), Colorado (3), Connecticut (1), Florida (3), Georgia (3), Hawaii (1), Illinois (10), Indiana (5), Iowa (23), Kansas (3), Kentucky (6), Louisiana (1), Maine (1), Maryland (1), Massachusetts (4), Michigan (14), Minnesota (1), Missouri (7), New Hampshire (1), New Jersey (3), New Mexico (1), … [Read more...]
Listeria Monocytogenes Outbreak Announced; No Food Identified
A Listeria monocytogenes outbreak has been announced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Twenty-four people in 13 states are sick. Twenty-two people have been hospitalized, and two people have died. The patient case count by state is: California (4), Florida (1), Iowa (1), Illinois (4), Indiana (1), Kansas (1), Kentucky (1), Michigan (1), Missouri (3), New York (2), Ohio (2), Oregon (2), and Texas (1). Listeria specimens were collected from patients from July 20, 2017 to August 1, 2019. The patient age range is from 35 to 92 years. This is a strange outbreak announcement, because the notice states that "A specific food item, grocery store, or restaurant chain has not been identified as the source of infections in the United States." This is very unusual. In … [Read more...]
