Earlier this week we told you about and Oregon Salmonella outbreak that was potentially associated with Si Casa Flores restaurant in Grants Pass, Oregon. According to a report by KOBI5, the food and environmental tests did not find any of that pathogen. This could be because the food that caused the problem has been eaten or discarded, or that the ill persons have another potential source in common. The Josephine County Public Health Department also told that station that the outbreak could be part of a larger Salmonella Newport outbreak that has sickened at least 125 people in 15 states. Because the distribution of cases is so wide in the multistate outbreak, the odds are that a food item is the cause of the outbreak. People are sick in Oregon, Montana, Utah, California, North … [Read more...]
Unidentified Salmonella Newport Outbreak Sickens 125 in 15 States
An unidentified Salmonella Newport outbreak has sickened at least 125 people in 15 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Twenty-four people have been hospitalized because they are so sick. This is the way foodborne illness outbreaks sometimes start; the government publicizes it, and more people come forward who may have information that helps solve it. The case count by state is: California (3) Illinois (1), Iowa (3), Michigan (12), Minnesota (3), Missouri (2), Montana (11), North Carolina (3), Ohio (5), Oregon (42), Tennessee (1), Utah (28), Washington (1), Wisconsin (1), and Wyoming (9). Illness onset dates range from June 19, 2020 to July 7, 2020. The patient age range is from 2 to 92 years. Of 72 ill persons who have provided information to … [Read more...]
Si Casa Flores Salmonella Outbreak in Oregon Hospitalizes Two
A Si Casa Flores Salmonella outbreak in Grants Pass, Oregon has sickened several people and hospitalized two, according to the Facebook page of the Josephine County Public Health Department. The health department did not specifically say how many people may have been sickened. That restaurant is located at 202 North East Beacon Drive in Grants Pass. The health department and Oregon Health Authority are looking for more people who may have been exposed. They are asking anyone who ate at three restaurants that share ingredients from June 25, 2020 to July 7, 2020 to fill out a public health survey. If you ate at one of those venues on those dates, please fill out the survey even if you didn't get sick. Public health officials will use this information to try to narrow down the list of … [Read more...]
New Seasons Ground Beef E. coli O157 Recall Expands: One More Case
New Seasons Market has expanded its recall of fresh ground beef sold at its Portland, Oregon stores for possible E. coli O157:H7 contamination after new tests show that some of the potentially contaminated meat was available for sale as recently as November 8, 2019. In addition, one more illness case that is closely associated with one of the three confirmed cases has been identified. The first recall notice and notice of the outbreak was posted on November 10, 2019 and stated that the ground beef in question was sold from October 13 to October 23, 2019. At that time, three patients had been identified and their illnesses had been confirmed via lab tests. There is no word about any hospitalizations or hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) development. That means that four people may … [Read more...]
E. coli Outbreak Associated With New Seasons Market Ground Beef in Portland, OR
An E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in Portland, Oregon is associated with ground beef sold at meat counters in three New Seasons Market stores. Three people in the metro area are sick after eating New Seasons Market ground beef purchased at those outlets. All are recovering from their illness, according to a press release by the Oregon Health Authority. The company is also issuing a recall. The recalled fresh ground beef was sold at the company's North Lombard, North Interstate, and Cedar Hills store locations. The product comes in 5%, 10%, and 20% fat content varieties. The beef is ground at the stores before sale. The ground beef was purchased between October 19, 2019 and October 23, 2019. If you purchased these products, throw them away in a sealed container, even if you planned to cook … [Read more...]
Shigella Outbreak at Wedding in Oregon Linked to Asparagus
According to data presented at the CDC's Annual Epidemic Intelligence Service Conference, contaminated asparagus was the likely source of a Shigella outbreak at a Yarnhill County wedding in Oregon in 2018. One hundred twelve people were sickened; 10 people were hospitalized. The Oregon Health Authority first received reports of gastroenteritis at a wedding in august 2018. Shigella flexneri type 3a was identified in stool samples taken from patients. That particular pathogen accounts for less than 3% of the Shigella flexneri isolates in the United States. Researchers asked the wedding attendees to fill out surveys to try to find the cause of the outbreak. Presumptive cases were people who had diarrhea lasting 5 days or less. Confirmed cases were patents who had Shigella flexneri … [Read more...]
Shigella Outbreak in Yamhill County, OR at a Wedding
Oregon Health Authority has released information about a Shigella outbreak that happened in August 2018 at a wedding in Yamhill County. One hundred seven people were allegedly sickened; 23 of those people had laboratory confirmed cases of shigellosis. The wedding and reception took place on August 11, 2018. Over the next two days, wedding guests started reporting they were sick with vomiting and/or diarrhea fatigue, abdominal cramps, shaking chills, nausea, muscle aches, and bloody stools. Both Oregon Health Authority and Yamhill County Health and Human Services received reports of illness. The Multnomah County Health Department and the Oregon Department of Agriculture were informed about this outbreak. Fecal samples from patients were cultured. On August 20, 2018, Shigella … [Read more...]
Top 10 Food Poisoning Outbreaks of 2017: Salmonella Associated with Raw Tuna or Salmon
A Salmonella paratyphi outbreak associated with raw tuna or salmon sickened at least 30 people in seven states, and was the 7th largest food poisoning outbreak of 2017. This outbreak investigation developed gradually in the fall of 2017. This outbreak has not been solved. Relish Foods recalled raw frozen tuna loins and tuna steaks in mid-October, but the outbreak strain of Salmonella bacteria was not found on those products. Ill persons live in Washington, Oregon, Texas, Florida, California, Hawaii, and New Jersey. The outbreak investigation began when five Salmonella cases were reported to public health officials in late August, 2017. The DNA from the bacteria in all of these cases matched. Then in early September, Oregon Health Authority found 12 additional cases with … [Read more...]
Salmonella Outbreak in Oregon and Washington State: Not the First Time Cantaloupe Has Been Contaminated
The Salmonella outbreak in Washington state and Oregon that has sickened at least 18 people has been linked to precut cantaloupe, watermelon, or fruit mixes containing both of these fruits. Most people don't think of fruit as being a source of pathogenic bacteria, but this is not the first time melons have been linked to a food poisoning outbreak. In 2011, a Listeria monocytogenes outbreak linked to cantaloupe sickened more than 140 people in 28 states and killed thirty. The contaminated melons were traced to Jensen Farms in Colorado. Almost all of those sickened were hospitalized because their illnesses were so severe. In 2012, a Salmonella Typhimurium outbreak linked to cantaloupes grown in Indiana sickened at least 141 people in 20 states. At least 31 people were hospitalized … [Read more...]
Salmonella Newport Outbreak in WA and OR: Why is Precut Fruit a Food Poisoning Risk?
A Salmonella Newport outbreak in Washington and Oregon has been linked to precut fruit sold at QFC, Fred Meyer, Rosauers, and Central Market stores. How is this possible? How can fruit, which doesn't naturally carry pathogenic bacteria like meats and poultry do, be contaminated? Most people don't know that eating produce is the most common way people get food poisoning. In fact, Salmonella is the most common pathogen found on produce. The fruits and vegetables can be contaminated in the field by animal feces or by contaminated irrigation water. They can be contaminated during harvest, or during processing or transportation before they even get to the stores. And cutting fruits and vegetables at those stores or at distribution centers can multiply the problem. Whenever a piece of … [Read more...]
