Salmonella Blog - Surveillance & analysis on salmonella news & outbreaks

As of June 18, 2010, a total of 30 individuals infected with a matching strain of Salmonella Chester have been reported from 15 states since April 11, 2010. The number of ill people identified in each state with this strain is as follows: CA (4), CO (2), GA (6), IL (1), KY (1), MA (2), MN (2), MO (1), NC (1), OK (1), OR (2), SC (2), TN (1), UT (1), and VA (3). Among those for whom information is available about when symptoms started, illnesses began between April 5, 2010 and May 29, 2010. Case-patients range in age from <1 to 88 years old, and the median age is 37 years. Fifty-four percent of patients are female. Among the 15 patients with available hospitalization information, 6 (40%) were hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.

As of June 18, information had been collected on 14 ill and 21 well persons. Preliminary analysis of this study suggests eating a Marie Callender’s frozen meal as a possible source of illness. Ill persons (86 percent) were significantly more likely than well persons (10 percent) to report eating a frozen meal. All ill persons (100 percent) who ate frozen meals reported eating a Marie Callender’s frozen meal. None (0 percent) of the well persons who ate a frozen meal reported eating a Marie Callender’s frozen meal. At this time there are insufficient data to implicate a specific frozen meal type. However, many of the ill persons have reported eating a Marie Callender’s cheesy chicken and rice frozen entrée in the week before becoming ill.

Today, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture Laboratory reported to CDC that it has isolated Salmonella Chester from an unopened package of Marie Callender’s Cheesy Chicken & Rice single-serve frozen entrée collected from a case patient. Subtyping of the Salmonella strain is under way.

Two recent cases of salmonellosis in Minnesota have been linked to frozen chicken and rice meals being recalled nationally, state health and agriculture officials said today.

ConAgra Foods Packaged Foods of Iowa is recalling all Marie Callender’s brand Cheesy Chicken and Rice frozen meals from stores, regardless of production date, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). The products were distributed to retailers nationwide.

The products are being recalled after the company was informed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of an investigation involving 30 people in 15 states who have been diagnosed with infection of a rare type of Salmonella called Salmonella Chester. Eight of the cases reported eating this product in April and May 2010 prior to becoming ill. The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) determined that there have been two cases of infection with Salmonella Chester of the outbreak strain in Minnesota, and that both cases ate the Marie Callender’s product that subsequently was recalled. Both cases are females. One is a child and one is an adult. One resides in the metro area and one resides in outstate Minnesota. One of the cases was hospitalized, but both have recovered.

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture isolated Salmonella Chester from an intact package of Marie Callender’s Cheesy Chicken and Rice collected from the home of one of the ill people. This package was purchased at the same time as a similar package that was consumed just prior to the case’s onset of illness.

The recall specifically includes 13-ounce packages of Marie Callender’s Cheesy Chicken & Rice White Meat Chicken and Broccoli over Rice Topped with Rich Cheddar Sauce.” More information is available at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/Recall_036_2010_Release/index.asp.

MDH and MDA officials urge consumers to always follow all cooking and preparation instructions on the label of frozen entrees. Special attention to proper heating is important to ensure the entrees are fully cooked and all ingredients reach a safe minimum internal temperature of 165°F. Consumers should use a food thermometer to make sure the entrees reach at least 165°F.

Symptoms of salmonellosis include diarrhea, abdominal pain and cramps and fever. Symptoms usually begin within 12 to 72 hours after exposure, but can begin up to a week after exposure. Salmonella infections usually resolve in 5-7 days, but approximately 20 percent of cases require hospitalization. In rare cases, Salmonella infection can lead to death, particularly in the elderly or those with weakened immune systems. Anyone who has become ill after eating this product should see their health care provider.

Approximately 575 to 700 cases of salmonellosis are reported each year in Minnesota. More information on Salmonella and how to prevent it can be found on the MDH Web site at http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/idepc/diseases/salmonellosis/index.html.

The News and Advance reports that next month a judge in Roanoke could approve $12 million in payments to people who suffered salmonella poisoning from an outbreak traced to Lynchburg-based Peanut Corp. of America.  That outbreak took place in 2008 and 2009, leading to recalls of thousands of products that contained peanut products manufactured by PCA.

The U.S. trustee overseeing PCA’s bankruptcy received 123 claims from salmonella victims or surviving relatives and decided how much compensation should go to each claim.  Most of the claims are valued at less than $100,000. The largest is valued at more than $2 million, according to court documents. Those claims will be paid out of a $12 million fund established last fall.

