Tag Archives: typhoid

Stop handling food: 18 with typhoid in New Zealand

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The number of people in Auckland confirmed to have contracted typhoid remains at 18; with one probable case and two others still under investigation.

The Auckland Regional Public Health said this afternoon that of those cases, three people remained in hospitals around the city.

All patients – including children – are connected to the Mt Albert Samoan Assembly of God church congregation which holds its Sunday services at Wesley Primary School in Mt Roskill.

“More cases may come to light as a result of the work ARPHS is doing to trace those who have been in contact with people confirmed as having typhoid,” a statement said.

“Typhoid has a typical incubation period of eight to 14 days, but incubation can be up to 80 days.

This means cases may emerge over the course of several weeks.”

Health officials are urging anyone who has close contacts to those affected by the disease to take extra precautions.

“Public health services have asked close contacts of typhoid patients who are in settings where there is an increased risk of transmission, such as food handlers, to stand down until they’re cleared.”

3 sickened by typhoid at Colorado restaurant

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There are now three cases of typhoid fever in Weld County after the people ate at a Firestone restaurant in August.

QdobaOfficials from the State Health Department and the Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment believe the illness was acquired from an infected food handler at a franchised Qdoba Mexican restaurant in Firestone. Qdoba management and employees have been highly cooperative in the investigation.

The infected food handler is not working at the restaurant, does not have symptoms of the illness and will receive appropriate medical treatment. Additional testing of current and former employees will be completed to make sure no other individuals are confirmed with the illness.

“Typhoid fever is very rare,” Dr. Mark E. Wallace, MD MPH, Executive Director of the Weld County Health Department, said. “The good news is the illness is treatable with antibiotics. Simply having eaten at the restaurant is not a reason to see your healthcare provider. Only those currently exhibiting symptoms should contact their healthcare provider.”

Two people were hospitalized. All three have recovered from the illness.

The Health Department has not received any reports of sick individuals since mid-October. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has issued

Aberdeen’s typhoid outbreak remembered 50 years on

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Sheena Blackhall was a 16-year-old schoolgirl when Aberdeen was brought to its knees by the largest typhoid outbreak in recent British history 50 years ago.

More than 500 people of all ages had to be quarantined in hospital.

The infection was eventually traced back to a single tin of Argentinean corned beef sold in a supermarket.

typhoid.canned.beefIt happened in the summer of 1964, and led to speculation across the country of many deaths.

In reality, and somewhat remarkably, the outbreak was contained without a single related death.

Most patients spent many weeks in hospital until they were allowed home.

Ms Blackhall told BBC Scotland: “The GP that we had had been in a Japanese prisoner of war camp so he knew right away that I had typhoid and phoned for an ambulance, by which time I had a very high temperature and I was delirious.

“I remember nothing about this but apparently when they took me down the stairs I said ‘dinna cremate me! I want to be buried!’ – which upset everybody.

An inquiry into the outbreak later found that a large can of Argentinean corned beef had been sold sliced from the cold meat counter of the William Low supermarket.

The can had been cooled in Argentina using untreated water from a river.

The typhoid organism was assumed to have entered the meat through a small hole in the seam of the can.

It was then passed on to anyone who bought the corned beef, or other products which had come into contact with the shop’s meat slicer.

The media attention helped raise the importance of cleanliness and hygiene.

Hygiene lessons from the Aberdeen typhoid outbreak are still relevant today.

Prof Hugh Pennigton, the renowned bacteriologist, said it was an “enormous” outbreak.

Typhoid fever potentially spread by California cafe worker

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San Francisco public health authorities confirmed Friday that a café worker must have spread typhoid fever between April 16, 17, 18, 20 or 27 when he was diagnosed with a bacterial infection.

The Guardian Express reports that anyone who ate at Nordstrom Café at Stonestown Galleria Mall in San Francisco between those periods will be at risk Nordstrom Café at Stonestownof becoming ill. However, it is still unknown how many people have been infected.

Typhoid bacterial infection can be caused by Salmonella Enterica serotype Typhi bacterium, which is very rare in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that typhoid fever was life-threatening with about 5,700 cases annually. Symptoms of the illness according to the SF State’s Student Health Center include weakness, fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, stomach pains, and diarrhea. And in other cases, it could cause flat rose-colored skin spots.

The worker must have contracted it when he was traveling outside the U.S. Individuals with typhoid fever carry the bacteria in their intestinal tracks and blood streams. However, a small number of individuals called carriers may recover yet continue to carry the infection.

It is still unclear how many people dined at Nordstrom Café around those dates, but employees were already informed about the case on Friday. Kara Darrow, Nordstrom’s spokesman said they are looking through their customer’s credit card records, so they can offer free typhoid testing to those who might have been exposed.

Not just a recall, an outbreak: 7 sick with typhoid from frozen mamey pulp in shakes or smoothies

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Associated Press reported today a rare U.S. outbreak of typhoid fever has been linked to a frozen tropical fruit product used to make smoothies.

Seven cases have been confirmed — three in California and four in Nevada. Two more California cases are being investigated. Five people were hospitalized, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC said five of the victims drank milkshakes or smoothies made with frozen mamey fruit pulp. Four of them used pulp sold by Goya Foods Inc. of Secaucus, N.J.

Mamey is a sweet, reddish tropical fruit grown mainly in Central and South America. It is also known as zapote or sapote. It is peeled and mashed to make pulp, the CDC said.

The company has recalled packages of the pulp, sold in mostly western states. That press release said “no illnesses have been reported to date in connection with Goya brand Mamey Pulp.”

Oops.

A sample from one package found in Las Vegas tested positive for the bacteria that causes typhoid, the Food and Drug Administration reported Wednesday.
 

Miami chef cooked while sick with typhoid fever

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NBC Miami reports the Miami-Dade Health Department said Wednesday a cook at the Bayside Chili’s has a confirmed case of typhoid fever and likely prepared food for some time before it was finally diagnosed.

Every employee at the Chili’s is being examined to see if the disease was spread to them, but there may not be any way to get to the hundreds of people who may have consumed food prepared by the contaminated cook.

The restaurant is still open for business.

Typhoid fever is caused by Salmonella Typhi, a bacteria that can be passed on by eating or drinking something prepared by someone with the illness. It’s usually treatable by antibiotics.