Tag Archives: north carolina

Pass the stool collection kits: 40 complain about barfing linked to North Carolina seafood joint

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Another in the weekly we’ve-been-doing-it-this-way-all-our-lives-and-never-got-sick declarations from a restaurant tentatively fingered in an outbreak of illness.

The Hickory Daily Record reports 40 people have complained to officials at Catawba County Public Health that they got sick after eating a meal at Conover’s Harbor Inn Seafood restaurant.

One thing the victims have in common is that they ate at Harbor Inn on Jan. 13.
Health officials are working to determine what the illness is and what caused it, said Catawba County Public Health Outreach Manager Amy McCauley

The first complaints came in on Jan. 17. As of Monday, 40 cases had been reported. None have required hospitalization, said Catawba County Health Director Doug Urland.

“Our Environmental Health workers have been to the restaurant almost every day to investigate and educate the staff about proper food handling techniques and to make sure they are stringent about safe food handling techniques,” McCauley said.

George Ziogas owns the Conover Harbor Inn and said he has no idea why some of his customers got sick following their Friday the 13th meal.

“The Health Department came in and they could not find anything. All of the food temperatures were OK. All of the salad bar temperatures were OK,” he said. “We’ve been open for 23 years and we’ve never had a problem.”

Recent inspection results have given Harbor Inn consistently high marks.
The most recent inspection came on Dec. 29 and Harbor Inn got an A with a score of 99.5. Three months earlier the restaurant scored 99.5. In June, Harbor Inn earned a 100.5.

“I want people to know we’re going to be here a long time – we’re not going anywhere – we’ve been here 23 years and this was a one-time incident,” Ziogas said.

“I eat here all the time and I like the food – if I didn’t, I wouldn’t come back,” said Cora Greene, of Mountain View, on Tuesday, after sharing a meal of whitefish with her son. “This can happen anyplace, but I’ve never gotten sick. I’ll be back.”

Health officials are working to identify the mysterious illness and its cause, but won’t speculate on what it may be.

On Friday, Catawba County Public Health began distributing stool sample kits to the victims of the illness at the request of the North Carolina Division of Public Health. The people complaining of illnesses related to Harbor Inn meals have been instructed to use the kit and return it to Catawba County Public Health, which will then send the kits to the state lab for testing.

It takes about a week to process the tests, and it won’t be clear what’s been making people sick until the results are in.

None of the distributed kits had been returned to Catawba County Public Health as of Tuesday, McCauley said.

The symptoms associated with the Harbor Inn outbreak are intense nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. The onset came within 12 to 24 hours following the Jan. 13 meal and lasted from 24 to 36 hours for most of the victims, according to reports from Catawba County Public Health.

Same old same old: how to ensure guidelines are being followed; E. coli O157:H7 gastroenteritis associated with North Carolina State Fair, 2011

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Notable finding: illness was associated with visit to a building in which sheep, goats, and pigs were housed for livestock competitions. Fair attendees were not intended to have physical contact with animals in the building; however, 25% of case-patients (three of 12) and 24% of control subjects (five of 21) who visited the building reported direct contact with animals.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that on October 24, 2011, the North Carolina Division of Public Health (NCDPH) was notified of four Shiga toxin–producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infections among persons who had attended the 2011 North Carolina State Fair, held October 13–23 in Raleigh. Approximately 1 million visitors had attended the fair.

NCDPH conducted a case-control study to identify the source of transmission. A case was defined as laboratory evidence of STEC, hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), or acute bloody diarrhea with no other identified etiology in a person who attended the fair 1–10 days before illness onset. Active case finding was performed by using a network of hospital-based public health epidemiologists..

Passive surveillance was enhanced through notifications to public health officials, health-care providers, laboratory directors, and the public. Control subjects were recruited by contacting 11,000 randomly selected advanced ticket purchasers by e-mail with a request to participate in the investigation. Three control subjects were matched to each case by age (<18 years or ≥18 years) and date of fair attendance. A stool specimen was requested of all case-patients for laboratory confirmation of E. coli. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) patterns were compared with known strains in the national PulseNet database. Case-patients’ exposures to food, animals, and fair activities were assessed by using a scripted questionnaire administered to case-patients and control subjects.

Twenty-five cases were identified with case-patients’ illness onsets during October 16–25; median age was 26 years (range: 1–77 years). Eight case-patients (32%) were hospitalized; four (16%) experienced HUS. Nineteen case-patients provided stool specimens, and 11 (44%) had laboratory confirmation of E. coli O157:H7 with matching PFGE patterns. This PFGE pattern is the eighth most common pattern in the PulseNet database and has been associated with previous foodborne outbreaks (CDC, unpublished data, 2011).

