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According to Canadian press, the City of Calgary said Wednesday it has laid charges against a shared kitchen — used by several daycares experiencing an E. coli outbreak — for operating without the proper license. 

This comes after an outbreak of shiga toxin-producing E. coli, which has resulted in 351 lab-confirmed cases and 37 secondary cases, Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Mark Joffe said. 

During an investigation into the cause of the outbreak, investigators believe one meal has “extremely high odds” of being the source of the outbreak. According to Alberta’s chief medical officer of health, “based on our investigation, we believe that meatloaf and vegan loaf meals that were served for lunch on Aug. 29 most likely contain the E. coli bacteria that led to these infections,” he said. 

The city said it has laid charges against Fueling Minds, a catering company which provided food to several daycares in the city. The corporation and its two directors have each been charged under the Business Licensing Bylaw for operating without a business license — for a total of 12 charges. If convicted, they could face a total fine amount of up to $120,000. 

There were 19 daycares affected by the outbreak. Eleven daycares were linked to the original outbreak, with sick children at seven of those daycares, and secondary spread was found at an additional eight daycares. 

The McHenry County Department of Health (MCDH) and Huntley Community School District 158 are working collaboratively to respond to a recent outbreak of Shiga Toxin-Producing E. coli (STEC) at Huntley High School. There are currently seven confirmed cases of STEC, all of which involve students. The first case was identified on Sunday, September 17. At this time, there is insufficient evidence to indicate the source of the illness. The MCDH is actively monitoring for potential cases; there are no other known McHenry County STEC cases outside of this outbreak.

In a letter to parents, students, and staff, Huntley Community School District 158 officials reiterated that the situation is being taken seriously and that the safety and well-being of students and staff is of the utmost importance.

 Huntley High School officials are fully cooperating with the MCDH as they continue their investigation into potential exposures, both internally and externally, as the source of the outbreak has not yet been identified.

 Given the highly contagious nature of E. coli, students are strongly encouraged to practice frequent handwashing. In addition to this, Huntley High School science teachers have been providing students with essential information about E. coli. Furthermore, the school has taken proactive measures to ensure a safe environment, including the posting of handwashing signage throughout the school and the provision of readily accessible hand sanitizer stations in all classrooms and common areas.

 STEC is a bacterial infection known to cause gastrointestinal illness in humans. This strain of E. coli bacteria grows and lives in the intestines of people and animals. Transmission of STEC can occur due to contact with contaminated food, contaminated water, people, and animals. Symptoms and characteristics of STEC include:

  • Diarrhea (often bloody)
  • Fever
  • Abdominal cramping and body aches
  • Vomiting
  • Headaches

Symptoms typically start within 3-4 days of exposure to STEC but may take up to 10 days to develop. Most individuals infected with STEC feel better within 5-10 days from the onset of the illness with rest fluids.

To prevent and stop the spread of infection, the MCDH recommends washing hands with soap and water when preparing and eating food, having contact with animals or their environment, and after bathroom use or changing a diaper; avoiding swallowing water from ponds, lakes, and untreated swimming pools; and washing and cooking foods properly and avoid unpasteurized (raw) dairy products and juices. Those infected should not handle, prepare, or cook food for others until 48 hours after symptoms have resolved.

E. coli:  Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm, is the nation’s leading law firm representing victims of E. coli outbreaks and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). The E. coli lawyers of Marler Clark have represented thousands of victims of E. coli and other foodborne illness infections and have recovered over $850 million for clients. Marler Clark is the only law firm in the nation with a practice focused exclusively on foodborne illness litigation.  Our E. coli lawyers have litigated E. coli and HUS cases stemming from outbreaks traced to ground beef, raw milk, lettuce, spinach, sprouts, and other food products.  The law firm has brought E. coli lawsuits against such companies as Jack in the Box, Dole, ConAgra, Cargill, and Jimmy John’s.  We have proudly represented such victims as Brianne Kiner, Stephanie Smith and Linda Rivera.

If you or a family member became ill with an E. coli infection or HUS after consuming food and you’re interested in pursuing a legal claim, contact the Marler Clark E. coli attorneys for a free case evaluation.

Additional Resources:

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The CDC this week reports finding the spread of Angiostrongylus cantonensis, (Rat Lungworm) into Georgia.  Originally described in Asia, where most human infections are reported, is now endemic in different regions of the world. In the United States, A. cantonensis was initially reported in Hawaii, and later in Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, and Florida, likely introduced by infected rats and gastropods through trade routes, such as on merchant ships.

