Traveling to Mexico? The CDC is warning about a multi-drug resistant Salmonella Newport risk among people who have recently visited that country. Many travelers with these infections have reported eating beef, cheese, including queso fresco and Oaxaca, beef jerky, or dried beef, also known as carne seca, before they got sick. Multi-drug resistant (MDR) Salmonella are not affected by drugs that are designed to eliminate them, so infections with this type of pathogen can be difficult to treat. Most people with a Salmonella infection suffer from fever, chills, muscle aches, diarrhea that can be bloody, nausea, vomiting, and stomach cramps. These symptoms usually start within six hours to six days after eating food or drinking water contaminated with this pathogen. When traveling to … [Read more...]
Siga Logistics Basil Imported From Mexico May Be Source of Cyclospora Outbreaks
There are now six cyclospora outbreaks sickening people in several states around the country. What is the culprit? Past outbreaks have been linked to lettuce, raspberries, and cilantro. We may have an answer today: the FDA has just released information stating that there is a multistate outbreak of cyclospora illnesses potentially linked to Siga Logistics basil. The full company name is Siga Logistics de RL de CV that is located in Morelos, Mexico. The investigation is ongoing, but CDC's analysis of epidemiologic information indicates that the contaminated fresh basil is the likely cause of the illnesses. Fresh basil available at points of sale where people got sick was exported into the country by Siga Logistics. The FDA is working with the firm to facilitate a recall. These … [Read more...]
Mexican Papayas Still on Import Alert For Salmonella Contamination
Mexican papayas are still on the FDA Import Alert list for possible Salmonella contamination, after a 2017 outbreak that sickened at least 251 people across the country with nine strains of the pathogen, including Thompson, Kiambu, Anatum, Agona, Gaminara, Urbana, Newport, Infantis, and Senftenberg. That outbreak began in March 2017 and ran through October 2017. Another Salmonella outbreak, that time Salmonella Agona, linked to Mexican papayas sickened more than 100 people in many states. Mexico produces 11% of the world's production of papayas, but about 65% of all of the papayas imported into the U.S. are from Mexico. The fruit is imported from the Mexican states of Jalisco, Colima, Chiapas, and Veracruz. The FDA document state that "Evidence shows there is widespread … [Read more...]
