Better Homes & Gardens Aromatherapy Spray, Sold at Walmart, is Suspected in Four Illnesses, Resulting in Two Deaths Lavender aromatherapy spray has tested positive for deadly Burkholderia pseudomallei bacteria, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Testing found the pathogen in Better Homes & Gardens Lavender & Chamomile Essential Oil Infused Aromatherapy Room … Read more
The Georgetown outbreak has increased to 62 sick on the Main Campus, including students and “community members.” That is an increase of 20 more patients since the last update on Thursday, September 23, 2021. We don’t know the official patient age range in this outbreak, but college age students are in their late teens to … Read more
A gastrointestinal outbreak at Georgetown University in Washington D.C. has sickened about a dozen students on the University’s main campus, according to an update from the administration. Since early afternoon on Wednesday, September 22, 2021, individuals have symptoms including severe stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Those symptoms are consistent with several pathogens that cause … Read more
Many food poisoning outbreaks have been caused by Clostridium perfringens, a bacteria that produces a toxin as it grows. The pathogen also can produce toxins in the intestines after it is ingested. This bacteria causes almost one million cases of foodborne illness in the United States every year. How do you know if you have … Read more
The Alaska hospital outbreak was Clostridium perfringens, according to an article in the Anchorage Daily News. The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services believe that the culprit was a Cubano sandwich, and may have been the pulled pork that was used to make that sandwich. Jeremy Ayers, section manager with the Food Safety and … Read more
A foodborne illness outbreak at South Peninsula Hospital in Homer, Alaska has sickened almost 80 people, according to the Anchorage Daily News. State epidemiologists are investigating the outbreak that has sickened hospital employees. All patients developed symptoms on or around on the morning of August 7, 2021. Everyone who got sick ate food brought in … Read more
How do you know if you have a Vibrio parahaemolyticus infection? This illness is caused by a type of bacteria that grows in marine water and can grow in shellfish. The pathogen causes an illness called vibriosis. Vibrio bacteria are found naturally in marine coastal waters, in saltwater, and in rivers and streams where freshwater meets … Read more
The FDA has announced that Real Water ceased operations after the non-viral hepatitis outbreak associated with their alkaline water may have sickened at least 16 people. According to a consent decree complaint, the company allegedly failed to comply with FDA manufacturing requirements. U.S. District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey entered a consent decree of permanent injunction … Read more
On the FDA CORE Investigation table, a new Salmonella Duisburg outbreak has been identified, while the unsolved Salmonella Miami outbreak has been closed. Five people are sick in the new Salmonella Duisburg outbreak. Products and/or facilities linked to this new outbreak have not been identified. We do not know the patient age range, illness onset … Read more
FDA has updated its Real Water alkaline water hepatitis outbreak investigation with more information. The latest update, which is not dated, states, “Given a lack of cooperation by the firm, FDA investigators have been unable to complete investigations at the “Real Water” Inc. facilities in Henderson, Nevada and Mesa, Arizona and have not been provided … Read more