An E. coli outbreak has sickened at least eight people in La Crosse, Wisconsin, and hospitalized six children. The La Crosse County Health Department is investigating the outbreak, according to the La Crosse Tribune. Some of the children have recovered and have been released from the hospital. The bacteria that made them sick is E. coli O157. And they were hospitalized because they developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a complication of an E. coli infection that can cause kidney failure, strokes, seizures, and death. This type of bacteria releases shiga toxins, which travel through the bloodstream and kill red blood cells. Those dead and damaged cells can then clog the kidneys, causing them to fail. The Wisconsin Department of Health is assisting La Crosse County in … [Read more...]
Mysterious E. coli Outbreak in LaCrosse, WI Hospitalizes 6 Kids
Hispanics Disproportionately Affected by Papaya Salmonella Outbreak
The deadly Salmonella outbreak linked to Maradol papayas imported from Mexico has hit the Hispanic population disproportionately hard. As of last week, at least 235 people in 24 states are sick in this outbreak, which is actually a group of four separate outbreaks caused by eight different strains of Salmonella. According to the CDC, the percentage of Hispanics in each group ranges from 50% to 94%. The outbreak strains of Salmonella have been found in imported papayas. They match the strains taken from patient isolates. The outbreaks are separated based on the farms where the papayas were grown. Those farms are the Carica de Campeche farm in Mexico, with papayas contaminated with Salmonella Thompson, Salmonella Kiambu, Salmonella Agona, and Salmonella Gaminara; the Rancho El … [Read more...]
Brucella Outbreak From K-Bar Dairy Raw Milk Prompts CDC Warning in Seven States
A health warning for Brucella in Texas' K-Bar Dairy raw milk has been issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Texas Department of State Health. Public health officials are investigating brucellosis illnesses in as many as seven states. It is illegal to sell unpasteurized, or raw, milk, across state lines. The milk in question came from K-Bar dairy in Paradise, Texas. Weeks ago, Food Poisoning Bulletin told you about a Brucella outbreak in that state linked to raw milk that hospitalized one woman. Isolates from that patient match antibiotic-resistant Brucella bacteria in samples taken from the dairy's raw milk. The bacteria is called Brucella RB51, which is rare but causes serious illness. Officials are warning that anyone who consumed raw milk or … [Read more...]
Salmonella Outbreak at Yoshinoya Restaurant in Garden Grove, CA
A Salmonella outbreak at Yoshinoya restaurant at 13512 Harbor Boulevard in Garden Grove, California sickened at least 20 people in July 2017, Jessica Good, Public Information Manager of Orange County Public Health told Food Poisoning Bulletin. Information about this outbreak was not released to the public at the time. One person was hospitalized in this outbreak, and public health officials are still gathering information on a couple of cases. Illness onset dates ranged from July 17 to July 31, 2017 after patients ate at the facility from July 14 to July 21, 2017. The restaurant was closed for corrective actions on August 3, 2017. No cases have been identified in people who have eaten at the restaurant since it reopened on August 4, 2017. The symptoms of a Salmonella food … [Read more...]
Salmonella Urbana Infections Linked to Imported Maradol Papayas
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has split the large Salmonella outbreak linked to different imported Maradol papayas into four separates outbreaks. Each outbreak is inked to papayas imported from four different farms in Mexico. This outbreak, which has sickened 7 people in 3 states, was caused by Salmonella Urbana. Illnesses in this outbreak started on dates ranging from July 23, 20107 to August 14, 2017. Four people have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported. The case count by state is: New Jersey (5), New York (1), and Pennsylvania (1). Illnesses started on dates ranging from July 13, 2017 to August 14, 2017. Four people have been hospitalized in this outbreak. No deaths have been reported. Ill people range in age from less than 1 year to 57, with a median … [Read more...]
Papaya Salmonella Anatum Outbreak Updated by the CDC
The Salmonella Anatum outbreak linked to imported Maradol papayas has been updated by the CDC. There are four separate outbreaks linked to that fruit. The case count in this outbreak is 14 people sickened in 3 states. Five people have been hospitalized, and one person in California has died. The DC is also investigating six other ill persons whose isolates match the isolates in this outbreak. They are trying to determine if these "more recent illnesses" are also linked to the Bravo Produce Maradol papayas. The case count by state is: Arizona (1), California (12), and Colorado (1). Illnesses began on on dates ranging from December 20, 2016 to April 8, 2017. The ill persons were discovered from data stored on PulseNet, but government officials did not know the source of the … [Read more...]
Deadly Salmonella Outbreak Sickens 210; Linked to Imported Maradol Papayas
The deadly multistate outbreak of Salmonella infections linked to imported Maradol papayas has been updated by the CDC. There are four separate strains of Salmonella bacteria in this particular outbreak. There are now 210 people sickened in this outbreak. The bacteria in this outbreak include Salmonella Thompson, Salmonella Kiambu, Salmonella Agona, and Salmonella Gaminara. These strains of bacteria were found in ill persons and in samples collected from imported Maradol papayas. As of September 11, 2017, 210 people have been sickened in 24 states. Sixty-seven ill persons have been hospitalized. One death was reported from New York City. That is an increase of 10 more ill persons from 7 states since the last update on September 1, 2017. The case count by state is: California (1), … [Read more...]
CSPI Appeals FDA Decision to Not Release Salmonella Papaya Store Info
Center for Science in the Public Interest filed a Freedom of Information Act request to the FDA to get a list of retailers that sold the imported Maradol papayas linked to a deadly Salmonella outbreak. The FDA denied that request, so the agency is appealing the government's denial. As of last week, 201 people in 23 states are sickened in this outbreak. Sixty-five people have been hospitalized, and one person in New York City has died. The request for the retailers list was filed on August 17, 2017. The FDA said that it has 451 pages of documents that are "responsive to CSPI's request," but is withholding them, citing "exemptions for trade secret and confidential information. The FDA has said that consumers will have to ask retailers where the papayas they bought came … [Read more...]
The FDA Weighs In on The Deadly Papaya Salmonella Outbreak
The FDA has updated its information on the deadly Salmonella outbreak linked to imported Maradol papayas. Increased testing by the FDA has found papayas from two farms positive for Salmonella strains that matched illnesses not related to the initial outbreak. So the FDA is telling consumers not to eat Maradol papayas from these farms in Mexico: Carica de Campeche in Tenabo, Campeche, Mexico; Caraveo Produce in Tecomán, Colima, Mexico; and El Zapotanito in La Huerta, Jalisco, Mexico. No papayas are currently on the market from these farms because their shelf life has passed, but the agency is continuing traceback and trace forward activities. Other importers may have sourced papayas from those farms. Three brand of Maradol papayas have been recalled: Caribeña brand, distributed … [Read more...]
Salmonella Outbreak at Best BBQ in Chicago, Illinois Sickens 14
A Salmonella outbreak at Best BBQ at 1648 West 115th Street in Morgan Park in Chicago has been identified by the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH). At least 14 people are sick in this outbreak. And at least six people have been hospitalized because their illnesses are so severe. The Chicago Department of Public Health is recommending that anyone who ate at that restaurant recently and is suffering the symptoms of Salmonella food poisoning see a doctor as soon as possible. Tell the doctor you may have this foodborne illness. CDPH Commissioner Dr. Julie Morita said, "This is a serious condition that is treatable. Anyone who believes they may be symptomatic and ate at this restaurant should see their medical provider immediately. CDPH is taking every precaution as part of … [Read more...]
