The FDA has weighed in on the end of the Rizo-Lopez cheese deadly Listeria monocytogenes outbreak which was declared over by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on April 9, 2024. There were 26 people sickened in 11 states, 23 of those patients were hospitalized, and two patients, who lived in California and Texas, died. There were many secondary recalls issued as a result of this outbreak. The recalled dairy products, including queso fresh and cotija cheese, and products made with those items were sold under these brand names: Bright Farms, Campesino, Casa Cardenas, Dole, Don Francisco, Don Pancho, Dos Ranchitos, El Huache, Food City, Fresh & Ready Foods, Fresh Express, H-E-B, Jack & Olive, La Ordena, Marketside, Maverick Foods, President’s Choice, Ready Pac … [Read more...]
Deadly Listeria Outbreak Linked to Rizo-López Queso, Cotija
A deadly Listeria outbreak is linked to Rizo-López Queso Fresco and Cotija cheese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Eleven states are included in this outbreak. As a result of this investigation, Rizo-Lopez Foods recalled all cheeses and other dairy products made in their facility, including cheeses, cream, and yogurt. The case count by state is: Arizona (4), California (8), Colorado (4), Florida (1), Georgia (1), Nevada (1), North Carolina (1), Oregon (1), Tennessee (2), Texas (2), and Washington (1). The patient age range is from less than one to 88 years. Illness onset dates range from June 15, 2014 to December 10, 2023. Twenty three of the patients have been hospitalized. And the people who died lived in California and Texas. This outbreak … [Read more...]
Eight Hospitalized in Appalachian Fair Tennessee E. coli Outbreak
Eight patients are now hospitalized in the Appalachian Fair Tennessee E. coli outbreak, according to news reports. Dr. David Kirschke, medical director of the Northeast Regional Health Office updated the outbreak on Tuesday, October 17, 2023. Those patients either visited the fair as part of an elementary school field trip, or had contact with some of those children. Four of those hospitalized are seriously ill with complications. E. coli can be passed person-to-person, as well as through contact with animals who carry the pathogen, and eating contaminated food. It's also possible that E. coli in feces may be on the children's shoes. Then when they get home, the pathogens are transferred to rugs and carpets. At the fair, children allegedly had contact with farm animals. Ruminant … [Read more...]
Seven Children Sick in Tennessee Fair E. coli Outbreak
There are seven children sick and hospitalized in the Tennessee fair E. coli outbreak, and four children remain hospitalized more than two weeks later, according to news reports. Elementary classes from Sullivan county and Washington county visited the fair. The children took part in a school event, when elementary school kids visited an animal exhibit at the Appalachian Fairgrounds on September 26 and September 27, 2023. The pathogen that sickened these children is Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC). The serovar was not named. Dr. David Kirschke, Regional Medical Officer for the Northeast Regional Health Office issued a statement. It reads, "The Northeast Regional Health Office and the Sullivan County Health Department are investigating cases of illness caused by … [Read more...]
Children Sick With E. coli After Fair Visit in 2 Tennessee Counties
There are elementary school children sick with E. coli infections in two Tennessee counties after they visited a local fair and had contact with animals in an exhibit there, according to news reports. The Northeast Regional Health Office is investigating this outbreak, which includes children from Sullivan and Washington counties. We do not know how many children are sick, if any have been hospitalized, or if any have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which is a type of kidney failure. That Office's Regional Medial Officer, Dr. David Kirschke, said in a statement, "The Northeast Regional Health Office and the Sullivan County Health Department are investigating several cases of illness caused by Shiga-toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) among elementary school children in … [Read more...]
CDC Discusses 2022 Lucky Ladd Farms E. coli Outbreak
In the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) for the week of July 21, 2023, the 2022 Lucky Ladd Farms E. coli O157:H7 outbreak is discussed. In that outbreak, 12 children were sickened after visiting the farm in Tennessee, and there were two secondary infections. Three week-long summer camps were held at that farm during the summer. Animal husbandry was taught; children aged 6 to 10 were assigned a baby goat to care for. Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) bacteria live in the guts of ruminant animals such as goats, sheep, cattle, and deer, but the animal does not get sick. They excrete the pathogen in their feces. This outbreak was similar to petting zoo outbreaks which have occurred over the years. The Tennessee Department of Health conducted an environmental … [Read more...]
Tennessee E. coli Raw Milk Outbreak Sickened Two Infants
A Tennessee E. coli raw milk outbreak sickened two infants in 2022, according to a study conducted by the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and published in their weekly Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. One of the babies developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) and became seriously ill. The milk was sold through a cow-share arrangement, since raw milk, or unpasteurized dairy, sales through retail outlets are illegal in that state. The two infants, who were 10 months old at the time, got sick on July 25 and August 1, 2022. Stool specimens tested positive for Shiga toxin-producing E. coli bacteria (STEC) by polymerase chain reaction. One of the infants developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure, and was hospitalized for 27 days. The … [Read more...]
Lucky Ladd Farms Goats E. coli Outbreak Sickens 14 in Tennessee
A deadly E. coli O157:H7 outbreak associated with Lucky Ladd Farms goats in June and July of 2022 allegedly sickened 12 summer camp participants; two patients were secondary cases, according to the Tennessee Department of Health (TDH). One child sadly died. A report on the outbreak was issued today. The pathogen that caused the illnesses was Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O157:H7 (STEC). On June 22, 2022, the Tennessee Department of Health was told of a child who was hospitalized in Florida with an E. coli O157:H7 infection after attending a goat husbandry summer camp at that farm in Rutherford County, Tennessee. Three days later, TDH got a call from the same mother saying she knew of a 2-year-old patient hospitalized at Vanderbilt in Nashville with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). … [Read more...]
Gatlinburg Chili Cook-Off Salmonella Outbreak in 2020 Sickened 99
A Gatlinburg Chili Cook-Off Salmonella outbreak in 2020 sickened 99 people, according to a study conducted by epidemiologists at the Tennessee Department of Health (TDH). On November 17, 2020, the TDH was notified by the USDA of a complaint of gastrointestinal illness among attendees of the cookbook, which was held on November 12, 2020. The next day, the Sevier County Environmental Health Specialist received another complaint of more illnesses. An outbreak investigation was launched. TDH notified the host of the event, the Gatlinburg Chamber of Commerce, of the complaints and requested contact information for the vendors and attendees. All 13 vendors that participated in the event were contacted. The information they provided was used to create an event-specific questionnaire, which … [Read more...]
Hepatitis A in Zayde’s Deli in Food Worker in Shelby County, TN
A food worker at Zayde's Deli in Shelby County, Tennessee has been diagnosed with hepatitis A and was working while infectious, so may have exposed customers to the virus, according to a notice from the Shelby County Health Department. The restaurant in located at 6560 Poplar Avenue in Memphis. Anyone who consumed food or drink at Zayde's Deli or ate take-out meals from the restaurant between June 29, 2021 and July 7, 2021 may have been exposed to the virus. If you ate there on June 30, 2021 or later, you are still eligible to get a hepatitis A or immune globulin vaccination, but if you ate there on June 29, 2021, it's too late for a shot. All you can do is monitor yourself for the symptoms of hepatitis A. You may want to check with your doctor to see if he or she thinks a vaccine … [Read more...]
