The CDC reports: Shigellosis is a nationally notifiable diarrheal illness caused by gram-negative bacteria. Shigella infection is spread through fecal-oral transmission and sexual contact. Although most infections are self-limited, antibiotics are indicated for severe illness or to reduce transmission in settings with high risk for spread. Since 2015, a growing proportion of cases has been caused by […]
Imagine that the phone call comes or an email pops into your inbox–"Sir, we have been contacted by (you pick: CDC, FDA, USDA, or a state or local health department), and they say your product (lettuce, raw milk, or a frozen dinner) has been linked to illnesses. What do we do?" So, what do you […]
Really, I do not mean to beat up on Con Agra just because they are in the middle of yet another product outbreak and recall, however, Con Agra’s past recalls raise some interesting issues with respect to the effectiveness, or lack thereof, of recalls. Here are some interesting examples: Peter Pan Peanut Butter Salmonella Tennessee […]
South Gate Meat Co., a South Gate, Calif., establishment, is recalling approximately 35,000 pounds of ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. The products subject to recall include: 20-, 30- and 40-pound bulk packages of "SOUTH GATE MEAT […]
Crown I Enterprises, Inc., a Bay Shore, N.Y., establishment, is recalling approximately 3,700 pounds of ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. The products subject to recall include: • 24, 8-ounce burgers in 12-pound boxes of "W.B. STOCKYARD, […]
A confidential settlement was reach yesterday in mediation between Nebraska Beef, Ltd., an Omaha-area beef processor, and a young child severely sickened with hemolytic uremic syndrome by E. coli O157:H7. On June 30, 2008 recalled approximately 531,707 pounds of ground beef products because the meat was potentially contaminated by E. coli O157:H7. On June 24, […]
As of yesterday the number of confirmed cases of Salmonella serotype Hvittingfoss stands at 97. Illnesses have reported eating at Subway restaurants located in 28 counties — Bureau, Cass, Champaign, Christian, Coles, Dekalb, DeWitt, Ford, Fulton, Henry, Knox, LaSalle, Livingston, Macon, Marshall, McLean, Moultrie, Ogle, Peoria, Rock Island, Sangamon, Schuyler, Shelby, Tazewell, Vermilion, Warren, Will […]
Confirmed cases of Salmonella serotype Hvittingfoss – 97. Age range of confirmed cases: 2 to 79. Cases have reported eating at Subway restaurants located in 28 counties — Bureau, Cass, Champaign, Christian, Coles, Dekalb, DeWitt, Ford, Fulton, Henry, Knox, LaSalle, Livingston, Macon, Marshall, McLean, Moultrie, Ogle, Peoria, Rock Island, Sangamon, Schuyler, Shelby, Tazewell, Vermilion, Warren, […]
Chris Martin, then age seven, developed an E. coli O157:H7 infection in September 2006 following consumption of raw milk. He was hospitalized beginning on September 8, suffering from severe gastrointestinal symptoms, including bloody diarrhea. Shortly thereafter, he developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). In an effort to properly treat his rapidly deteriorating condition, Chris was moved […]
To date, according to the CDC, a total of 30 individuals infected with a matching strain of Salmonella Chester have been reported from 15 states. The number of ill people identified in each state with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Chester are as follows: CA (4), CO (2), GA (6), IL (1), KY (1), MA […]
On January 29, 2009, the Untied States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) implicated Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) of Blakely Georgia as the source of a massive Salmonella Typhimurium outbreak that sickened over 700 and sent about a dozen to early graves. One can only imagine what thoughts are going through the head of PCA […]
I was reading Carl Hulse’s article “Legislative Hurdles in an Era of Conflict” in the New York Times this morning and had one of those moments like when I first learned that Santa Claus was in fact not real. Yes, perhaps I should have figured it out before I entered 7th grade, but I was […]
The 90 victims of the Salmonella outbreak, who range in age from two to 79, 25 who have been hospitalized, reported eating at Subway locations in 28 counties, including Bureau, Cass, Champaign, Christian, Coles, DeKalb, DeWitt, Ford, Fulton, Henry, Knox, LaSalle, Livingston, Macon, Marshall, McLean, Moultrie, Ogle, Peoria, Rock Island, Sangamon, Schuyler, Shelby, Tazewell, Vermilion, […]
CDC is collaborating with public health officials in many states, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA/FSIS), and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to investigate a multistate outbreak of Salmonella serotype Chester infections. As of June 18, information had been collected on 14 ill and 21 well persons. Preliminary […]
Last night ConAgra Foods Packaged Foods of Council Bluffs, Iowa, recalled Marie Callender’s Cheesy Chicken and Rice frozen meals that were sold to retail outlets nationwide. At least 29 people have been sickened in the outbreak, including two people in Oregon and two people in Minnesota. Oregon – According to Lynn Terry of the Oregonian, […]
I was directed this morning to reread the CDC’s report on the “Multistate Outbreak of Salmonella Infections Associated with Frozen Pot Pies — United States, 2007,” involving ConAgra pot pies and Salmonella I 4,5,12:i:-*. Although we represented dozens of those sickened from that outbreak, I was frankly unaware how many people became ill AFTER the […]