In Hawaii, where severe human illnesses have been reported over the last decade, public health officials have released a stark warning:

“This is a serious disease that can be acquired on any of our islands because slugs and snails throughout the state carry the parasite responsible for the illness,” said Keith Kawaoka, deputy director of Environmental Health. “This is a grim reminder that we all need to take precautions when working in our gardens and on farms, and eliminate slugs, snails and rats from our communities to reduce the risks posed by this parasitic disease.”

Angiostrongyliasis, also known as rat lungworm, is a disease that affects the brain and spinal cord. It is caused by a parasitic nematode (roundworm parasite) called A. cantonensis. The adult form of A. cantonensis is only found in rodents. However, infected rodents can pass larvae of the worm in their feces. Snails, slugs, and certain other animals (including freshwater shrimp, land crabs, and frogs) can become infected by ingesting this larvae; these are considered intermediate hosts. Humans can become infected with A. cantonensis if they eat (intentionally or otherwise) a raw or undercooked infected intermediate host, thereby ingesting the parasite.

There is a new film out about the dangers of this nasty parasite – https://www.ratlungwormfilm.com

This infection can cause a rare type of meningitis (eosinophilic meningitis). Some infected people don’t have any symptoms or only have mild symptoms; in some other infected people the symptoms can be much more severe. When symptoms are present, they can include severe headache and stiffness of the neck, tingling or painful feelings in the skin or extremities, low-grade fever, nausea, and vomiting. Sometimes, a temporary paralysis of the face may also be present, as well as light sensitivity. The symptoms usually start 1 to 3 weeks after exposure to the parasite, but have been known to range anywhere from 1 day to as long as 6 weeks after exposure. Although it varies from case to case, the symptoms usually last between 2–8 weeks; symptoms have been reported to last for longer periods of time.

You can get angiostrongyliasis by eating food contaminated by the larval stage of A.cantonensis worms. In Hawaii, these larval worms can be found in raw or undercooked snails or slugs. Sometimes people can become infected by eating raw produce that contains a small, infected snail or slug, or part of one. It is not known for certain whether the slime left by infected snails and slugs are able to cause infection. Angiostrongyliasis is not spread person-to-person.

Diagnosing angiostrongyliasis can be difficult, as there are no readily available blood tests. In Hawaii, cases can be diagnosed with a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, performed by the State Laboratories Division, that detects A. cantonensis DNA in patients’ cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) or other tissue. However, more frequently diagnosis is based on a patient’s exposure history (such as if they have history of travel to areas where the parasite is known to be found or history of ingestion of raw or undercooked snails, slugs, or other animals known to carry the parasite) and their clinical signs and symptoms consistent with angiostrongyliasis as well as laboratory finding of eosinophils (a special type of white blood cell) in their CSF.

There is no specific treatment for the disease. The parasites cannot mature or reproduce in humans and will die eventually. Supportive treatment and pain medications can be given to relieve the symptoms, and some patients are treated with steroids. No anti-parasitic drugs have been shown to be effective in treating angiostrongyliasis, and there is concern that they could actually make the symptoms worse because of the body’s response to potentially more rapidly dying worms. Persons with symptoms should consult their health care provider for more information.

To prevent angiostrongyliasis, don’t eat raw or undercooked snails or slugs, and if you handle snails or slugs, be sure to wear gloves and wash your hands. Eating raw or undercooked freshwater shrimp, land crabs and frogs may also result in infection, although, there has not been any documented cases in Hawaii. You should also thoroughly inspect and wash fresh produce and vegetables, especially if eaten raw. Eliminating snails, slugs, and rats founds near houses and gardens might also help reduce risk exposure to A. cantonensis.

When preparing food for cooking, any suspect food products should be boiled for at least 3 to 5 minutes, or frozen at 5°F (15°C) for at least 24 hours; this will kill the larval stage of the worm.

According to Global News, six children with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) remain in hospital on Thursday as a result of the Calgary Fueling Brains daycare E. coli Outbreak – two of which remain on dialysis. In the past day, two children were discharged from hospital.

On Thursday, AHS said there were a total of 349 lab-confirmed cases linked to the outbreak. That’s one fewer than on Wednesday, which AHS said was confirmed as not part of the original outbreak.

Two more cases of secondary transmission were confirmed, both within an already-impacted household for a total of 29 secondary cases. AHS said some secondary cases are expected in “significant outbreaks” like the one declared on Sept. 4. 

