Case count surges in mid-western Cyclospora outbreak

More than 200 people in eight US states have become infected with Cyclospora since the first half of May, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Twenty-three people have been hospitalized.

Epidemiological and traceback investigations are pointing the finger at bagged salads containing iceberg lettuce, carrots, and red cabbage produced by Fresh Express.

A total of 206 cases of cyclosporiasis have been confirmed in Illinois (57), Iowa (74), Kansas (1), Minnesota (25), Missouri (10) Nebraska (20), North Dakota (6), and Wisconsin (13).

Four Cyclospora oocysts from fresh stool stained using a modified acid-fast stain. The oocysts are variably acid fast (that is, they range from unstained to light pink to deep red or purple). (Credit: CDC/DPDx)

The average incubation period for Cyclospora is 1 week. Symptoms of infection can appear from 2 days to 2 weeks following ingestion of a contaminated food and may include: watery diarrhea, loss of appetite, weight loss, cramping, bloating, increased gas, nausea and fatigue. Some patients may also experience vomiting and low-grade fever.

Jewel-Osco, Fresh Express, ALDI and Hy-Vee have recalled bagged iceberg lettuce salad in recent days, including the following items:

Signature Farms Garden Salad (12-oz bags; BEST IF USED BY dates of May 16 through July 4; UPC 21130 98135; Plant #S5417). Sold in Jewel-Osco stores in Illinois, Indiana, and Iowa.
Marketside Classic Iceberg Salad (12-oz bags (UPC 6 81131 32894 4) and 24-oz bags (6 81131 32895 1); Best if used by May 19 to July 04). Sold in Wal-Mart stores in Iowa, Minnesota Michigan, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.
Little Salad Bar Garden Salad (12-oz bags; Best If Used By dates of May 1 through June 29; UPC 4099100082975). Sold in ALDI stores in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
Hy-Vee Bagged Garden Salad (All UPCs and expiration dates). Sold in Hy-Vee stores in Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

CDC warns that the items recalled so far do not account for all reported outbreak cases. Additional suspect products may be identified and added to the recall list.

Do not eat or serve any of the recalled items. Check your home for any of these recalled salads. Throw any remaining salad away, even if some of it has been eaten and no one has gotten sick.

If you live in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, or Wisconsin and don’t know whether the bagged salad mix you have in your home is one of these recalled salads, do not eat it. Throw it away.

FDA is working with Fresh Express to identify other retailers that may have received the implicated bagged salad mix, and is working with retailers to ensure that all of the recalled products have been removed from the marketplace.

CDC requests that anyone experiencing symptoms of Cyclospora infection should do the following:

Talk to your healthcare provider.
Write down what you ate in the two weeks before you started to get sick.
Report your illness to the health department.
Assist public health investigators by answering questions about your illness.

Canadian E. coli O157 outbreak linked to raw pet food

Four Canadians between the ages of 3 and 43 have beccome infected with E. coli O157 since March 2020, according to a report from the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC). Two of the individuals were hospitalized.

All four individuals became ill following exposure to Carnivora brand frozen raw pet food purchased at various pet stores.

There have been no reports of sick pets.

The four genetically linked outbreak cases were reported from British Columbia (1 case), Alberta (2 cases) and Manitoba (1 case).

Carnivora brand raw pet food is manufactured by Riveriene Farm Ltd. o/a Carnivora Pet Foods, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and is distributed through retailers across Canada.

Carnivora has recalled the following six items, which may be contaminated with E. coli O157.

Carnivora Brand Whole Animal Chicken Dinner with Vegetables ‘n’ Fruit, Ultra Premium Fresh Frozen Patties for Dogs & Cats (4 lb / 1820g bag; UPC 689076622271; Date codes 13 01 20 / 006, 15 02 20 / 042, 20 01 20 / 006 & 20 02 20 / 042)
Carnivora Brand Chicken Dinner with Vegetables ‘n’ Fruit (25 lb / 11.36 kg Bulk Box; UPC 689076619677; Date codes 13 01 20 / 006, 15 02 20 / 042, 20 01 20 / 006 & 20 02 20 / 042)
Carnivora Brand Whole Animal Beef Dinner with Vegetables ‘n’ Fruit, Ultra Premium Fresh Frozen Patties for Dogs & Cats (4 lb / 1820g Bag; UPC 689076622370; Date codes 13 01 20 / 006, 15 02 20 / 042, 20 01 20 / 006 & 20 02 20 / 042)
Carnivora Brand Beef Dinner with Vegetables ‘n’ Fruit (25 lb / 11.36 kg Bulk Box; UPC 689076621076; Date codes 13 01 20 / 006, 15 02 20 / 042, 20 01 20 / 006 & 20 02 20 / 042)
Carnivora Brand Whole Animal Turkey Diet, Ultra Premium Fresh Frozen Patties for Dogs & Cats (4 lb / 1820g Bag; UPC 689076623971; Date codes 13 01 20 / 006, 15 02 20 / 042, 20 01 20 / 006 & 20 02 20 / 042)
Carnivora Brand Turkey Diet (25 lb / 11.36 kg Bulk Box; UPC 689076624800; Date codes 13 01 20 / 006, 15 02 20 / 042, 20 01 20 / 006 & 20 02 20 / 042)

The approximately 1803 recalled units were sold in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and may also have been distributed elsewhere in Canada.

