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...]
Salmonella Adelaide Outbreak Linked to Precut Melon From Kroger and Walmart; Some May Sue
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...]
Indiana E. coli Outbreak Grows to 4 Confirmed Cases
The Indiana Department of Health says there are four confirmed cases of E. coli and three probable cases in that state. Officials do not know the source of this outbreak, but are investigating. Those sickened live in Fulton, Marshall, and Wabash Counties. No new cases of possible E. coli have been reported to the agency since the start of August. E. coli is an infectious disease that is spread through contact with feces. It is critical that this infection is accurately diagnosed, since treatment with antibiotics can increase the risk of serious complications, such as hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). The department is working with families of patients to make sure the illness does not spread with person-to-person contact. E. coli bacteria are found in the guts of ruminant animals … [Read more...]
E. coli O157 Outbreak at Fulton County Indiana Daycare
The Fulton County Health Department has issued a statement about an E. coli O157 outbreak among children in a local daycare. All confirmed cases being investigated are associated with the same daycare facility. At least two children are hospitalized as a result of their illnesses. Children who attend school or daycare who are sick with a diarrheal illness should stay home until they are completely well. If a child has an E. coli infection, they must have two negative stool tests and be symptom-free before returning to daycare of school. In addition, adults with E. coli O157 infections who work in health care settings or food service should stay home and not go to work when they are ill. E. coli O157 is a contagious illness that causes severe watery and/or bloody diarrhea. Symptoms … [Read more...]
E. coli Outbreak at Indiana Daycare
An E. coli outbreak at an Indiana daycare has sickened several children, according to WDNU-TV. The Fulton and Wabash County Health Departments and Indiana State Department of Health are working together to investigate the outbreak which may include a fatality. In June, an E. coli outbreak at the Learning Vine daycare center in South Carolina sickened 14 children, one of whom died. E.coli attorney Eric Hageman is filing a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of the family whose 2-year old boy died. About 10 percent of children who contract E. coli infections develop a severe complication called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) which leads to kidney failure. HUS can also cause seizure, stroke, coma and death. … [Read more...]
Les Freres Cheese Listeria Inspection Involves Two Agencies
The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture has joined the Food and Drug Adminstration in an inspection of Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese Company in Waterloo, Wisconsin. The dual-agency review of Crave Brothers' facilities is part of a "fast-breaking investigation'' of a multi-state outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes that has resulted in one miscarriage and the death of an older adult from Minnesota. The linkage between the health threat and Crave Brothers soft cheese was drawn to a point by preliminary pathogen testing of cheese samples taken from separate retail locations by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. Crave Brothers Les Frères cheese and Petit Frère with Truffles were the two cheeses where Listeria was found. Listeriosis, a life-threatening foodborne disease, is especially … [Read more...]
As Indiana Mulls Raw Milk Sales, Purdue Publishes FAQ
Indiana is one of 20 states that does not permit the sale of raw milk, but it’s reconsidering. Earlier this year, the state Legislature passed a bill requiring the Indiana State Board of Animal Health (BOAH) to study the subject and produce a report by December 1, 2012. Just weeks before that deadline, Purdue Extension has published a raw milk FAQ. When BOAH was tasked with producing a report for the Legislature about the legalization of raw milk, it put the question to Indiana residents who were invited to submit comments, ideas and suggestions for a three-month period ending September 1. Hundreds of people responded. Raw milk is milk that has not been pasteurized. Pasteurization is the process of heating milk, usually to 161 degrees for 15 seconds. It was developed as a way to … [Read more...]
Chamberlain Farms Is Indiana Cantaloupe Grower Linked To Salmonella Outbreak
Chamberlain Farms of Owensville, Indiana is the cantaloupe grower linked to the Salmonella outbreak that has sickened 178 people in 21 states, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced. So far, 62 people have been hospitalized and two have died from Salmonella Typhimurium infections. State and federal investigators who are working together on the investigation of the outbreak, say that cantaloupe from the farm is a likely source of the outbreak but there may be others. Chamberlain has issued a recall of cantaloupes that were initially shipped to Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee, Ohio, Illinois, and Wisconsin and were then redistributed. Illnesses in the each of the 21 states are as follows: Alabama (13), Arkansas (3), California (2), Georgia (3), Illinois (21), … [Read more...]
Walmart, Schnucks, Other Chains Recall Cantaloupe
Several major grocery chains have recalled the cantaloupes associated with the Salmonella Typhimurium outbreak that has sickened 178 people in 21 states. So far, WalMart, Schnucks, Meijer, and Marsh have pulled the recalled cantaloupes from their shelves. Kroger has pulled cantaloupes recalled by Burch Farms for Listeria. The cantaloupes, produced and processed by Chamberlain Farm Produce Inc. of Owensville, Indiana, were shipped from June 21, 2012 to August 16, 2012. The farm started recalling the cantaloupes on August 17, 2012. The outbreak is likely to grow because of this long time frame. Cities that are affected by this outbreak include Lousiville, Lexington, and Owensboro, Kentucky; Chicago, Aurora, and Rockford, Illinois; Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, and South Bend, Indiana; Kansas … [Read more...]
Wal-Mart Cantaloupe Lawsuit Filed on Behalf of Two Children Who Contracted Salmonella Infections
Yesterday a lawsuit was filed against Wal-Mart on behalf of two children who are part of the Salmonella Typhimurium outbreak linked to cantaloupe grown by Chamberlain Farms of Owensville, Indiana. According to the complaint, the two children got sick within days of eating cantaloupe purchased at Wal-Mart. One child was hospitalized for 4 days. "The victims of this outbreak deserve compensation for their illnesses," said Fred Pritzker, national Salmonella lawyer. Pritzker, who recently won $4.5 million for a food poisoning victim, urges victims and families to contact an attorney as soon as possible. "Filing a lawsuit in these cases sends a clear message to growers, distributors and retailers that food sold to consumers should be safe to eat. Parents should not have to worry that food … [Read more...]