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According to McHenry County Health Department at least six cases of Shiga Toxin-Producing E. coli (STEC) have now been reported at suburban Huntley High School.

In a letter released to parents on Wednesday, officials said they had been contacted by the McHenry County Health Department about the outbreak.

Health officials are working to determine “common exposures” among the individuals who have been diagnosed with the illness, but no definitive source has been identified at this time.

According to the press release, any child who experiences symptoms of E. coli must be kept home until they are symptom-free for at least 48 hours.

E. coli is extremely contagious, with officials saying it can be spread by:

-Swallowing water while swimming, or drinking water contaminated with STEC bacteria

-Person-to-person transmission, where the bacteria passes from stool or soiled fingers of one person to another through food handling or direct contact.

-Animal contact by touching or handling animals carrying the bacteria

Symptoms of E. coli typically include an acute onset of diarrhea and/or vomiting. Nausea, abdominal cramps, fever and body aches are also typical symptoms, all of which can last for 5-to-10 days.

The illness often has an incubation period of 2-to-10 days, according to officials.

No further information was immediately available.

E. coli:  Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm, is the nation’s leading law firm representing victims of E. coli outbreaks and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). The E. coli lawyers of Marler Clark have represented thousands of victims of E. coli and other foodborne illness infections and have recovered over $850 million for clients. Marler Clark is the only law firm in the nation with a practice focused exclusively on foodborne illness litigation.  Our E. coli lawyers have litigated E. coli and HUS cases stemming from outbreaks traced to ground beef, raw milk, lettuce, spinach, sprouts, and other food products.  The law firm has brought E. coli lawsuits against such companies as Jack in the Box, Dole, ConAgra, Cargill, and Jimmy John’s.  We have proudly represented such victims as Brianne Kiner, Stephanie Smith and Linda Rivera.

If you or a family member became ill with an E. coli infection or HUS after consuming food and you’re interested in pursuing a legal claim, contact the Marler Clark E. coli attorneys for a free case evaluation.

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20 sick with 10 hospitalized.

The Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) are investigating an outbreak of Salmonella, a bacteria that is a common cause of food poisoning. As of September 15, 2023, CDPH has identified 20 individuals with Salmonella infections who ate prepared food from a taqueria in Carniceria Guanajuato located at 3140 N California in Chicago. Of these, 10 people have been hospitalized. Carniceria Guanajuato voluntarily closed the taqueria on September 8, 2023 and is cooperating with CDPH to determine a source of the infections. If you have purchased prepared food from the taqueria or the prepared food section of the grocery store since August 29, 2023, discard it and do not eat it. If you ate food purchased from the prepared food section (taqueria or prepared foods in the grocery section) since August 29, 2023, you may have been exposed to Salmonella.

CDPH performed an environmental assessment of the grocery store and provided guidance on safe food handling practices and environmental cleaning to prevent further spread of disease. CDPH has also issued an alert to area physicians about the outbreak, providing medical guidance.

Salmonella symptoms usually last four to seven days and most individuals recover without any treatment. Although most infections resolve without antibiotics, older individuals or those with weakened immune systems may need medical evaluation and treatment. If you are experiencing severe diarrhea, symptoms of dehydration, or high fever, seek medical attention. Most people who are infected develop diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps between 6 hours and 6 days after eating contaminated food. For more information on Salmonella, visit www.cdc.gov/salmonella.

CDPH is monitoring closely for additional reports of illness. If you experienced diarrheal illness after consuming foods from this establishment, contact CDPH at outbreak@cityofchicago.org to file a suspected food poisoning complaint.

What is Salmonella?

Salmonella is a bacterium that causes one of the most common intestinal illnesses in the US: salmonellosis. There are many different types, or serotypes, of Salmonella, but they all can cause similar symptoms.

How do you get Salmonella?

The Salmonella bacteria can be present in uncooked or undercooked meat, poultry, eggs, or unpasteurized (raw) dairy products, as well as other foods contaminated during harvest, production, or packaging. Recent outbreaks have been linked to contaminated peanut products, alfalfa sprouts, and cantaloupe.

What are the signs and symptoms of Salmonella?

Symptoms can begin 6 to 72 hours from consumption, and include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, fever, nausea, and/ or vomiting. Dehydration is a concern, especially in the elderly and very young.

What to do if you become infected with Salmonella?

