A Salmonella outbreak that has sickened at least four people is associated with Sun View Produce grocery store in Chicago, Illinois. The outbreak started in early July 2019. The patients got sick after eating pork tamales or carnitas that were served from the deli section at that store. Sun View Produce is located at 6110 West 63rd Street in Chicago. If you ate food purchased from the deli section at that store since July 1, 2019, you may have been exposed to Salmonella bacteria. Symptoms of this illness include fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, diarrhea that may be bloody, and symptoms of dehydration. If you have been ill with these symptoms, see your doctor. If you have pork tamales, carnitas, or other hot foods that were purchased from this deli since July 1, … [Read more...]
Minnesota Cyclospora Outbreak: Three Restaurants Named by MDH
The Minnesota Department of Health has identified 35 lab-confirmed cases of cyclospora that are associated with three Minnesota restaurants in different areas of the state. Basil is implicated in these illnesses, according to Doug Schultz, Information Officer for the DOH. This Minnesota cyclospora outbreak may be linked to the multistate cyclospora outbreak announced by the FDA yesterday, but we don't know for sure. In the multi-state outbreak, 132 people in 11 states are sick. There are 26 lab-confirmed cases associated with City Market in Rochester, 4 lab-confirmed cases associated with Outback Steakhouse in Hermantown, and 5 lab-confirmed cases associated with a conference held in Duluth that was catered by Duluth Grill. Minnesota is one of the states named in the FDA … [Read more...]
San Diego County Fair E. coli Outbreak Has Now Sickened 10
The E. coli outbreak at the San Diego County Fair has now sickened 10 people, according to the San Diego Health & Human Services Agency. There is one more probable case that has not yet been confirmed. Three people have been hospitalized, and one 2-year-old child has died. Officials have still not found the source of the pathogen. All of the children who are sick visited the animal areas, petting zoo, or had other animal contact at the fair. County Environmental health re-inspected food facilities that were visited by the children and found no link to the cases. Unfortunately, E. coli outbreaks linked to animal attractions at fairs, petting zoos, and farm tourist attractions are nothing new. Almost every year children are sickened after visiting these venues. Earlier this … [Read more...]
Lawyer Warns of E. coli Danger at Petting Zoos
Attorneys Fred Pritzker and Ryan Osterholm are warning about the dangers of E. coli infections from petting zoos. As the weather warms and summer starts, petting zoos are popular attractions for families with young children. Unfortunately, those venues can be and have been the source of serious and even deadly E. coli outbreaks. The issue is that ruminant animals often held at petting zoos, such as goats, sheep, and cows, can carry Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) bacteria in their guts. The animals don't get sick from this pathogenic bacteria because they lack the gene that permits the bacteria to grow and produce toxins that destroy red blood cells. It doesn't matter how old the animal is; young animals can carry this pathogen. The bacteria are shed in the animal's feces. … [Read more...]
ALDI Bakers Corner Flour E. coli O26 Outbreak Sickens 17
The ALDI Bakers Corner Flour E. coli O26 outbreak has sickened 17 people in 8 states, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Three of those patients have been hospitalized because they are so sick. The notice did not state whether or not any patients have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure that is a complication of this type of infection. The Rhode Island Department of Health collected and analyzed an unopened sample of this flour and found that the flour contained E. coli O26. A public warning was issued to the public on May 22, 2019. The investigation is ongoing, but DNA analysis found that the E. coli in the unopened sample of flour was closely related to the isolates from ill persons. Epidemiological and laboratory evidence … [Read more...]
ALDI Baker’s Corner Flour Linked to E. coli O26 Outbreak
ALDI Baker's Corner flour has been linked to an E. coli O26 outbreak that has sickened at least 17 people in 8 states, according to the Centers for Diseases Control ands Prevention (CDC). That flour was recalled on May 23, 2019. The case count by state is: California (1), Connecticut (1), Missouri (1), New Jersey (1), New York (5), Pennsylvania (2), and Rhode Island (1). Illness onset dates range from December 11, 2018 to April 17, 2018. The patient age range is from 7 to 86 years. Of 17 people who have been interviewed by public health officials, 3 have been hospitalized. There is no information about whether or not any of the patients have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a serious complication of an E. coli infection that causes kidney failure. Whole genome … [Read more...]
Minnesota, Wisconsin Del Monte Vegetable Outbreak Is Salmonella Infantis
The FDA has announced that the pathogen in the Kwik Trip Minnesota Wisconsin Del Monte vegetable tray outbreak that has sickened at least four people is Salmonella Infantis. That agency is currently inspecting the Del Monte facility in Kankakee, Illinois that produced those vegetable trays. The case count in this outbreak remains the same: three sick in Wisconsin, and one sick in Minnesota. Those patients got sick between April 13 and April 27, 2019. The FDA, authorities from Minnesota and Wisconsin, and the CDC are investigating the outbreak, the source of the pathogen, and the distribution of products. While all patients sickened in this outbreak said they ate the Del Monte Vegetable Trays purchased at Kwik Trip stores before getting sick, the Wisconsin Department of Health … [Read more...]
SoCo Tahini Recalled in Karawan Tahini Salmonella Concord Outbreak
Another brand of tahini has been recalled in the Karawan tahini Salmonella Concord outbreak that has sickened at least 4 people in two states. Brodt Zenatti Holdings of Jupiter, Florida expanded their recall of imported tahini to include SoCo brand tahini that is sold in 135-ounce containers. This is in addition to the recalled retail and bulk Karawan brand tahini that is sold in 16 ounce jars and 39 pound buckets. This newly recalled tahini may be labeled either "Karawan Tahini," El-Karawan Tahini," or "Soco Tahini." It was sold in bulk to retailers and restaurants and was also available to consumers at retail outlets and online. It may have also been used to make other food products sold to consumers, including hummus, falafel, and baba ganoush. One of the issues with tahini is … [Read more...]
Kwik Trip Del Monte Vegetable Tray Salmonella Outbreak: What Happened?
The new Kwik Trip Del Monte vegetable tray Salmonella Infantis outbreak that was announced on May 21, 2019 by the Wisconsin Department of Health has sickened four people: one in Minnesota and three in Wisconsin. This is the second time that product has been linked to an outbreak: in 2018, hundreds were sickened by cyclospora infections linked to that company's vegetables. How do these vegetables get contaminated in the first place? Unfortunately, produce and Salmonella are a common pair. There are several ways that produce can be contaminated with pathogenic bacteria. Contamination can occur at any point along the farm to fork path. First, produce can be contaminated in the field. This has happened because of animal activity in a farm field. The irrigation water that was used on … [Read more...]
FDA Investigating Raw Oyster Shigella Outbreak That Sickened Five
The FDA is investigating a subset of the Shigella, Vibrio, E. coli, and Campylobacter outbreak that is linked to raw oysters harvested from Estero El Cardon in Baja California Sur, Mexico. That agency is looking at the five people sickened with Shigella infections. Patients sickened in this raw oyster Shigella outbreak got ill in early 2019. The outbreak notice states that restaurants that sell raw oysters in California, Nevada, New York, and Arizona are part of the investigation. The oysters were sold to wholesale distributors with direct sales to restaurants and were not sold to consumers through grocery retail stores. Consumers should not purchase oysters marketed as being harvested from Estero El Cardon, in Baja California Sur, Mexico from restaurants. If you are not sure … [Read more...]
