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...]
Fresh Express Sunflower Crisp Chopped Kit Recalled for E. coli O157:H7
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is warning consumers not to eat Fresh Express Sunflower Crisp Chopped Kit because it is linked to an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in that country. This product is not likely available at retail stores, but some consumers may have it in their homes. The recalled product is Fresh Express Sunflower Crisp Chopped Kit, sold in 315 gram packages. The UPC number on the product is 0 71279 30906 4. All packages bearing a Best Before date up to and including 07DE19, and a lot code beginning with "Z", and indicating "Salinas" as a source of Romaine lettuce. This product was sold in New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, and Quebec. The recall was triggered by CFIA findings during an investigation into a … [Read more...]
Romaine Outbreak Sickens Canadians with E. coli O157:H7 Infections
The romaine outbreak sickens Canadians with E. coli O157:H7 infections. The same bacteria linked to romaine has sickened at least 102 people in the United States. The two people who are sick in Canada are infected with E. coli O157:H7 bacteria that has a similar genetic fingerprint to patients in the U.S. Public Health Canada is working with U.S. officials to determine the source of contamination. Consumers are still being advised not to eat any romaine lettuce harvested from the Salinas, California growing region. Romaine lettuce harvested in Canada is not affected by this advice. The types of romaine from Salinas that should be avoided include whole heads of romaine, hearts of romaine, and bags and boxes of precut lettuce and salad mixes that contain romaine, including baby … [Read more...]
Why Does Wisconsin Have 31 E. coli Cases in Romaine Outbreak?
Why does Wisconsin have 31 E. coli cases, the most of any other state, in the multistate outbreak linked to romaine lettuce from Salinas, California? Good question. We don't know. But it is true that, at 31 people sick, Wisconsin has more than 1/3 of the illnesses in this massive outbreak. It may be that a distributor in Wisconsin received a shipment of contaminated romaine from the Salinas, California area, which has been identified as the probable source of the pathogen. Wisconsin is just one of 23 states where ill persons live. No single supplier, distributor, farm, or even brand of romaine has been named as the source of the outbreak, although the CDC has named the Salinas growing region. We do know that Wisconsin was the first state to identify the outbreak back in … [Read more...]
Salinas CA Romaine E. coli HUS Outbreak Investigated by FDA
The Salinas CA romaine E. coli HUS outbreak is being investigated by the FDA, which released a statement yesterday. At least 102 people are sick in 23 states. Fifty-eight people have been hospitalized, and ten patents have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure that is a complication of this type of infection. The statement says that consumers should not eat romaine lettuce harvested from Salinas, California, as well as products that have been recalled in relation to this investigation. Missa Bay recalled about 75,233 pounds of meat and chicken salad products on November 21, 2019. Romaine lettuce may be voluntarily labeled with a harvest region. If this label has the word "Salinas" on it, don't buy it or eat it. If the romaine you want to buy doesn't … [Read more...]
Salinas Romaine E. coli HUS Outbreak Has Now Sickened 102
The Salinas romaine E. coli HUS outbreak has now sickened at least 102 people in 23 states, according to an update by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Fifty eight people have been hospitalized because they are so sick, and 10 people have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which is a type of kidney failure. That's an increase of 35 cases in the week since the last update was issued. The case count by state is: Arizona (3), California (4), Colorado (6), Florida (1), Idaho (3), Illinois (1), Iowa (1), Maryland (4), Michigan (1), Minnesota (3), Montana (1), Nebraska (1), New Jersey (7), New Mexico (2), North Carolina (1), Ohio (12), Oregon (1), Pennsylvania (8), South Dakota (1), Texas (4), Virginia (4), Washington (2), and Wisconsin (31). Illness onset … [Read more...]
After Five E. coli O157:H7 HUS Outbreaks, Is Romaine Safe to Eat?
In the past two years, there have been five E. coli romaine lettuce outbreaks in the United States. We have to ask: Is romaine safe to eat? The government is having great difficulty trying to trace back romaine that is responsible for these illnesses to the responsible farm, supplier, or distributor. So far, 387 Americans have been sickened in these Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) outbreaks, 181 have been hospitalized, 35 have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure, and 6 have died. There have been a few recalls during these outbreaks, and the FDA has been able to identify the growing areas in a few outbreaks. One outbreak was linked to a specific farm in California. But the CDC outbreak notices typically state, "No common grower, supplier, … [Read more...]
E. coli HUS Romaine Outbreak Grows to 67 Sick and 39 Hospitalized
The E. coli HUS romaine outbreak has now sickened at least 67 people in 19 states. This outbreak is growing rapidly; four days ago there were just 40 people sickened. Thirty-nine people have been hospitalized so far, and six have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure. The patient case count by state is: Arizona (3), California (4), Colorado (1), Idaho (3), Illinois (1), Maryland (4), Michigan (1), Minnesota (3), Montana (1), Nebraska (1), New Jersey (1), New Mexico (2), Ohio (12), Oregon (1), Pennsylvania (3), Texas (2), Virginia (2), Washington (1), and Wisconsin (21). Illness onset dates range from September 24, 2019 to November 14, 2019. The patient age range is from 3 to 89 years. Fifty people sickened in this E. coli HUS romaine outbreak had … [Read more...]
One Minnesota Patient in Romaine E. coli O157:H7 HUS Outbreak
There is one Minnesota patient in Romaine E. coli O157:H7 HUS outbreak announced last week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This patient is part of a fast growing outbreak that climbed from 17 sick on November 19, 2019 to 40 sick on November 22, 2019. That patient has developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure that is a complication of a Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) infection. This complication most often affects children under the age of five. That patient has been hospitalized. The outbreak has affected 40 people in 16 states. The patient age range is from 3 to 89 years. Illness onset dates range from September 4, 2019 to November 10, 2019, but the notice states that "additional cases are under investigation," so the … [Read more...]