Seek medical attention. Ask your healthcare provider to test a sample of your stool to confirm or rule out Salmonella infection. The CDC estimates that for every culture-con- firmed case of Salmonella in the US, 39 cases go undetected; many cases of “stomach flu” may be salmonellosis. Most illnesses resolve within 1-2 weeks, but in rare cases, serious complications like bacteremia or reactive arthritis can develop.

How to prevent a Salmonella infection:

Cook poultry to the safe temperature of 165 degrees; use a digital thermometer to check. Avoid undercooked or raw eggs and products containing them. Prevent cross contamination by washing your hands after cooking with raw meats, and thoroughly cleaning all surfaces that you or the raw meat touched (counters, cut- ting boards, sinks, knives, etc.) Wash hands after handling animals and before eating; pay special attention to hand hygiene when visiting animals at state fairs or petting zoos.

Salmonella:  Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm, is the nation’s leading law firm representing victims of Salmonella outbreaks. The Salmonella lawyers of Marler Clark have represented thousands of victims of Salmonella and other foodborne illness outbreaks and have recovered over $850 million for clients.  Marler Clark is the only law firm in the nation with a practice focused exclusively on foodborne illness litigation.  Our Salmonella lawyers have litigated Salmonella cases stemming from outbreaks traced to a variety of foods, such as cantaloupe, tomatoes, ground turkey, salami, sprouts, cereal, peanut butter, and food served in restaurants.  The law firm has brought Salmonella lawsuits against such companies as Cargill, ConAgra, Peanut Corporation of America, Sheetz, Taco Bell, Subway and Wal-Mart.  

If you or a family member became ill with a Salmonella infection, including Reactive Arthritis or Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), after consuming food and you’re interested in pursuing a legal claim, contact the Marler Clark Salmonella attorneys for a free case evaluation.

Additional Resources:

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The Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) records show the taqueria in Carniceria Guanajuato was inspected on Sept. 8 due to suspected food poisoning, and inspectors found raw beef and raw shelled eggs were being stored above ready-to-eat sliced lettuce inside a prep cooler in the restaurant.

The restaurant was issued a citation for improper food storage and was instructed to properly store raw foods to avoid cross-contamination with prepared foods.

Other issues found in the restaurant included:

  • Mineral deposits and soil buildup on an ice machine.
  • Sliced tomatoes stored at improper temperatures in a prep cooler, resulting in another citation.
  • Coolers missing conspicuously placed thermometers.
  • Cutting boards with deep seams and stains in the prep/cooking area.

“CDPH performed an environmental assessment of the grocery store and provided guidance on safe food handling practices and environmental cleaning to prevent further spread of disease,” the department said in a statement.

The Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) are investigating an outbreak of Salmonella, a bacteria that is a common cause of food poisoning. As of September 15, 2023, CDPH has identified 20 individuals with Salmonella infections who ate prepared food from a taqueria in Carniceria Guanajuato located at 3140 N California in Chicago. Of these, 10 people have been hospitalized. Carniceria Guanajuato voluntarily closed the taqueria on September 8, 2023 and is cooperating with CDPH to determine a source of the infections. If you have purchased prepared food from the taqueria or the prepared food section of the grocery store since August 29, 2023, discard it and do not eat it. If you ate food purchased from the prepared food section (taqueria or prepared foods in the grocery section) since August 29, 2023, you may have been exposed to Salmonella.

Salmonella symptoms usually last four to seven days and most individuals recover without any treatment. Although most infections resolve without antibiotics, older individuals or those with weakened immune systems may need medical evaluation and treatment. If you are experiencing severe diarrhea, symptoms of dehydration, or high fever, seek medical attention. Most people who are infected develop diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps between 6 hours and 6 days after eating contaminated food. For more information on Salmonella, visit www.cdc.gov/salmonella.

CDPH is monitoring closely for additional reports of illness. If you experienced diarrheal illness after consuming foods from this establishment, contact CDPH at outbreak@cityofchicago.org to file a suspected food poisoning complaint.

Salmonella:  Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm, is the nation’s leading law firm representing victims of Salmonella outbreaks. The Salmonella lawyers of Marler Clark have represented thousands of victims of Salmonella and other foodborne illness outbreaks and have recovered over $850 million for clients.  Marler Clark is the only law firm in the nation with a practice focused exclusively on foodborne illness litigation.  Our Salmonella lawyers have litigated Salmonella cases stemming from outbreaks traced to a variety of foods, such as cantaloupe, tomatoes, ground turkey, salami, sprouts, cereal, peanut butter, and food served in restaurants.  The law firm has brought Salmonella lawsuits against such companies as Cargill, ConAgra, Peanut Corporation of America, Sheetz, Taco Bell, Subway and Wal-Mart.  

