A Salmonella outbreak associated with the Open Source Bridge Conference at the Eliot Center in downtown Portland has sickened 53 people, according to the Multnomah County Health Department. Nine cases are lab-confirmed. The conference took place from June 23 to 26, 2015. The investigation is centering on about 100 different food items prepared through several catering sources. The food was served over a four-day period to about 500 people. Deputy Health Officer Dr. Jennifer Vines said in a statement, "we believe this was an isolated event that did not occur beyond the conference. We are monitoring illness in Oregon to assure that this is the case." Other states and the CDC have been informed of this outbreak. The investigators are collecting survey data from 223 participants and … [Read more...]
E. coli Investigation at Heart Centered Montessori, OR School Closed
The investigation into the E. coli O157:H7 outbreak at Heart Centered Montessori School in West Linn, Oregon has been closed with no resolution. Officials say they cannot solve the case. Environmental samples and samples from the students and staff all tested negative. The outbreak, which began in late October, 2014, sickened three children. Two were quickly diagnosed with E. coli O157:H7 infections, and the third was later diagnosed with the same infection. The owner of the school closed that facility and reopened in a new location earlier this month. The E. coli bacteria infects people through the fecal-oral route. It is spread through contact with animals or by eating or drinking contaminated food or water. The symptoms of the infection include severe abdominal pain, mild fever, … [Read more...]
E. coli O157:H7 Outbreak in Oregon Closes Montessori School
The Clackamas County Health Department has released a statement on the E. coli outbreak in Clackamas County, Oregon and a Montessori school has temporarily closed. The school, Heart Centered Montessori, has told parents that all students and staff should be tested for the bacterium to try to discover the source of the illnesses, according to Oregon Live. Three children have been sickened in this outbreak. There is no news on their condition, but at least one of the patients has recovered. The school's owner is voluntarily closing the school while public health officials investigate the outbreak. There is also no word on whether the E. coli bacteria that has caused these illnesses is the same strain. E. coli O157:H7 infections can lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a serious … [Read more...]
Rare Salmonella Strain Caused Oregon Outbreak
A rare strain of Salmonella, Salmonella Overschie, caused a December 2013 outbreak in Oregon. Two people have been sickened by the strain which has never before been seen in Oregon and is typically seen less than four times a year nationwide. The two cases are in Lane and Coos counties, which do not border one another. Both case patients are female one is a child between the ages of 0 to 9 years old and the other is a women between the ages of 20 to 29. Their exposures seem to have been within 24 hours of each other, but onset of symptoms was eight days apart. Pulsed field gel electrophoresis tests show the isolates from the two patients are a 99 percent match. No other matches have been identified anywhere in the U.S. This indicates the two patients were sickened by the same … [Read more...]
Oregon Raw Milk Producers To Organize
Oregon raw milk producers should create an organization that would provide training, consulting, farm visits and inspections, according to Charlotte Smith, owner of Champoeg Creamery in St. Paul, OR. Smith who blogs about her farm has posted a recent call to action for raw milk producers in the state to join together and create an organization that will provide resources to raw milk producers and lend a voice to the grow industry, “As a result of the recent ecoli [sic] outbreak in Wilsonville, once again it was proven to me that we need more resources to help the raw milk producers in Oregon. Right now there are few, and many don't know the few we have. The Department of Agriculture at this time does not offer support or advice, other farmers are too busy, so most of us just read a … [Read more...]
