Protecting families from contaminated food and water
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Protecting families from contaminated food and water
Posted in Campylobacter,Campylobacter Attorney,Campylobacter Lawsuit,Campylobacter Lawyer,Our Blog,Outbreaks & Recalls on November 22, 2022
A recent rise in Campylobacter cases in Brooklyn has City health officials looking for leads in a potential outbreak. An uncommon number of cases has been reported in the month of October leaves them looking for answers.
Campylobacter, pronounced kam ⸳ puh ⸳ low ⸳ bak ⸳ tr is a bacteria that can cause foodborne illness. It is very easy to get, as it takes very few bacteria to make someone ill. In fact, just a single drop of raw chicken juice can infect someone.
The good news is that you generally don’t get campylobacteriosis – the illness associated with infection of the Campylobacter bacteria, from another person. It isn’t exactly contagious; however it can be spread through other means of contact.
Most of the time Campylobacter infections are acquired from eating raw or undercooked poultry, such as chicken or turkey, or eating something that touched it. Using a contaminated cutting board, poor or lack of handwashing, and spills on surfaces can spread the bacteria quickly.
However, birds aren’t the only culprits. You can also become infected by consuming undercooked seafood, meat, and produce, contact with infected animals, and untreated drinking water.
Other outbreaks have been linked back to poultry, raw (unpasteurized) dairy products, seafood, untreated water, produce, and even puppies. A recent outbreak in Baltimore, Maryland was linked to an event with multiple food stands.
Many cases of campylobacteriosis each year are acquired through international travel. In fact, one in five Campylobacter infections reported through FoodNet – the national foodborne illness tracking database, are associated with international travel to low-resource countries where Campylobacter is more common. In some cases, the drinking water is contaminated with the bacteria.
This bacterial infection has gained the attention of health officials in Brooklyn due to the recent rise in cases. According to reports, approximately 50 cases were reported in October, though it is likely that additional cases have gone undiagnosed as symptoms are similar to those of the flu or other digestive illnesses.
While current reports indicate around 50 cases, this number could be much higher.
“Whenever you have an outbreak of some type of foodborne illness, most likely, when you see the actual number of reported cases, it underestimates, and in some cases, greatly underestimates, the actual number of cases that have occurred,” said Dr. Bruce Y. Lee, a professor at the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health & Health Policy.
First, the infected person must feel sick enough to seek medical treatment. Most will recover in about a week without medical intervention, so this is not included in the case count. Then, the medical professional will have to decide whether or not to test the stool for bacteria. In many cases, even if the stool is tested, the tests may be for other potential organisms.
According to the FDA, an outbreak is defined as “when two or more people get the same illness from the same contaminated food or drink.” Sometimes this can be as little as two cases – though those don’t usually make national headlines. Depending on the food and distribution of the offending product, the number can be significantly higher in foodborne outbreaks. So why is 50 such an alarming number of cases?
This Brooklyn outbreak comes at a time that the country as a whole is experiencing a spike in reported cases. While including unreported cases, the CDC estimates Campylobacter affects 1.5 million U.S. residents each year, “The average number of outbreaks reported each year from 2204 through 2009 was 22. From 2010 through 2012, it was up to 31. From 2013 through 2017 it was 29. For one borough in New York to have 50 reported cases in just one month is significant.
At this time, the source of these Campylobacter cases in Brooklyn is still unknown. According to Department of Health and Mental Hygiene spokesperson Patrick Gallahue, health officials are still trying to find the cause of the outbreak. This could take some time. It could be weeks or even months before the specific source is identified.
The first step is identifying as many affected people as possible. The more people identified and given the questionnaire of what they consumed in the week prior to becoming ill, the more likely the data will point to a specific food or drink.
“It can take a while to actually figure things out and if a contaminated food source needs to be removed from the market,” Lee said.
The best thing that New York residents can do to help this investigation is contact their doctors if they are experiencing symptoms. Even if they feel they may be mild.
Be sure to indicate symptoms are similar to those of the Campylobacter outbreak. A broad fecal screening may not include this specific bacteria, as it is a specialized test looking for specific genetic markers found in the DNA of the Campylobacter bacteria.
While your symptoms may be mild, others may not be so lucky. Serious and life-threatening illnesses may be avoided if a recall is initiated quickly. The more food consumption data collected, the faster the source can be identified.
Symptoms to look out for include those of the flu or diarrheal illness. The most common symptom associated with Campylobacter infection is diarrhea (often bloody), fever, and stomach cramps. Some may also experience nausea and vomiting.
These symptoms often start anywhere from two to five days after exposure and lasts about a week. Some may experience more serious complications such as irritable bowel syndrome, arthritis, Guillain-Barré Syndrome and temporary paralysis. For those with a weakened immune system such as those with AIDS, receiving chemotherapy, or blood disorders, the bacteria occasionally spreads to the bloodstream, causing a life-threatening infection.
If you believe you have symptoms of campylobacteriosis, even if you have not received your test results back, it is a good idea to start writing down the foods that you have consumed in the past week. Do this while it is fresh in your mind in case the information is needed by health officials.
Think about restaurants you have eaten at, foods and drinks you have consumed, and places you have been. All of this information could be useful in determining the source of the outbreak.
Check back regularly at MakeFoodSafe.com to stay up to date on this and other outbreaks and recalls to keep yourself and your family safe.
By: Heather Van Tassell (contributing writer, non-lawyer)