Campylobacter Blog - Surveillance & analysis on Campylobacter news & outbreaks

Over at Outbreak Database, we have been keeping track of foodborne illness outbreaks – small and large – over the last 12 months.  Here are some of the more interesting Campylobacter Outbreaks:

Jerry Dell Farm Unpasteurized, Raw Milk September 2011 – 2 Ill.  At least two people became ill due to Campylobacteriosis after drinking raw milk. Jerry Dell Farm in Freeville, New York had produced the milk. The farm had an agricultural permit to sell raw milk at the farm. The milk was confirmed to be contaminated with Campylobacter.

Matanuska-Suisitna Valley Cow Share Program Raw Milk May 2011 – 18 Ill.  An outbreak of Campylobacter jejuni was linked to the consumption of raw milk obtained through a cow share program in southeast Alaska. In Alaska, regulations did not allow the sale of raw milk; however owning shares of a cow to obtain milk was permissible. Campylobacter was not isolated from milk, but was isolated from manure samples collected at the dairy farm. Coincidentally Listeria was isolated, but no human illness had been attributed to this pathogen.

USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service has announced implementation of revised and new performance standards aimed at reducing the prevalence of salmonella and campylobacter in young chickens and turkeys.

The improved standards, effective in July 2011, will assist establishments slaughtering chickens and turkeys to reduce pathogens such as salmonella and campylobacter in their products. In two years, the new standards are estimated to prevent about 5,000 campylobacter illnesses and about 20,000 salmonella illnesses each year.

Public health officials are investigating an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness among people who ate at Hinerwadel’s Grove in North Syracuse.

At least seven people in Central New York became ill with the bacterial infection Campylobacter after eating at Hinerwadel’s Sept. 15, according to the Onondaga County Health Department. The infection can cause diarrhea, abdominal cramps and fever. People who become ill from the infection can have symptoms for up to two weeks.

The incubation period for the infection can be as long as 10 days. Dr. Cynthia Morrow, the county’s health commissioner, said she anticipates the number of people ill associated with the outbreak will grow.

The Health Department said there is no indication of improper food handling at Hinerwadels. The department said it is working to determine the source of the infection.

The Health Department is asking anyone who ate at Hinerwadel's on or after Sept. 15 and who became ill to call the department at 435-6607.

More than 200 people got sick at Hinerwadel’s in 2008 from the same infection. Raw mahogany clams were suspected as the source of that outbreak.

According to last week's press reports, Boulder County Public Health officials on Friday said they’d identified at least 26 cases of people who said they became ill after drinking raw milk from Billy Goat Dairy.  That’s 10 people more than the county reported on Wednesday, when it announced it had launched an investigation and had ordered the Billy Goat Dairy to cease distributing raw, unpasteurized raw milk.  Illnesses reported so far have been E. coli O157:H7 and Campylobacter.

“Right now, we’re waiting for confirmed lab results” from the people who became sick and from the dairy at 7577 N. 107th St., Alden said, to determine whether the illnesses are linked to goat milk from the dairy.  “We can say that everyone who has reported illness also reported drinking raw milk from Billy Goat Dairy,” Alden said.

Two children were examined at The Children’s Hospital in Aurora after becoming ill. Alden said Friday that one is still hospitalized and remains in serious condition with hemolytic uremic syndrome.

The UCHD continues its epidemiological investigation of campylobacter in the Saratoga Springs area. With the assistance of the Utah Department of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), "Case Definitions" have been established. These are used to classify individuals for statistical reporting purposes, and gives public health the opportunity to find trends in disease, sources, etc.

Individuals are considered "Confirmed Cases" of this outbreak if they lived and/or visited the area since April 12th, have had symptoms consistent with campylobacter (diarrhea, vomiting) after April 13th, and have a laboratory test confirming campylobacter. Individuals are "Probable Cases" is they have all the above except the lab confirmation.

As of May 20th, the UCHD has reported 17 confirmed cases and 333 probable cases in connection with this outbreak. The UCHD is continuing the investigation, as well as notifying physicians of the outbreak and making recommendations for residents. The UCHD continues to be concerned about secondary infections, and would advise precaution for anyone who is or has been sick in the last 10 days (see link below).

If you believe you or your family members have been effected by this outbreak, please contact the UCHD Office of Epidemiology at 801-851-7037 or by emailing uchlth.lisag@state.ut.us.