Tonight the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced two mystery E. coli outbreaks that may be linked to leafy greens that have sickened 44 people and hospitalized 18; three have developed HUS and one person has died. In the first outbreak, 21 people in 8 states are ill. Eight people have been hospitalized, and one person who lived in Michigan has died. Illness onset dates range from June 6, 2020 to October 5, 2020. The patient age range is from 2 to 75 years. Of 16 people who gave information to investigators, eight were hospitalized. One person developed HUS. The patient case count by state is: California (7), Florida (1), Illinois (1), Michigan (2), New Jersey (1), Ohio (7), Utah (1), and Wisconsin (1). The strain of E. coli O157:H7 causing illness in … [Read more...]
Fresh Express Sickens Five Minnesotans with E. coli O157:H7 Infections
Fresh Express sickens five Minnesotans with E. coli O157:H7 infections, according to the Minnesota Department of Health. (MDH). Yesterday, the FDA's press release stated that there were four people sick in that state. Doug Schultz, Information Officer for MDH told Food Poisoning Bulletin that there are no hemolytic uremic syndrome cases in the state, but that two of the five patients have been hospitalized. One patient has been released from the hospital. The illness onset dates for these patients range from November 8 to November 16, 2018. The patient age range is from 21 to 91. Four of the patients live in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area, and one lives in Greater Minnesota. Three people are sick in Wisconsin, and one person living in North Dakota is ill. The product linked … [Read more...]
Fresh Express E. coli O157:H7 HUS Outbreak Investigated by FDA
The new Fresh Express E. coli O157:H7 HUS outbreak that has sickened eight people in the Upper Midwest is being investigated by the FDA. The outbreak is linked to Fresh express Sunflower Crisp Chopped Salad Kits both in the United States and in Canada. The case count by state is Minnesota (4), North Dakota (1), and Wisconsin (3). Illness onset dates range from November 5, 2019 to November 15, 2019. Three people have been hospitalized because their illness is so severe. One person has developed hemolytic ureic syndrome (HUS), which is a type of kidney failure that can develop after an E. coli infection. The outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7 bacteria that is found in these case patients is different from the outbreak strain of the large E. coli O157:H7 outbreak linked to romaine … [Read more...]
Fresh Express Sunflower Salad Kit Linked to a New E. coli O157:H7 Outbreak
A new E. coli outbreak that has sickened people in the U.S. and Canada was just announced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Unlike the multistate E. coli O157:H7 outbreak linked to romaine lettuce that has sickened at least 102 people, in this outbreak we have a brand name. Epidemiologic information indicates that Fresh Express Sunflower Crisp Chopped Salad Kits are a likely source of this outbreak. Eight people in three states are sick as of December 9, 2019. The case count by state is: Minnesota (4), North Dakota (1), and Wisconsin (3). Three people have been hospitalized because they are so ill. The illness onset dates range from November 5, 2019 to November 15, 2019. The patient age range is from 21 to 91. One person has developed hemolytic uremic syndrome … [Read more...]
Raw Ground Tuna Salmonella Newport Outbreak Ends With 15 Sick
The raw ground tuna Salmonella Newport outbreak has ended after sickening 15 people in 8 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). That tuna, produced at JK Fish in Vietnam, was imported by Jensen Tuna in Louisiana. The case count by state is: Colorado (1), Connecticut (1), Illinois (1), Iowa (1), Minnesota (1), New York (2), North Dakota (4), and Washington (4). Two people were hospitalized in this outbreak. Illness onset dates range from January 8, 2019 to March 31, 2019. The patient age range was from 24 to 85 years. No deaths were reported. Officials used the PulseNet system to find people sickened in this outbreak. Whole genome sequencing performed on the isolates taken from ill persons showed that they were closely related … [Read more...]
Raw Tuna Salmonella Outbreak: FDA Adds JK Fish of Vietnam to Import Alerts
In the wake of the frozen ground raw tuna recall and Salmonella Newport outbreak that is linked to Jensen Tuna, the FDA has added JK Fish of Vietnam to Import Alert 16-20 for fish from foreign processors. This lets the government detain product from that firm without any physical sampling and analysis. The Import Alert is guidance to FDA field personnel. This applies to foreign processors and products that have failed to meet the hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP) requirements for a specific product. The government believes that the recalled ground tuna was sold to restaurants and retailers and not directly to consumers, and that it was used to make sushi and other dishes. If you choose to buy or eat sushi or any product made with uncooked raw ground tuna, ask … [Read more...]
FDA Weighs In On Frozen Raw Ground Tuna Salmonella Outbreak
The FDA has released information about the frozen raw ground tuna Salmonella Newport outbreak that has sickened at least 13 people in 7 states. The tuna was sourced from Jensen Tuna, and imported from JK Fish of Vietnam. Jensen Tuna voluntarily recalled this tuna on April 15, 2019. The FDA statement says that it's unlikely the ground tuna was sold directly to consumers in grocery stores. They think that it was used to make food dishes, such as sushi and spicy tuna, by restaurants and retailers. The tuna was sold in Connecticut, Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, North Dakota, New York, and Washington state. The patients in this outbreak live in Connecticut, Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, North Dakota, New York, and Washington state. The tuna could have been distributed to other … [Read more...]
Salmonella Newport Outbreak Linked to Frozen Raw Ground Tuna
A Salmonella Newport outbreak linked to frozen raw ground tuna supplied by Jensen Tuna has sickened at least 13 people in 7 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Two people have been hospitalized. The case count by state is: Connecticut (1), Iowa (1), Illinois (1), Minnesota (1), New York, (1), North Dakota (4), and Washington (4). Illness onset dates range from January 8, 2019 to March 20, 2019. The patient age range is from 29 to 85 years. Jensen Tuna, based in Houma, Louisiana, has recalled their frozen raw ground tuna, which was imported from JK Fish. The tuna was sold in Connecticut, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, New York, North Dakota, and Washington, and may have been distributed to other states. Anyone who orders sushi, from a restaurant or … [Read more...]
Deadly E. coli O157:H7 HUS Outbreak Linked to Romaine Reaches North Dakota; Lawyer Explains Why Outbreak May Grow
The deadly E. coli O157:H7 HUS outbreak that is linked to romaine lettuce from the Yuma, Arizona growing region has reached North Dakota. The North Dakota Department of Health (NDDoH) issued a press release that states one person in that state is now part of this outbreak. That brings the number of states with outbreak case patients to 26. A second case in North Dakota may be associated with this outbreak; officials are still investigating. Nationally, more than 120 people are sick in this outbreak. At least 52 people have been hospitalized, and fourteen have been diagnosed with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). One person, who lived in California, has died. Officials did not say how old the patient from North Dakota is, or where he or she lived. The illness onset date was also … [Read more...]
Preliminary Cause of Cass County ND Jail Outbreak: Clostridium Perfringens
Several news reports state that the North Dakota Department of health has made a preliminary diagnosis about what sickened 110 inmates in the Cass County Jail last month. Clostridium perfringens was most likely the culprit. Stool samples from several inmates revealed the pathogenic bacteria. This bacteria is found on raw meat and poultry. It grows when foods are prepared in large quantities, as in jails, nursing homes, and schools, and that food is kept warm, but not quite warm enough, for long periods of time, or is improperly cooled. This type of outbreak is quite common in large institutions. The outbreak in December 2015 was the second one at the Cass County Jail in the last four years. About 40% of the 282 inmates at the jail were sick with symptoms that included diarrhea … [Read more...]
