The Caito Foods precut melon Salmonella Carrau outbreak has now sickened at least 117 people in 10 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Thirty-two people, or 36%, have been hospitalized, which is a high percentage for a Salmonella outbreak. That's an increase of 24 patients in 11 days. Iowa has been added to the list of states affected by this outbreak. The case count by state is: Alabama (1), Iowa (1), Illinois (7), Indiana (23), Kentucky (21), Michigan (22), Minnesota (3), Missouri (7), Ohio (31), and Wisconsin (1). Illness onset dates range from March 4 to April 8, 2019. The patient age range is from less than one to 98 years. More than 70% of patients who have been interviewed said they ate pre-cut melon the week before they got … [Read more...]
Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan Hard Hit by Precut Melon Salmonella Outbreak
People in the states of Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, and Michigan have been hard hit by the melon Salmonella outbreak that has sickened at least 93 people in 9 states. The case count in each state is: Ohio (27), Indiana (18), Kentucky (16), and Michigan (19). The other states involved include Alabama (1), Illinois (5), Minnesota (3), Missouri (3), and Wisconsin (1). The pathogen that has sickened people, Salmonella Carrau, is relatively rare in the United States. Officials are using the PulseNet system to find people who may be part of this outbreak, and more may be identified. PulseNet identified the outbreak on April 2, 2019. It makes sense that most of the victims are in those states, since the outbreak has been linked by the CDC and FDA to precut melons that were produced and … [Read more...]
How Does Salmonella Contaminate Precut Melon? Lawyer Explains
The Salmonella Carrau outbreak linked to Caito Foods precut melon has sickened at least 93 people in 9 states. We asked lawyer Fred Pritzker: how does Salmonella contaminate precut melon? He said, "This isn't the first time that precut melons have been contaminated by pathogenic bacteria. In 2018, a Salmonella Adelaide outbreak was linked to precut melon that was also produced by Caito Foods. At least 77 people were sickened in that outbreak. And in 2017 a Salmonella Newport outbreak in Washington state and Oregon was linked to precut fruit sold at several grocery stores. "Fresh fruit is not a natural vehicle for pathogens such as Salmonella. Salmonella outbreaks are typically linked to foods like chicken. So the fruit had to be contaminated somewhere along the chain of harvest … [Read more...]
Salmonella Carrau Outbreak Linked to Caito Foods Precut Melons
A Salmonella Carrau outbreak is linked to Caito Foods precut melons, and has sickened at least 93 people in 9 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Twenty-three people are hospitalized because their illnesses are so severe. The patient case count by state is: Alabama (1), Illinois (5), Indiana (18), Kentucky (16), Michigan (19), Minnesota (3), Missouri (3), Ohio (27), and Wisconsin (1). Illness onset dates range from March 4, 2019 to March 31, 2019. The patient age range is from less than one to 98. No deaths have been reported in this outbreak. Epidemiologic and traceback evidence indicate that precut melons supplied by Caito Foods are the likely source of this outbreak. Caito recalled a huge list of precut honeydew, cantaloupe, and … [Read more...]
E. coli O103 Outbreak in Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio, and Indiana
The E. coli O103 outbreak originally announced in Kentucky yesterday apparently also has sickened people living in Tennessee, Ohio, and Indiana, according to news reports. Twenty confirmed cases are in Kentucky, and one each in the other states for a total of 23 ill. Most of the illnesses occurred between March 5 and 25, 2019. The cases in Kentucky are spread among several counties throughout the state. Fayette county, in the northeastern part of the state, has the most cases with five. But officials say there isn't enough commonality between those five cases to establish a source of the pathogen. No source, whether food or venue, has been named in this outbreak, but officials in Kentucky have stated that "extensive exposure to fast food" may be linked to these illnesses. Fast … [Read more...]
Hepatitis A Exposure At Kentucky Ave. Burger King in Indianapolis
A worker at the Burger King at 3311 South Kentucky Avenue, near Mann Road in Indianapolis has been diagnosed with hepatitis A. Anyone who ate at that facility from January 21 through January 24, 2019 may have been exposed to the pathogenic virus. The Marion Countuy Public Health Department is hating a special clinic on Monday, February 4, 2019, from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm at its South District Health Office at 7551 South Shelby Street. Anyone who visited that restaurant on the above dates can get a vaccination. People who ate there on January 21 have until today to get a shot, since the vaccine is only effective if given within two weeks of exposure. You can also get the shot at doctor's offices. The Burger King restaurant management is cooperating with public health officials and … [Read more...]
Top 10 Food Poisoning Outbreaks of 2018: Salmonella in Melons
It's time for the Top 10 Food Poisoning Outbreaks of 2018! Number 10 is the Salmonella Adelaide outbreak that was linked to pre-cut melons. It was very easy to choose this list this year, since there were so many outbreaks. Those that didn't make the list included the current romaine E. coli O157:H7 outbreak and the two Salmonella outbreaks that were linked to shell eggs. In this outbreak, at least 77 people in nine states were sickened. Thirty-six people were hospitalized, which is a very high percentage for a Salmonella outbreak. All of the epidemiologic and traceback evidenced found that pre-cut melons supplied by Caito Foods was the likely source of this outbreak. Most of those sickened said they ate pre-cut cantaloupe, watermelon, or a fruit salad mix made with melon from … [Read more...]
Salmonella Adelaide Precut Melon Outbreak Ends with 77 Sick
The Salmonella Adelaide precut melon outbreak has ended, according to the CDC, with 77 people sick in nine states. Attorneys at the Pritzker Hageman law firm have filed lawsuits in this outbreak on behalf of ill clients. Thirty-six people have been hospitalized in this outbreak, which is a very high percentage. The case count by state is: Arkansas (1), Florida (1), Illinois (7), Indiana (14), Kentucky (1), Michigan (39), Missouri (11), Ohio (2), and Tennessee (1). llness onset dates ranged from April 30, 2018, to July 2, 2018. The patient age range was from less than 1 year to 97. Fifty-one percent of patents who were interviewed were hospitalized in this Salmonella Adelaide precut melon outbreak. The typical hospitalization rate for a Salmonella outbreak is about 22%. The FDA, … [Read more...]
Salmonella Adelaide Outbreak Linked to Precut Melon From Kroger and Walmart; Some May Sue
A Salmonella Adelaide outbreak that is linked to precut melon sold at Walmart in some midwestern stats has sickened at least 60 people. The CDC has not released a formal statement, but has said that 31 of those 60 people are hospitalized. The patients in this Salmonella Adelaide outbreak live in five states. The case count by state is: Michigan (32), Illinois (6), Indiana (11), Missouri (10), and Ohio (1). Illness onset dates range from April 30, 2018 to May 18, 2018. The patient age range is from 1 to 97 years old. The press releases state "No deaths have been confirmed to date." Officials in Michigan and Illinois have issued press releases about this outbreak. The CDC says that pre-cut melons, including fruit salads, are the likely source of this outbreak. IDPH Director Dr. … [Read more...]
Legionnaires Disease Case at IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital
A patient was sickened with Legionnaires' Disease at the IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital in Muncie, Indiana last week. The illness was transmitted through the water in the hospital. The IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital Chief Operating Officer and Chief Medical Officer said that the results were positive for the illness. The patient is very ill, but the hospital would not comment further on his or her current condition. Water samples have been sent for testing, and the hospital has hired an expert to help control the risk of further infections. The hospital has stopped all water usage in bathrooms and common areas and is using bottled water while testing is underway. Surgeries can continue and the kitchen hospital is open, since water used in those areas is heated to 140°F, which … [Read more...]