If you or a family member became ill with a Salmonella infection, including Reactive Arthritis or Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), after consuming food and you’re interested in pursuing a legal claim, contact the Marler Clark Salmonella attorneys for a free case evaluation.

Additional Resources:

Booker, DeLauro Introduce Bicameral Legislation to Better Protect Americans from Foodborne Illnesses

Legislation enables improved monitoring of CAFOs during outbreaks or when there is a public health need

SEPTEMBER 13, 2023

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.) introduced the bicameral Expanded Food Safety Investigation Act (EFSIA), legislation that would grant the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) the authority to collect microbial samples from concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) during outbreaks or when there is a public health need. U.S. 

Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) introduced the bill in the House.

According to the CDC, 1 in 6 Americans fall victim to foodborne diseases each year, resulting in 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths. The CDC also reports that many of these foodborne illnesses are caused by bacteria and other microbes originating in animal agriculture. Further, over 55 percent of foodborne Salmonella illnesses are attributed to animals and animal products. And the harmful bacteria from animal production facilities can contaminate fields of produce, posing an ongoing threat to consumers. For example, during a 2018 romaine lettuce E. coli outbreak investigation, the FDA traced the strain of outbreak E. coli to an irrigation canal near a concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO) with 100,000 cattle. The FDA also determined that nearby cattle were likely the source of E. coli outbreaks linked to romaine lettuce in 2019. The extensive use of antibiotics in animal agriculture could also contribute to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, further endangering public health. CAFOs exacerbate these issues with sewage accumulation and runoff, along with a significant volume of antibiotic use.

Despite these dangers posed to public health by the animals in the country’s food system, public health agencies like the FDA and CDC face limitations in their ability to fully investigate and understand the problem since they lack the authority to enter farms and conduct microbial sampling. The animal industry has also impeded investigators from accessing farms during outbreaks which further hinder their efforts to identify the source of outbreaks and develop preventive measures.

“This bicameral legislation is a necessary step towards addressing the threats posed by foodborne illnesses stemming from animal agriculture and ensuring better transparency in our food system,” said Senator Booker. “By empowering our public health agencies to investigate and respond to outbreaks effectively, we can reduce the incidence of foodborne diseases, promote public health, and save lives.”

“It is clear that corporate consolidation has negatively impacted the safety of our nation’s food,” said Representative DeLauro. “This is compounded by a weak and disempowered FDA, which has few tools to hold corporations accountable, investigate outbreaks, and get contaminated food off the market. Under current law, multinational corporations have the power to stop an FDA foodborne illness investigation in its tracks. That cannot stand. That is why I am reintroducing the Expanded Food Safety Investigation Act, which gives FDA the ability to investigate corporate agribusinesses and uphold its mission of protecting public health.”

“These farms are part of the food system, and they can be a source of illness. They shouldn’t be allowed to slam the barn door shut when public health investigators come looking for answers,” said Sarah Sorscher, Director of Regulatory Affairs at Center for Science in the Public Interest.

The legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT).

The legislation is endorsed by the following organizations: Antibiotic Resistance Action Center at The George Washington University, Center for Food Safety, Center for Science in the Public Interest, Consumer Federation of America, Consumer Reports, Environmental Working Group, Food Animal Concerns Trust, Food and Water Watch, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, Natural Resources Defense Council, and Stop Foodborne Illness.

The full text of the bill can be found here.

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We have been contacted by nearly two dozen impacted families.

Alberta Health Services (AHS) has now reported that the Fueling Brains Day Care E. coli outbreak includes 231 lab-confirmed cases. On Monday, an AHS spokesperson confirmed 41 more cases had been linked to the outbreak in the past day.

The provincial health authority said there are now 26 patients in hospital: 25 children and one adult.

Since the outbreak was declared at the start of last week, 11 patients have been discharged from hospital.

21 children have been diagnosed with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS).

What to know about E. coli during an Outbreak https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/what-to-know-about-e-coli-during-an-outbreak/

What Parents need to know about E. coli induced HUS https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/what-parents-need-to-know-about-e-coli-induced-hus/

I am about an hour out from the Seattle to London flight to speak this week at the Global Crisis Management Conference. I am interested in getting a perspective on how the insurance industry can help manage its risks from claims of foodborne illness. Short trip – I’ll be back in Seattle on Wednesday.