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 […]
A recent Listeria outbreak in Boar’s Head deli meat has sickened 43 and killed three, according to the CDC. The outbreak requires proactive measures to ensure the safety of consumers, said the foodborne illness attorneys at Marler Clark. Listeria spreads easily among deli equipment, surfaces, hands, and food. Refrigeration does not kill Listeria, and deli meats are not usually heated to a […]
Bill Marler, food safety advocate and foodborne illness attorney since 1993, whose Seattle law firm, Marler Clark’s work was recently profiled in the Netflix documentary “Poisoned,” The Dirty Truth about your Food, is calling on Boar’s Head to pay the medical bills and lost wages of the victims of the deli outbreak in the United States that has so far […]
Health officials confirmed Wednesday they are investigating a cyclosporiasis infection outbreak that reportedly affected more than 100 people and three Wake County restaurants. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) said the outbreak was identified in July. A spokeswoman with DHHS tells WRAL, “We have not identified the specific contaminated food item, […]
Summary Public Health is investigating an outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O121 (also known as STEC). Based on information collected, both people likely became sick after eating food from Wonder Coffee and Sports Bar. Both people ate foods that could have made them sick, including raw or undercooked beef, or other foods that may have been […]
On September 2, 2011, the Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment (CDPHE) announced that it was investigating an outbreak of Listeriosis. By September 9, CDPHE had determined that the likely source of the Listeria outbreak was cantaloupe; on September 12, the public health agency stated that the cantaloupe had been grown in the […]
Boar’s Head Liverwurst samples positive in Maryland and New York. The CDC reports this morning that epidemiologic, laboratory, and traceback data show that meats sliced at deli counters, including Boar’s Head brand liverwurst, are contaminated with Listeria and are making people sick. As of August 8, a total of 43 people infected with the outbreak […]
14 known sick with 1 death in Montana – but how many more and where are they? On July 25th, the Flathead City-County Health Department (FCCHD) and the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) received confirmatory testing results of clinical and food samples verifying ground beef as the exposure of concern. Specifically, […]
According to Food Safety News and the FDA’s Outbreak page, the FDA is investigating two new outbreaks of foodborne illnesses. One outbreak is from Salmonella Newport, and the other is from Cyclospora cayetanensis. The FDA has not yet identified a source of the pathogens. So far, each outbreak has two confirmed patients. For the Cyclospora […]
Exposure to the hepatitis A virus (“HAV”) can cause an acute infection of the liver that is typically mild and resolves on its own.[1] The symptoms and duration of illness vary a great deal, with many persons showing no symptoms at all.[2] Fever and jaundice are two of the symptoms most commonly associated with HAV infection.[3] Throughout […]
Shigellosis, also known as bacillary dysentery, is the infectious disease caused by the Shigella bacteria. Most who are infected with Shigella develop diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps starting a day or two after exposure. The diarrhea is often bloody. Shigellosis usually resolves in 5 to 7 days. In some persons, especially young children and the elderly, the diarrhea can […]
Listeria is a gram-positive, rod-shaped bacterium that is ubiquitous and can grow under either anaerobic (without oxygen) or aerobic (with oxygen) conditions. A. The Prevalence of Listeria in Food and the Environment Listeriosis is one of the most important bacterial infections worldwide that arises mainly from the consumption of contaminated food.[1] The disease is caused by Listeria monocytogenes, which is considered […]
There are two Salmonella species: Salmonella enterica (S. enterica) and Salmonella bongori (S. bongori). S. bongori strains predominantly colonize cold-blooded reptiles, whereas S. enterica strains are capable of infecting both humans and mammals.[1] Based on factors such as morphology, structure, mode of reproduction, and other criteria, the two species are further classified into subgroups called serotypes or serovars. More than 2,600 serotypes have been described for Salmonella, […]
E. coli is an archetypal commensal bacterial species that lives in mammalian intestines. E. coli O157:H7 is one of thousands of serotypes Escherichia coli.[1] The combination of letters and numbers in the name of the E. coli O157:H7 refers to the specific antigens (proteins which provoke an antibody response) found on the body and tail or flagellum[2]respectively and distinguish it from other […]