Salmonella paratyphi can cause paratyphoid fever, an illness similar to typhoid fever, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Humans are the only source of these bacteria which causes severe illness. In the U.S., typhoid and paratyphoid fever are not as common as they are in other parts of the world. About 6 million cases of paratyphoid fever are reported worldwide each year, of those only about 100 are in the U.S. The risk is elevated in East and Southeast Asia, Africa, Central America, South America and the Caribbean. The highest risk is associated with travel to southern Asia. Symptoms, which can take between six to 30 days to develop, include gradually increasing fatigue and a fever, headache and a rash on the trunk of the body. Anyone experiencing these … [Read more...]
North Carolina Salmonella Outbreak Linked To Tempeh Expands
The Salmonella outbreak linked to contaminated tempeh produced by Smiling Hara of Asheville NC, continues a slow expansion. There are now a total of 87 throughout the state, an increase of four since Friday, May 18, according to the county health department. Most of the cases, 64, are in Buncombe County. The outbreak has been linked to a rare strain of bacteria called Salmonella Paratyphi B. It's the first time the strain has ever been detected in North Carolina, according to health officials there. When the outbreak was first announced, in late April, the illnesses were associated with the consumption of contaminated tempeh. But over time, cases also began to mount through person-to-person transmission. Popular in Indonesia, tempeh (pronounced tem-pay) is used as a protein source in … [Read more...]
NC Salmonella Paratyphi B Outbreak Expands Over Weekend
The Salmonella Paratyphi B outbreak linked to tainted tempeh produced in Asheville NC continues to expand slowly. Over the weekend, two more cases were confirmed, bringing the total in Buncombe County to 64, according to the county health department. There are also at least 21 other cases in other parts of North Carolina. When the outbreak was first announced April 27, a total of 27 people had been sickened by the rare strain Salmonella Paratyphi B. The disease is spread by ingesting food contaminated with the bacteria or through person-to-person contact. In this case, those initially sickened contracted infections after eating contaminated tempeh, produced by Smiling Hara of Asheville. Subsequent cases were likely caused by person-to-person transmission, health authorities have … [Read more...]
Salmonella Paratyphi Outbreak Linked To Tempeh Online, Rockville MD
The starter culture for a tempeh product linked to a North Carolina Salmonella outbreak that has sickened at least 60 people was produced by Tempeh Online of Rockville, MD, a spokesman from the North Carolina Department of Agriculture confirmed this morning. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has picked up the investigation, said Dan Regan, of NCDA’s food and drug division. “As a state agency, we can’t go across state lines so we work with our federal partners.” In late April, the Buncombe County Health Department announced it was investigating and outbreak of Salmonella Paratyphi B, an unusual strain of Salmonella, in the Asheville area. The outbreak was then linked to Smiling Hara, an Asheville company that produced the the tempeh product at a shared kitchen run by Blue Ridge … [Read more...]
