Tag Archives: oregon health authority

Cold Stone

Outbreak: Cold Stone Cake Batter Ice Cream
Product: Cake Batter Ice CreamInvestigation Start Date: 06/29/2005
Location: Multi-stateEtiology: Salmonella Typhimurium
Earliest known case onset date: 05/21/2005Latest case onset date: 07/04/2005
Confirmed / Presumptive Case Counts: 25 / 0Positive Samples (Food / Environmental): 2 / 0
OUTBREAK SUMMARY:

The vehicle for this outbreak was ice cream made with a contaminated cake mix ingredient. Four patients reported eating cake batter flavor ice cream from two separate outlets of Cold Stone Creamery.

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Jack-in-the-Box Hamburgers

Outbreak: Jack In The Box Hamburgers
Product: HamburgersInvestigation Start Date: 01/12/1993
Location: Multi-State OutbreakEtiology: E. coli O157
Earliest known case onset date: 11/18/1992Latest case onset date: 02/21/1993
Confirmed / Presumptive Case Counts: 503 / 229Positive Samples (Food / Environmental / Water): 0 / 0 / 0
Hospitalizations: 151Deaths: 3
OUTBREAK SUMMARY:

This was the largest outbreak of E. coli O157 infections ever documented in the United States, and it injected this pathogen—and threats to food safety in general—into popular consciousness.

Protected: 2005-106 Spiritual Retreat Shigella

Outbreak: Spiritual Retreat Shigella
Product: Never pinpointedInvestigation Start Date: 7/28/2005
Location: Douglas County, OREtiology: Shigella
Earliest known case onset date: 07/19/2005Latest case onset date: 08/06/2005
Confirmed / Presumptive Case Counts: 262 / 18Positive Samples (Food / Environmental / Water): 0 / 0 / 0
OUTBREAK SUMMARY:

This outbreak of shigellosis is one the largest Oregon has ever seen with at least 280 cases identified (18 of which were lab-confirmed).

DETAILS:

A local organic farm and meditation retreat center hosted its annual 16-day retreat … Continue Reading ››

Venison Jerky

Outbreak: Venison Jerky
Product: Venison JerkyInvestigation Start Date: 11/20/1995
Location: Benton County, OregonEtiology: E. coli (STEC) O157:H7
Earliest known case onset date: 11/13/1995Latest case onset date: 11/20/1995
Confirmed / Presumptive Case Counts: 6 / 5Positive Samples (Food / Environmental / Water): 2 / 2 / 0
OUTBREAK SUMMARY:

At a time when ground beef was thought to be the source of all foodborne E. coli O157 infections, this was the first documentation of venison-associated E. coli O157:H7 outbreak. Epidemiologists showed that deer can be colonized by E. coli O157:H7 and ultimately be a source of human infections. … Continue Reading ››

Foundation Farm Raw Milk

Outbreak: Foundation Farm Raw Milk
Product: Foundation Farm Raw MilkInvestigation Start Date: 04/10/2012
Location: Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington Counties, OregonEtiology: E. coli (STEC) O157:H7
Earliest known case onset date: 04/01/2012Latest case onset date: 04/14/2012
Confirmed / Presumptive Case Counts: 11 / 5Positive Samples (Food / Environmental): 2 / 13
Hospitalizations: 4Deaths: 0
OUTBREAK SUMMARY:

This outbreak highlighted the persistent hazard of raw milk consumption, already well documented in the medical literature. Four of the 11 cases were hospitalized — some critically ill and all with hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS), subsequently shown to have been caused by E. coli O157:H7. Although most sales of raw … Continue Reading ››

Berry Stand Strawberries

Outbreak: Berry Stand Strawberries
Product: StrawberriesInvestigation Start Date: 08/03/2011
Location: Clackamas, Multnomah, Washington, Clatsop, & Yamhill Counties, OregonEtiology: E. coli (STEC) O157:H7
Earliest known case onset date: 07/01/2011Latest case onset date: 07/29/2011
Confirmed / Presumptive Case Counts: 14 / 1Positive Samples (Food / Environmental): 4 / 100
Hospitalizations: 6Deaths: 2
OUTBREAK SUMMARY:

This investigation implicated a novel vehicle—strawberries—as the cause of an outbreak of E. coli O157 infections. An association with locally produced strawberries quickly became apparent as cases were interviewed; but the fact that almost all had purchased them at roadside stands and farmer’s markets led to concern about potential … Continue Reading ››

Milk Crates, Cartons, & Jugs

Outbreak: Milk Crates, Cartons, & Jugs
Product: Milk Crates, Cartons, & JugsInvestigation Start Date: 01/27/2010
Location: Roseburg, OregonEtiology: Salmonella Braenderup
Earliest known case onset date: 10/21/2009Latest case onset date: 10/01/2010
Confirmed / Presumptive Case Counts: 25 / 0Positive Samples (Food / Environmental): 15 / 500
Hospitalizations: 0Deaths: 0
OUTBREAK SUMMARY:

This outbreak illustrates the value of descriptive epidemiology and the virtue of epidemiologist persistence! Over a 12-month period during 2009–2010, a total of 25 infections by Salmonella Braenderup with matching PFGE patterns were reported—no more than 4 in any given month. After 3 scattered cases over 3 months, the … Continue Reading ››

Lian How White Pepper

Outbreak: Lian How White Pepper
Product: White PepperInvestigation Start Date: 03/02/2009
Location: Multi-state outbreak–OR, CA, NV, WAEtiology: Salmonella Rissen
Earliest known case onset date: 11/01/2008Latest case onset date: 05/27/2009
Confirmed / Presumptive Case Counts: 87 / 0Positive Samples (Food): 33
Hospitalizations: 8Deaths: 0
OUTBREAK SUMMARY:

Salmonella Rissen is a very rare serotype in the US. When Oregon, California, and Nevada all reported it within days of each other, it began a coordinated investigation between those states (later to be joined by Washington and Idaho). This outbreak focused FDA attention on the role spices may … Continue Reading ››

Bagged Spinach

Outbreak: Bagged Spinach
Product: SpinachInvestigation Start Date: 09/08/2006
Location: Multi-StateEtiology: E. coli (STEC) O157:H7
Earliest known case onset date: 08/25/2006Latest case onset date: 09/13/2006
Confirmed / Presumptive Case Counts: 5 / 0Positive Samples (Food / Environmental / Water): 0 / 0 / 0
Hospitalizations: 98Deaths: 3
OUTBREAK SUMMARY:

This outbreak highlighted Inter-state health department cooperation. Oregon epidemiologists identified that 4 out of 5 cases in Oregon consumed bagged spinach using their homegrown "Shotgun" hypothesis-generating questionnaire. Contact with WI and NM showed cases already underway with spinach showing signs of being the culprit. Contact with Utah allowed them … Continue Reading ››

Paramount & Raw Almonds

Outbreak: Paramount & Raw Almonds
Product: Paramount & Raw AlmondsInvestigation Start Date: 02/23/2004
Location: Multi-state outbreakEtiology: Salmonella Enteritidis
Earliest known case onset date: 02/01/2004Latest case onset date: 04/17/04
Confirmed / Presumptive Case Counts: 7 / 0Positive Samples (Food / Environmental / Water): 1 / Lots / 0
Hospitalizations: 7Deaths: 0
OUTBREAK SUMMARY:

This investigation was rapidly solved by the use of Oregon's "Shotgun" hypothesis-generating questionnaire, a detailed food history interview tool that asks about over 400 different foods and places to eat. A single interviewer at the Oregon state health department used this standardized questionnaire to interview all 5 … Continue Reading ››