The only exposure associated with illness was having visited one of the permanent structures in which sheep, goats, and pigs were housed for livestock competitions (matched odds ratio: 5.6; 95% confidence interval: 1.6–19.2). Fair attendees were not intended to have physical contact with animals in the building; however, 25% of case-patients (three of 12) and 24% of control subjects (five of 21) who visited the building reported direct contact with animals.

A previous STEC outbreak linked to a petting zoo at the 2004 North Carolina State Fair resulted in 187 illnesses, 15 of which were complicated by HUS (1). The 2004 outbreak led to the passage of Aedin’s Law in North Carolina, which created regulations for exhibitions housing animals intended for physical contact with the public. These regulations include requirements for permitting, education, and signage to inform the public of health and safety concerns, enhanced maintenance of animal facilities, transitional entrances and exits, and easily accessible hand-washing stations. The 2011 outbreak was associated with an animal exhibit not subject to Aedin’s Law. Preventive measures such as educational signs and hand-washing facilities were in place, based on national guidelines compiled in the 2011 Compendium of Measures to Prevent Disease Associated with Animals in Public Settings. As a result of this outbreak, a multiagency task force is being created in North Carolina to evaluate the preventive measures that were in place during the 2011 state fair and to identify additional interventions that could be applied to prevent disease transmission in livestock exhibitions where physical contact with the public might occur.

A table of petting zoo/fair-related outbreaks is available at http://bites.ksu.edu/petting-zoos-outbreaks.

Hepatitis A risk for yogurt eaters in North Carolina

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Patrons of the Fruitti Yogurt in Goldsboro, N.C. are being advised to receive a free protective shot against hepatitis A.

The Wayne County Health Department says anyone who ate at the 317 Spence Ave. restaurant on Dec. 7 needs to visit a free clinic at 301 North Herman St.

The exposure might have occurred on Dec. 7 because of an infection in an employee who was diagnosed on Dec. 14.

The hepatitis A vaccine reduces the risk of the disease when given within 14 days of exposure.

If you’ve been previously vaccinated, no worries.

27 ill; E. coli outbreak at NC fair linked to animal building

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NBC17 reports state health officials have determined that the source of the E. coli O157:H7 outbreak came from the Kelley Building at the North Carolina State Fair.

The Kelley Building is one of the permanent buildings where sheep, goats, and pigs were housed and competed in livestock show.

NBC-17 was the first to report a direct link to goats at the State Fair and the E. coli outbreak. A family of six in Sampson County who was diagnosed with E. coli reported they visited the goats while attending the State Fair.

The N.C. Division of Public Health says 27 individuals were identified as having contracted E. coli after attending the State Fair in October.

State Epidemiologist Megan Davies said the illness is likely related to animal contact, however the study did not implicate any specific animal or breed. Health officials say no other exhibits, foods or activities were linked to the E. coli infections.

In 2004, 108 cases of E. coli were reported, all linked to the petting zoo at the State Fair. After the 2004 outbreak, Fair officials installed handwashing stations with sinks, soap and water around the petting zoo and near animal exhibits.

A table of petting zoo related outbreaks is available at http://bites.ksu.edu/petting-zoos-outbreaks.

27 ill; E. coli outbreak at NC fair linked to animal building

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NBC17 reports state health officials have determined that the source of the E. coli O157:H7 outbreak came from the Kelley Building at the North Carolina State Fair.

The Kelley Building is one of the permanent buildings where sheep, goats, and pigs were housed and competed in livestock show.

NBC-17 was the first to report a direct link to goats at the State Fair and the E. coli outbreak. A family of six in Sampson County who was diagnosed with E. coli reported they visited the goats while attending the State Fair.

The N.C. Division of Public Health says 27 individuals were identified as having contracted E. coli after attending the State Fair in October.

State Epidemiologist Megan Davies said the illness is likely related to animal contact, however the study did not implicate any specific animal or breed. Health officials say no other exhibits, foods or activities were linked to the E. coli infections.

In 2004, 108 cases of E. coli were reported, all linked to the petting zoo at the State Fair. After the 2004 outbreak, Fair officials installed handwashing stations with sinks, soap and water around the petting zoo and near animal exhibits.

A table of petting zoo related outbreaks is available at http://bites.ksu.edu/petting-zoos-outbreaks.

It’s only a little mold: applesauce repackaged by school lunch supplier; 9 kids in NC sickened

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JoNel Aleccia of msnbc reports that products recalled earlier this year by a Washington state fruit processor were blamed for illnesses of nine North Carolina children who became sick after eating applesauce at school.

This illnesses are only now being made public because the U.S. Food and Drug Administration wrote a letter to the company, Snokist Growers of Yakima, Wash., saying the company cannot ensure the safety of moldy applesauce and fruit puree that has been reconditioned for human consumption.

