In reading the FDA’s Environmental Assessment: Factors Potentially Contributing to the Contamination of Fresh Whole Cantaloupe Implicated in a Multi-State Outbreak of Salmonellosis regarding the Chamberlain Farm’s Salmonella outbreak from last year over the weekend, I was struck by how complete the investigation was. I was also struck by how it seemed that this farmer
Hey, Jimmy John’s, Step Away from the E. coli Sprouts
In 2011 and 2012, a total of 29 individuals infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli 026 were reported from 11 states. Of the 27 ill persons with available information, 23 (85%) reported consuming sprouts at Jimmy John’s restaurants in the 7 days preceding illness. Among 29 ill persons, illness onset dates ranged from
Yet another Leafy Green E. coli Outbreak and No Traceback to the Farm
On November 17, 2012 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that several East coast states were investigating an outbreak of E. coli O157:H7. At that time a total of 28 patients had been reported by 5 states. Public health investigators used DNA “fingerprints” of E. coli bacteria obtained through diagnostic testing
A Truly Nationwide Salmonella Outbreak
Makes you look at salsa a bit differently.
In 2002 a well-documented outbreak of Salmonella enteriditis infections occurred at the Wyndham Anatole Hotel in Dallas, Texas during March and April of 2002. According to Robert Tauxe of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, the Wyndham Salmonella outbreak was geographically the largest in history and the
PCA Salmonella Outbreak – Parnells Face over 1 Year in Jail per Victim
Over 700 people were sickened and nine died as a result of the 2009 Salmonella outbreak and massive peanut recall.
AP reports today that Peanut Corporation of America owner Stewart Parnell, his food broker brother Michael Parnell, Georgia plant manager Samuel Lightsey and Georgia plant quality assurance manager Mary Wilkerson entered pleas of not guilty
1998 Outbreak of E coli O157:H7 at Finley Elementary School – Epidemiology and Environmental Science Working Well Together
This E. coli O157:H7 outbreak cost a school district $6,100,000.
On Thursday, October 15 the Benton-Franklin Health Department (BFHD) was notified of two hospitalized children at Kennewick General Hospital with bloody diarrhea, one of whom was culture confirmed with infection of E. coli O157:H7. On the same day a clinician in Kennewick, Washington notified BFHD of two additional cases of bloody diarrhea in children. BFHD staff interviewed parents of the four children and determined that they all attended the Finley Elementary School (FES). As the average incubation period for E. coli O157:H7 ranges from 3 to 8 days, exposure to the agent most likely occurred sometime during the school week of October 5-9.
On October 16 Dr. Dan Jernigan at the Washington State Department of Health (WDOH) was notified by the Benton-Franlin Health District ~FHD) of the cluster of cases. Dr. Lauren Ball and Patti Waller, WDOH epidemiologists, were assigned to the BFHD outbreak investigation team. This report summarizes the findings.
Background
Finley is located in a predominately rural area in east Benton County. Family farms/pastures, irrigation systems, and residential water supplied by private wells are common in the community. The Finley School District includes a high school (grades 9-12), a middle school (grades 6-8) and an elementary school (pre-school classes and grades K-S). The elementary school serves 466 students and employs 55 staff.
Both breakfast and lunch are served at the schools. Typically meals are partially prepared in a central kitchen located at the high school and delivered to each of the schools in the morning for additional cooking and preparation for serving. Water is supplied to the elementary school via a private well system. The BFHD inspects the system regularly. Sewage disposal is via a private drain field.
Surveillance and Case Definition
On Friday October 16, 1998 the Finley School District telephoned parents/guardians of all children who had been absent from school to inform them of illness occurring among Finley students. Parents of absent children were advised to seek medical advice if their children were experiencing a diarrheal illness or other flu-like illness. Informational letters from the school district were sent to all parents of children attending Finley Elementary notifying them that the communicable illness E. coli O157:H7 had been diagnosed in some FES children. These letters included educational information describing possible sources of infection, clinical symptoms, and the possibility of person to person transmission. Information on preventing E. coli infections was also disseminated widely by BFHD through local media, local physicians, and through the school district. In addition, the school district sent a letter to all residents of the Finley community to inform the public of the outbreak.
A confirmed case was defined as a Finley resident or visitor with culture confirmed E. coli O157:H7 diarrhea occurring after October 1, 1998 and epidemiologic linkage to FES.
A probable case was defined as a Finley resident or visitor with bloody diarrhea of unknown origin occurring after October 1, 1998, and/or complications of hemolytic uremic syndrome with epidemiologic linkage to FES.
Employees with Salmonella Should not be on the Job
During the time period of the outbreak, April 18 to April 30, 2002, over 7,000 people ate at the Western Sizzlin’ restaurant in Spruce Pine, North Carolina. The Health Department in the Toe River Health District handled over 900 telephone calls and conducted 621 surveys of people who ate at the restaurant. There were 369
Interesting Personal Ad: FBI Seeking Salmonella Peanut Butter Victims
I know a few.
FBI Seeking Victims in Salmonella-Tainted Peanut Products Case
The Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) plant in Blakely, Georgia was a facility where raw peanuts were roasted and turned into granulated peanuts, peanut butter, and peanut paste, then sold to family-owned businesses and global, multi-billion-dollar food companies alike.
But after a national
If you have Shigella, please wash your hands!
In 2000, the California Department of Health Services investigated the foodborne outbreak linked to Viva Mexico restaurant. Dr. Janet Mohle-Boetani, of the Division of Communicable Disease Control Branch, reported that:
“Between October 19 and 24, approximately 221 individuals became ill after eating at the Viva Mexico restaurant in Redwood City, CA. One death occurred in
Federal Grand jury Indicts Five in connection with 2009 Salmonella Outbreak
My favorite quote of the day (AP):
Bill Marler, an attorney who represented many of the victims in the peanut case, has specialized in food safety law for 20 years. He says this is the first time he can remember such a scathing indictment on a food poisoning case.
“If I were an executive of