Pet foods manufactured for export to the USA, the European Union and other countries must be accompanied by an export certificate certifying compliance with the requirements of the destination country. Likewise, pet foods imported into Canada must be accompanied by a government certificate attesting to the safety of the products.

Yet pet foods manufactured in Canada purely for domestic consumption fall into a regulatory No Man’s Land and are not subject to ANY requirements under either the Health of Animals Act or the Food and Drugs Act.

PHAC offers the following information and advice for consumers:

If you have the affected product, do not feed it to your pet. Consumers should immediately stop using any of the affected pet food products and contact the retailer where they purchased the affected product for a full refund or exchange.
Wash and sanitize any containers, utensils and surfaces that the raw foods touched before using them again. This includes countertops, microwaves and refrigerators.
Always wash hands thoroughly with soap and warm water after feeding, handling or cleaning up after pets. Animals fed raw meat diets are more likely to be shedding harmful bacteria like Salmonella and dangerous strains of E. coli even when they appear healthy, compared to those fed commercial kibble or other cooked diets. Regularly clean surfaces that come into contact with pet food or pets.
When possible, store all pet food and treats away from where human food is stored or prepared and away from reach of young children.
If you suspect you have become ill after being exposed to frozen raw pet food, or pets fed these diets, and have symptoms consistent with E. coli O157 infection, talk with your health care provider.
The Public Health Agency of Canada does not recommend feeding raw pet food to pets, especially in households with young children, or individuals who have conditions that compromise their immune system that put them at greater risk for more serious illness. However, if you choose to feed your pet a raw food diet, it is recommended that you buy from companies that use meat-derived ingredients that have been prepared in sanitary conditions and passed inspection for human consumption. Also look for companies that have a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points protocol in place, which sets safety standards and practices, and helps to greatly reduce the risk of bacterial contamination.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency does not post recalls of either domestic or imported pet foods. Pet food recalls, if they are reported at all on a Government of Canada come under the heading of a Consumer Product.

It is only when a pet food has been linked to human illnesses or to widespread – and usually international – pet illnesses that Canadians learn about a contamination issue.

FDA finds Salmonella in Aunt Jeni’s raw pet food sample

FDA is cautioning pet owners not to feed a specific lot of Aunt Jeni’s frozen raw pet food after finding Salmonella in a retail sample.

The contaminated product is described as: Aunt Jeni’s Home Made All-Natural Raw Turkey Dinner Dog Food, 5 lb. (2.3 kg), lot 175331 NOV2020.

FDA obtained a retail sample of this product in January 2020 and has confirmed the presence of Salmonella Infantis in the sample.

Aunt Jeni has not recalled the contamination product.

Salmonella can cause illness and death in humans and animals, especially those who are very young, very old, or have weak immune systems. Common symptoms include diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps. Most people recover without treatment, but in some people, the diarrhea may be so severe that they need to be hospitalized.

Infected pets may show symptoms that include vomiting, diarrhea (which may be bloody), fever, loss of appetite and/or decreased activity level. Although pets do not always display symptoms of a Salmonella infection, they can shed the bacteria in their feces and saliva, contaminating the environment and potentially spreading the infection to other animals and to people.

This is the second time in less than a year that FDA has reported finding pathogens in products from this company. In August 2019, FDA reported the presence of Salmonella and/or Listeria monocytogenes in two samples obtained during an inspection of the company’s premises. The contaminated products were not recalled.

What Consumers Need to Know

The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act requires that all animal food, like human food, be safe to eat, produced under sanitary conditions, contain no harmful substances, and be truthfully labeled. Without an effective control for pathogens, such as cooking, animal food is more likely to contain pathogens such as Salmonella. Refrigeration or freezing does not kill the bacteria.
If you think you have symptoms of Salmonella infection, consult your health care provider.
People who think their pets have become ill after consuming contaminated pet food should first contact their veterinarians. Veterinarians who wish to have pets tested for Salmonella may do so through the Veterinary Laboratory Investigation and Response Network (Vet-LIRN) if the pet is from a household with a person infected with Salmonella.
FDA encourages consumers to report complaints about pet food products electronically through the Safety Reporting Portal. This information helps FDA further protect human and animal health.