“Your firm reprocesses moldy applesauce product … using a method that is not effective against all toxic metabolites,” read the FDA letter sent Oct. 20 to Jimmie L. Davis, Snokist’s president. “Several foodborne molds may be hazardous to human health.”

The latest warning came after FDA officials said Snokist failed to adequately address problems identified during a June inspection in which regulators found large, laminated bags of fruit products that were supposed to be sealed and sterile, but instead were broken open and tainted with white, brown, blue, blue-green and black mold.

Some of the compromised bags were bloated and one had “a strong fermented odor,” the report said.

The FDA’s letter identified at least eight instances last year in which Snokist had reprocessed the moldy applesauce into canned goods for human consumption. The inspection report said Snokist documents showed the company had reprocessed mold-contaminated applesauce at least 13 times between January 2008 and May 2011, repackaging food into 15-ounce cans, 106-ounce-cans, 300-gallon bags and 4.2-ounce, single-serve cups.

It’s not clear whether the mold-tainted applesauce went to schools. However, the June inspection followed a voluntary recall of more than 3,300 cases of canned Snokist applesauce in May after North Carolina schoolchildren became mildly ill after eating the fruit product. The recall was blamed on faulty seals on cans. The children have since recovered.

Snokist officials admit that they “rework” some moldy food for future use. But in an e-mail to msnbc.com, company officials said that the contaminated fruit represents only a fraction of the company’s products, that compromised product is typically separated and destroyed, and that any reprocessed food is heat-treated to kill toxins.

“If rework occurs, our thermal process is more than adequate to render the product commercially sterile,” Tina Moss, a company spokeswoman, wrote in an e-mail.

However, the FDA said the company’s tests are not adequate and that officials must prove they’re testing for other dangerous microbes: “Most mycotoxins are stable compounds that are not destroyed by heat treatment,” the letter said.

Snokist applesauce is also sold at retailers. I wonder who the third-party auditor was?

Investigation continues in NC E. coli O157 outbreak

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State health officials continued through the weekend to investigate 24 cases of suspected E. coli infections with links to the North Carolina State Fair.

Officials have confirmed that eight of the cases are the O157:H7 strain of E. coli; five people have been hospitalized, three with kidney failure.

Health officials are continuing their detective work to pinpoint the source of the bacteria, by interviewing the affected people as well as fairgoers who did not get sick, according to Julie Henry, a spokeswoman for the Department of Health and Human Services.

North Carolina boy, 2, battles E. coli after day at fair

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A 2-year-old Cleveland County boy remained hospitalized Friday as state officials work to pinpoint the cause of an apparent outbreak of E. coli that has sickened the toddler and many others across North Carolina.

Hunter Tallent of Shelby underwent a third day of dialysis treatments in Charlotte on Friday. His is one of 26 E. coli-related cases the state is investigating. North Carolina health officials said all but three people had visited the state fair in Raleigh.

Hunter is the only victim reported from the Charlotte region, and one of five hospitalized on Friday, according to state health officials.

Hunter and his parents, Lindsay and James Tallent, went to the fair Oct. 15. A few days later, their youngest son fell ill with nausea and diarrhea. He wouldn’t move around much.

Tests have confirmed that 10 of the 26 suspected cases were caused by E. coli; the rest remain under investigation, Division of Public Health officials said in a statement. Public health officials say they consider the State Fair to be the probable cause for the outbreak and plan to talk with some attendees to try to determine the specific source.

A petting zoo was the source of a 2004 E. coli outbreak at the N.C. State Fair that sickened 108 people.

Lindsay Tallent says the family strolled through the barns to look at cows and other animals but says they did not touch any animals. Hunter ate a hot dog, corn dog, some pizza and ice cream, and drank lemonade, his mom said.

Doctors are not sure how long Hunter will remain in the hospital.

Outbreak brings congregation closer; information about bugs may help too; 40 North Carolina church members fall ill after potluck

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People weren’t so lucky at this potluck.

After a Sunday church service last week, 40 members of a Cary, NC, Baptist church caught what media described as a stomach virus, including the pastor’s family.

About 140 people gathered for Sunday worship at North Cary Baptist Church on Reedy Creek Road and then ate a potluck lunch together, said Pastor Mark Minervino.

Soon after, people began falling ill and vomiting, he said. At first, they thought it was food poisoning, but the illness passed between family members at different times.

They later discovered a child in the church had been ill two days before the pot luck. The child was not there Sunday, but relatives were, Minervino said.

The pastor spoke with a Wake County Health Department official, who told him it is probably the norovirus, a stomach bug that swept through Wake County earlier this year.

The church will be open Sunday, Minervino said, adding the outbreak has brought the congregation closer.

"They have such good spirits, and it’s really drawn us to watch over one another.”