Because bankruptcy courts do not have jurisdiction over personal-injury lawsuits, the case was moved to U.S. District Court in Roanoke earlier this year.  The court set an initial date of Aug. 18 to rule on the settlements, but on Wednesday stakeholders asked U.S. District Judge Michael Urbanski to move the date forward.

Nunzi's Place, 2330 E. 38th St., A popular restaurant on Erie's east side is temporarily closed after eight customers developed salmonella poisoning after eating there.  The restaurant voluntarily closed Wednesday after Erie County Department of Health officials told them more customers could get sick if they ate there, said Dennis Williams, an attorney representing the restaurant's owners, Michael and Betsy Cilladi.

The restaurant will reopen when the county Health Department says that it's safe to do so.

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 60 cases of Salmonella ser. Hvittingfoss associated with the ongoing investigation of illnesses among customers who ate at certain Subway restaurants in Illinois. All cases are recovering, of which 17 had been hospitalized.

As of today, Salmonella cases identified in this outbreak reported eating at Subway locations in 22 counties -- Bureau, Cass, Champaign, Christian, Coles, DeWitt, Fulton, Knox, LaSalle, Macon, Marshall, Moultrie, Ogle, Peoria, Sangamon, Schuyler, Shelby, Tazewell, Vermilion, Warren, Winnebago and Will. At this point in the investigation, no cases have reported eating at Subway restaurants in the southernmost portion of Illinois. Illnesses are reported to have started between May 11 and May 25 and cases range in age from three-years to 88-years-old.

At this time, a specific food source has not been identified in association with this outbreak. The Illinois Department of Public health is working closely with the Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Subway restaurant chain and local health departments throughout the state to identify the source of illness.

Sprouts - A total of 35 individuals infected with a matching strain of Salmonella Newport have been reported from 11 states since March 1, 2010. The number of ill people identified in each state with this strain is as follows: AZ (2), CA (17), CO (1), ID (5), IL (1), MO (1), NM (1), NV (2), OR (2), PA (1), and WI (2). Among those for whom information is available about when symptoms started, illnesses began between March 1, 2010 and May 16, 2010. Case-patients range in age from <1 to 75 years old, and the median age is 36 years. Sixty-six percent of patients are female. Among the 30 patients with available hospitalization information, 7 (23%) were hospitalized.

Subway - The Illinois Department of Public Health and local health departments throughout the state are investigating the cause of Salmonella illnesses among customers who ate at certain Subway restaurants in Illinois. To date, 34 cases of Salmonella have been confirmed with this outbreak and all are recovering, of which 14 had been hospitalized. Salmonella cases identified in this outbreak reported eating at Subway locations in 14 counties, including Sangamon, Schuyler, Christian, Bureau, LaSalle, Cass, Champaign, Peoria, Shelby, Warren, Macon, Ogle, Fulton and Tazewell. At this point in the investigation, no cases have reported eating at Subway restaurants in either northeastern or southernmost portions of Illinois. Illnesses are reported to have started between May 14 and May 25 and cases range in age from six-years to 88-years-old.

Margarita - At least 15 Salmonella illnesses among residents or visitors to Chico, California have been linked to the Margarita Mix-Off event held at Manzanita Place on May 8. Health authorities have been unable, thus far, to pinpoint the precise source of the bacteria; food at the mix-off event was served by at least six separate local restaurants.

Casa Lopez - At least 41 people have come down with salmonella poisoning after eating at an Athens restaurant that's being investigated by the Athens City-County Health Department. The restaurant is Casa Lopez on East State Street. Health officials are waiting on test results from 15 other cases.

Los Dos Amigos - At least 30 people became ill with Salmonellosis--the illness caused by the ingestion of Salmonella bacteria--after eating food purchased from Los Dos Amigos Mexican restaurant between April 9 and April 17, 2010. Douglas County Public Health Department investigators believe the Salmonella outbreak was caused by cross-contamination, but the final outbreak report has not yet been released.

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The Illinois Department of Public Health announced Thursday that 34 cases of salmonella have been confirmed. All are recovering, including 14 who were hospitalized.

They reported eating at Subways in 14 counties: Sangamon; Schuyler; Christian; Bureau; LaSalle; Cass; Champaign; Peoria; Shelby; Warren; Macon; Ogle; Fulton; and Tazewell.  Illnesses are reported to have started between May 14 and 25.

Subway officials have been cooperating with the investigation. Although there has been no confirmed association with a specific product, the restaurant chain has voluntarily replaced lettuce, green peppers, red onion and tomatoes with new, fresh produce.