The CDC is weighing in on the cyclospora outbreak linked to McDonald's salads. On July 12, 2018, the Iowa Department of Public Health and the Illinois Department of Public Health reported an increase of cyclosporiasis cases among people who ate salads sold at McDonald's fast food chain restaurants. The government has also received reports of sick people in Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wisconsin who may be part of this McDonald's cyclospora outbreak since then. A total of 61 people are sick in seven states. The case count by state is: Minnesota (3), Iowa (16), Wisconsin (2), South Dakota (2), Nebraska (2), Missouri (7), and Illinois (29). Any illnesses that began after June 1, 2018 may not have been reported yet because it takes time from when a person gets sick … [Read more...]
Hepatitis A Diagnosed in Food Worker at Huddle House in Dexter, Missouri
A food handler who worked at the Huddle House in Dexter, Missouri has been diagnosed with hepatitis A. The restaurant is investigating along with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services and Stoddard County Health Center. Anyone who ate at that restaurant between November 21 and December 2, 2017 may have been exposed to the virus. It is too late to get a hepatitis A or immune globulin vaccination, since that shot is only effective if given within two weeks of exposure. All you can do is watch for symptoms of the illness and see your doctor if you do get sick. The symptoms of hepatitis A can include fever, loss of appetite, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, dark urine, clay-colored stools, joint pain, abdominal pain, and jaundice (yellowing of the eyes and skin). These … [Read more...]
Salmonella Outbreak in Cole County, MO Now at 25
The Cole County Health Department (CCHD) has released information about the Salmonella outbreak investigation in that area. As of April 18, 2017, 25 people are now sick in the area. Public health officials started to notice an increase in the number of Salmonella cases in the area on April 12, 2017. On April 13, 2017, CCHD started to ask Infection Control staff at local hospitals about cases and to alert them to this problem. CCHD staff also consulted with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services to see if there was a corresponding increase in any surrounding counties. There are non so far. Over the last week, the number of cases has continued to rise. Patients are being interviewed by staff members for information about the foods they have eaten, where they have … [Read more...]
Shigella Outbreak in Moberly MO Public Schools
News reports are stating that a Shigella outbreak has occurred at Moberly Public Schools in Missouri in September 2016. "Several" cases at those schools occurred, and cases are now declining. There is no mention of this outbreak on the Randolph County Health Department website or the Moberly Public Schools website. A Shigella outbreak last spring in Moniteau County in central Missouri sickened at least 70 people. That outbreak was also centered on schools. A letter was sent to parents at the end of September, asking them to keep children home if they are experiencing the symptoms of shigellosis, the illness caused by this bacteria. ABC17 states that the letter says 23 people were sickened in this outbreak. Those symptoms include diarrhea that can be bloody, vomiting, fever, … [Read more...]
Good Earth Eggs Linked to Salmonella Outbreak
A Salmonella Oranienburg outbreak linked to eggs from Good Earth Egg Company of Bonne Terre, Missouri has sickened at least eight people in three states. Two of those sickened have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported. Epidemiologic, laboratory, and traceback investigations indicate that shell eggs distributed by that company are the likely source of illnesses in this outbreak. The CDC is working with public health officials in Missouri, the FDA, and several other states to investigate these illnesses. Data from the PulseNet system is being used to identify people who may be part of this outbreak. PulseNet is the national subtyping network of public health and food regulatory agency labs. Scientists there perform DNA fingerprinting on bacteria isolated from ill persons … [Read more...]
E. coli Outbreak at Sturgeon Elementary School in Missouri
According to the Sturgeon R-V School District in Sturgeon, Missouri in Boone County, an E. coli outbreak has sickened four students at the Sturgeon Elementary School. All of the students were in the early Elementary classes. The Boone County Health Department has confirmed the illnesses, according to a letter sent to preK-8 parents and high school parents on September 7, 2016. Andrea Warner, Public Information Office of the Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services, told Food Poisoning Bulletin that there are four confirmed cases of STEC O157:H7 and two probable cases. All of those sickened are preschool and school-aged children. The first onset date is August 12, 2016 and the most recent is August 30, 2016. The infection was diagnosed before the school year start … [Read more...]
Shigella Outbreak in Central Missouri Sickens 70
The Moniteau County Health Department is investigating a Shigella outbreak in central Missouri. That town, in central Missouri, has more than 70 cases among students, faculty, and family members. Officials are not identifying the school district where this outbreak is occurring, but ABC17 has said it is Tipton. The schools in that county are Tipton, California, Clarksburg Elementary, Jamestown High School, Latham Elementary School, and others. Andrea Kincaid, RN/Administrator at the Moniteau County Health Center stated, "we have been actively involved in educating school officials and families on how to minimize transmission of this bacteria." Shigella infections are very contagious and can spread from young children to other family members and people in the community. People … [Read more...]
Missouri Residents Sickened with Salmonella After Eating Sweetwater Sprouts
Three people in the state of Missouri have been sickened in the multistate Salmonella Muenchen outbreak linked to Sweetwater Farms raw alfalfa sprouts. Five ill persons have been hospitalized in this outbreak, but we don't know whether any of them are from Missouri. So far, thirteen people have been sickened so far. Collaborative investigations have indicated that alfalfa sprouts produced by Sweetwater Farms of Inman, Kansas are a likely source of this outbreak. Laboratory testing isolated Salmonella bacteria from samples of irrigation water and from alfalfa sprouts collected during a recent inspection at Sweetwater Farms. Test results on whether those bacteria are the outbreak strain are pending. Public health officials have interviewed twelve people and found that 10 of them, or … [Read more...]
Legionnaires Outbreak at Best Western in Hannibal, Missouri
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services states that a Legionnaires' Disease outbreak occurred at the Best Western on the River Hotel in Hannibal. Three people staying at that hotel over the past eight months contracted the illness, and one person died. The popular hotel was shut down in November when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention took samples. Four rooms tested positive for the Legionella bacteria. Officials do not know what caused the outbreak. The hotel is in two parts. One is brand new, and the other is older. Older buildings can be problematic for Legionella bacteria. The older structure is still closed. The Legionella bacteria lives in water systems, such as plumbing, heating and cooling systems, cooling towers, hot tubs, shower heads, … [Read more...]
Costco E. coli O157:H7 Chicken Salad Outbreak: It’s the Veggies
The FDA has announced that it appears onions and celery in Costco chicken salad may be the source of E. coli O157:H7 bacteria that has sickened at least 19 people in 7 states. Those people live in California (1), Colorado (4), Missouri (1), Montana (6), Utah (5), Virginia (1), and Washington state (1). According to news outlets, Taylor Farms in Salinas, California is the supplier of the vegetables for Costco Wholesale. The vegetables from that supplier are used in the chicken salads sold in all of the company's U.S. stores. Of those 19 ill persons, 16 have been interviewed. Fourteen of those people purchased or ate rotisserie chicken salad from Costco stores the week before they got sick. Five of the patients have been hospitalized, and two are suffering from hemolytic uremic syndrome … [Read more...]