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 […]
On Sunday, May 22, 2005, the Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) was alerted to a possible outbreak of foodborne illness centered at Old South restaurant in Camden, South Carolina. DHEC officials commenced their investigation the same afternoon. The outbreak they would soon confirm turned out to be one of the biggest in South […]
On November 6, 2004, the Chemung County Health Department issued a hepatitis A news release announcing that four persons had confirmed hepatitis A infections which were traceable to the Maple Lawn Dairy Family Restaurant in Elmira. The Health Department also advised that persons who had eaten at the defendant’s restaurant between September 26 and October […]
“It is not the failure of the Meat Industry in not keeping cattle feces out of hamburger that sickened the child, but it is the fault of the parent who handled and cooked the hamburger that was fed to the child.” This is a typical response to a sickened child by the meat industry and […]
On May 9, 2005, the Macomb County Health Department (MCHD) received reports of five recently diagnosed cases of Salmonella species in Macomb County residents. All five had sought care at area hospitals and three had been admitted for in-patient care. Isolates obtained from culture of stool specimens obtained from case patients were sent to the […]
The facts of this most unfortunate incident are well known to you, your client, your insured, and the people who became ill. It was covered well by the local media. However, the report issued by the Macomb County Health Department on May 1, 2002 sets forth the facts as a jury will hear them. Of […]
During June of 1999, both the Washington State Health Department and the Oregon Health Division independently investigated clusters of diarrheal illness attributed to Salmonella serotype muenchen infections in each state. As of July 13, 1999, 15 states and two Canadian provinces had reported 207 confirmed cases associated with this outbreak; additional 91 cases of S. […]
This outbreak arises out of Salmonella enteriditis infections that 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 is geographically the largest in history and the first outbreak to involve the residents of all […]
On December 1, 2000, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) issued a press release stating that 17 Minnesota citizens had been infected with the same strain of the E. coli O157:H7 bacteria during November 2000. Most of the individuals consumed ground beef from SuperValu/Cub Food stores, and days later began to show signs of infection. […]
On June 30, 2003, Lake County Health Department (LCHD) received a report from Lake Forest Hospital indicating that a patient was ill with a Salmonella infection. The LCHD immediately contacted the patient and interviewed him, using a questionnaire that is standard for the epidemiological investigation of foodborne illness outbreaks. One of the first things learned […]
In mid-October, 1999, an unusually high number of hepatitis-A cases were reported among individuals residing in Northeast Seattle and Snohomish County. At the same time, the Snohomish Health District reported an increased number of hepatitis-A cases reported among individuals who resided in Snohomish County, but who worked in the Northeast Seattle area. Because the infected […]
According to the Final Reports issued by the State on October 6 and 9, 2000, the outbreak was first noted on July 24 when staff at Children’s Hospital notified the City of Milwaukee Health Department regarding a cluster of E. coli O157:H7 cases. Eventually, sixty-four confirmed cases were discovered – 62 linked to the Layton […]
Doctors at Penrose St. Francis Health Services in Colorado quickly determined that the cause of William and Alexander’s diarrheal illness was likely to be infectious since both boys were experiencing similar symptoms. Each child submitted a stool specimen on August 16, 2005. Preliminary laboratory results were released on August 18 and showed that “sorbitol negative […]
BJ’s Wholesale Club, Inc. (“BJ’s”) is a membership-only supermarket that offers, according to its website, a “no-frills” environment [that] helps keep prices low. When you walk into a BJ’s, you’ll find cement floors, open-beamed ceilings, simple shelving – and plenty of savings.” What BJ’s members are not supposed to find are ground beef products contaminated […]
In late October 2004, the North Carolina Division of Public Health (NCDPH) received several reports of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) among North Carolina residents who had attended the State Fair, which ran from October 14 to 24 in Raleigh, North Carolina. Since attendance at the fair typically averages 800,000 visitors annually, the NCDPH recognized the […]
On August 22, 2000, Marion County Health investigators contacted the Oregon Health Department to report that a number of County residents were suffering from E. coli O157:H7. Three days later Wendy’s International, Inc voluntarily closed its Salem restaurant. The findings by the Marion Health Department made the link to this Wendy’s restaurant clear: The matched […]