Foodborne Disease

USDA issues alert over raw chicken tied to Salmonella illnesses

The US Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) and Empire Kosher Poultry, Inc. late last week issued a public health alert over Salmonella illnesses in several states that might be tied to raw chicken products.

CDC again reports 4 more H1N2v flu infections

For the third week in a row the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed four cases of variant H1N2 (H1N2v) flu, this time in California and Ohio.

Study shows HPV, other vaccines not tied to premature menopause

Preteen girls, teens, and young women who receive recommended vaccinations, including for human papillomavirus (HPV), have no increased risk of primary ovarian insufficiency (POI), also called premature menopause, according to a study published yesterday in Pediatrics.

Cyclospora outbreak tied to McDonald's salads sickens 40 more

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) yesterday reported 40 more cases in a Cyclospora outbreak linked to McDonald's salads, pushing the illness total to 476.

H1N2v confirmed in California, Michigan fairgoers; CDC unveils variant flu graphic novel

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today reported four variant H1N2 (H1N2v) cases in people who had contact with swine at fairs, two first reported by California yesterday and two from Michigan, the same day the agency released a new graphic novel aimed at teaching young people about the risk of variant flu in swine exhibit settings.

FDA: Cattle may have contaminated romaine lettuce tied to E coli outbreak

Canal water contamination with Escherichia coli O157:H7 near a Yuma, Ariz., romaine lettuce growing region might be linked to a large cattle facility, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said yesterday in an update.

Multistate Cyclospora outbreak tied to McDonald's salads nears 400 cases

In an update yesterday on a Cyclospora outbreak linked to McDonald's salads, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 109 more cases, raising the total to 395.

The number of affected states remained at 15, and the latest illness onset was Jul 20. So far 16 people have been hospitalized, but no deaths have been reported.

FDA: New testing method turns up Cyclospora in salad mix distributed to McDonald's

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced yesterday that tests involving a newly validated method to detect Cyclospora in fresh produce have confirmed the parasite in an unused package of expired salad mix processed by Fresh Express in Streamwood, Ill., that had been distributed to McDonald's.

Tests underway to ID cause of febrile illness outbreak in eastern DRC

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) health ministry announced yesterday that it has received reports of 25 fever cases with symptoms similar to Ebola in North Kivu province in the eastern part of the country.

In a statement, it said the affected area is in the Mangina health district.