Posted Mon, March 08, 2010
Filed under: Active New Outbreak
SAN FRANCISCO, Mar. 5 — Three people were confirmed to be sickened by norovirus after eating oysters originated from the U.S. state of Oregon, local media reported on Thursday.
Authorities have received reports of 16 people in the U.S. states of Oregon, Washington and Massachusetts who got sick after eating the oysters harvested from Yaquina Bay in Oregon, The Oregonian newspaper said in a report.
Specimens were taken from four people and lab tests showed that three were positive for norovirus with results on the fourth case still pending.
The 16 people ate the oysters in restaurants or bought them in stores and most of them were sick a day or two and have recovered, Meredith Vandermeer, an epidemiologist from Oregon's Public Health Division, was quoted as saying.
Noroviruses are a group of viruses that cause gastroenteritis in people with symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and some stomach cramping.
Following reports of illness, OM Seafood Co., based in the city of Portland in Oregon, on Tuesday issued a recall involving oyster meat and oysters in the shell harvested in Yaquina Bay from Feb. 1 to Feb. 24.
"This recall has been initiated due to potential norovirus contamination," the company announced in a statement.
In addition to Oregon, OM Seafood's oysters were distributed to 14 individual restaurants and retail stores located in other nine U.S. states including Minnesota, Indiana, Ohio, Utah, Arizona, Texas, Massachusetts, Kansas, and Colorado.
Earlier on Feb. 26, Oregon Oyster Farms Inc., one of Oregon's biggest oyster companies, also ordered a recall of oysters harvested from the Yaquina Bay, saying its oysters had been distributed in five Oregon counties and to individual restaurants in New York City, Boston, Texas, Mississippi and Virginia. (PNA/Xinhua) ALM/ebp
This article taken from: http://balita.ph/2010/03/05/norovirus-confirmed-in-three-people-eating-oysters-from-u-s-state-of-oregon/
Posted Mon, March 08, 2010
Filed under: Active New Outbreak
A Subway restaurant in Lombard has been closed by the DuPage County Health Department after several customers contracted gastrointestinal illnesses, officials said Thursday.
Health Department officials said in a statement that eight cases of shigellosis, an infectious disease caused by a bacterium called shigella, have been confirmed. Four people were hospitalized, according to the statement.
The Health Department said the restaurant at 1009 E. Roosevelt Road has been closed pending additional results of an investigation. Owners of the restaurant and representatives of Subway's corporate offices were cooperating with health officials, according to the statement.
This article continues at: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-0305-lombard-subway-20100304,0,6154575.story
Posted Mon, February 01, 2010
Filed under: Active New Outbreak
**The 5 reports of illness may be related to consumption of milk from Saratoga Farm.**
ALBANY, N.Y. (Jan. 29, 2010 ) -- The New York State Department of Health and the State Department of Agriculture and Markets today warned consumers in Saratoga County and surrounding areas NOT to consume "unpasteurized" raw milk produced at Willow Marsh Farm located at 343 Hop City Road in Ballston Spa due to possible Campylobacter contamination.
The state Health Department received 5 reports of Campylobacter enteritis, from people who have also consumed raw unpasteurized milk purchased from Willow Marsh Farm.
Campylobacter is a bacterial infection that can cause diarrhea, fever, abdominal pain, nausea, headache, and muscle pain. The illness usually occurs two to five days after ingestion and generally lasts for seven to ten days.
Anyone who purchased milk from Willow Marsh Farm and still has the product should discard it immediately. Individuals experiencing gastrointestinal illness symptoms after consuming milk purchased from Willow Marsh Farm should contact their health care provider.
The farm has voluntarily suspended milk sales since it was first notified of the reported illnesses on January 22.
Preliminary tests concluded today at the New York State Food Laboratory found that raw unpasteurized milk produced at Willow Marsh Farm and collected on January 25 may be contaminated with Campylobacter. Final test results will be available in the coming week. If the raw milk sample is confirmed positive for Campylobacter, the producer will be prohibited from selling raw milk until subsequent sampling indicates that the product is free of pathogens.
Willow Marsh Farm holds a Department of Agriculture permit to legally sell raw milk at the farm. Routine samples are taken monthly and tested by the state Agriculture and Markets Department to determine whether the raw milk is free of pathogens.
Raw milk does not provide the protection of pasteurization, which eliminates all pathogenic bacteria, including Campylobacter. Producers who sell raw milk to consumers must have a permit from the Department of Agriculture and must sell directly to consumers on the farm where the milk is produced. These producers must also post a notice at the point of sale indicating that raw milk does not provide the protection of pasteurization. Farms with permits to sell raw milk are inspected monthly by the Department.
This article taken from: http://www.health.state.ny.us/press/releases/2010/2010-01-29_campylobactor_contamination_in_raw_milk.htm
Posted Fri, January 22, 2010
Filed under: Active New Outbreak
By Myra Sanchik
WITI-TV, BELGIUM - At least five children became seriously ill, and they all live on the same street in the Village of Belgium. One concerned parent from this neighborhood talks to FOX 6 Reporter Myra Sanchick.
Amanda Strong's two and a half year old son Andrew is hospitalized with serious symptoms of E.coli and he's one of several who live along Grand Ave. in the Village of Belgium.
Andrew has already had a blood transfusion and is in isolation at Children's Hospital. His 4-year-old neighbor spent six weeks at Children's Hospital. His sister got E.coli, and another child has a confirmed case of Cryptosporidium.
The village took water samples and results came back negative for anything harmful. The Wisconsin Health Department is working with the Ozaukee County Health Department to find the cause, but families that are affected don't think officials are doing enough.
This article taken from: http://www.fox6now.com/news/witi-100120-ecoli-folo,0,1433491.story
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