The Preble County Public Health Department has released a notice stating that an employee at the KFC restaurant at 1200 North Barron Street in Eaton, Ohio, has been diagnosed with hepatitis A. The government says that anyone who ate there from February 9, 2019 through February 20, 2019 may have been exposed to the virus, although the risk of developing hepatitis A from this exposure is very low. It's too late to get a vaccination for anyone who ate there before February 14, 2019. since the shot is only effective if given within two weeks of exposure. Those people can only monitor themselves for up to 50 days for the symptoms of hepatitis A and see their doctors if they do get sick. Vaccinations are available at doctors' offices and some pharmacies. Those symptoms include fatigue, … [Read more...]
Passengers on Frontier Airlines Out of Cleveland Sickened
The City of Cleveland has posted a press release that six passengers who were traveling on Frontier Airlines from Cleveland to Tampa were sick during the flight. There is no information about what type of illness these people had, their symptoms, whether or not they were hospitalized, or if they have recovered. The flight was on January 1, 2019. The cause of illness is unknown, but a report from Frontier Airlines states that the passengers may have used a public drinking fountain before they boarded the airplane. The Cleveland Department of Health is contacting these six people to conduct an interview. They are also trying to confirm whether those patients drank from the fountain or if there were other exposures in common. Foodborne illnesses can be caused by bacteria that can … [Read more...]
CDC Posts Info About Potential Duncan Hines Cake Mix Salmonella Outbreak; Lawsuits Possible
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has posted information about the potential Duncan Hines cake mix Salmonella Agbeni outbreak that has sickened at least five people in three states. ConAgra recalled four varieties of that cake mix after officials in Oregon identified the outbreak strain of Salmonella bacteria in a box of Duncan Hines Classic White Fake Mix. Investigators are trying to determine if the illnesses are linked to the Duncan Hines cake mix. After officials found the pathogen in the cake mix, CDC reviewed the PulseNet database and found five people sickened with the same strain. PulseNet is the national subtyping network of public health and food labs coordinated by the CDC. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) showed that the bacteria are closely related … [Read more...]
FDA Weighs In On Potential Duncan Hines Salmonella Outbreak; Lawsuits Possible
The FDA has provided more information on the potential Duncan Hines Salmonella outbreak that many be linked to that company's cake mixes. Five people in three states are ill with Salmonella Agnebi infections. There are two cases on Maryland, two in Ohio, and one in Wisconsin. No one has been hospitalized. We don't know the patient age range or when the illnesses began. The FDA is investigating the manufacturing facility that made the mixes. They are collecting environmental samples there. A sample of Duncan Hines Classic White Cake Mix continued the same strain of Salmonella Agbeni that sickened the five people. The match was made using whole genome sequencing (WGS), which is a very accurate way to type DNA. Conagra is working with the FDA to conduct a recall of four different … [Read more...]
Multidrug Resistant Salmonella Infantis Chicken Outbreak Hits Consumers in MA, NY, PA, NJ, OH Hard
The multidrug resistant Salmonella Infantis outbreak linked to raw chicken has hit consumers in Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania hard. Those states have 46 of the 92 patients who have been sickened in this multidrug-resistant Salmonella outbreak. We don't know why the outbreak has been concentrated in the northeast United States. While outbreaks are often limited to a certain geographical area, officials do not have a specific company or product that is linked to this outbreak. And there are illnesses in the southern U.S., the midwest, and the west coast as well. There are two big concerns about this Salmonella Infantis outbreak. The first is that the bacteria is resistant to so many antibiotics. That means that people may be sicker, and that their … [Read more...]
Miami Township Taco Bell Employee Diagnosed With Hepatitis A
An employee of the Miami Township Taco Bell restaurant, which is located at 889 State Route 28 in Milford, Ohio has been diagnosed with hepatitis A, according to Clermont County Public Health. That employee worked at that restaurant on August 15, 16, and 17, 2018. It's still early enough that anyone who ate at that restaurant on those days can get a hepatitis A or immune globulin vaccination to prevent this illness. The type of vaccination given depends on several factors, including the age of the patient and their health. For instance, anyone who has chronic liver disease or is immunocompromised would receive the immune globulin vaccine. These vaccines are only effective if given within two weeks of exposure to the pathogenic virus. The restaurant has been cooperating with the … [Read more...]
Chipotle Outbreak in Ohio Caused by Clostridium Perfringens; Lawsuits Filed
The huge food poisoning outbreak in Ohio linked to one Chipotle restaurant on Sawmill Parkway in Powell, Ohio was caused by Clostridium perfringens, according to an update posted by the Delaware General Health District. At least 647 people have reported symptoms of diarrhea and abdominal cramps after eating at that restaurant. This bacteria grows in protein-rich and other foods, such as beef and gravy, that are held at unsafe temperatures for too long. The danger zone for bacterial growth is 40°F to 140°F. Laws governing restaurants and food handling prohibit foods held at this temperature for precisely this reason. These outbreaks usually occur in restaurants because large quantities of food can often remain at unsafe temperatures for long periods of time. Although food samples … [Read more...]
Inspections of Chipotle at Center of Ohio Outbreak Reveal Problems; Lawsuit Filed
More than 500 people are reportedly ill after eating at a Chipotle restaurant at 9733 Sawmill Parkway in Powell, Ohio according to a notice posted on the Delaware General Health District's Twitter page. Officials have received 95 emails and 423 calls from possible outbreak patients. All reported nausea, diarrhea, and fever. One lawsuit has been filed. The pathogen responsible for this outbreak has not yet been identified. The health department is testing fecal samples for Salmonella, Shigella, E. coli, and norovirus. In addition, food samples are being tested for Clostridium perfringens and Bacillus cereus. All of these pathogens can cause these symptoms. Chipotle was the site of one of the largest multistate food poisoning outbreaks in 2015. The Delaware General Health District … [Read more...]
Possible Chipotle Outbreak at Restaurant on Sawmill Parkway in Delaware County, OH
A possible Chipotle outbreak at that company's restaurant at 9733 Sawmill Parkway in Powell, Ohio may have sickened more than 300 people, according to a Twitter update by the Delaware County General Health District. As of 4:00 pm on July 31, 2018, public health officials have received 368 inquiries related to possible foodborne illness. Between the close of business Tuesday and 8:00 am today, 45 more inquiries were received by the health department. The restaurant, located in a suburb of Columbus, Ohio, was inspected the same day. Officials are investigating this Chipotle outbreak, pending lab test results. People who are sick apparently ate at that Chipotle restaurant between Thursday, July 26 through Monday July 30, 2018. They have been experiencing nausea, vomiting, and/or … [Read more...]
McDonald’s Cyclospora Lawsuits Increase As Outbreak Grows
The cyclospora outbreak that is linked to McDonald's salads keeps on growing. Now at least 286 people in 15 states are sick. Eleven people have been hospitalized; no deaths have been reported. That is an increase of 123 more patients in the last week. McDonald's cyclospora lawsuits have been and will continue to be filed on behalf people who are sick through no fault of their own. This microscopic parasite can cause debilitating illness that can last for weeks or months and can recur. The CDC has listed the case count by state in this outbreak. They are: Connecticut (1), Florida (1), Iowa (80), Illinois (123), Indiana (2) Kentucky (6), Michigan (1), Minnesota (8), Missouri (30), Nebraska (5), Ohio (11), South Dakota (11), Tennessee (1), Virginia (1), and Wisconsin (5). The patients … [Read more...]
