Outbreaks and Alerts: June 27, 2011

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United States

• Lansing, MI. June 23rd: The Michigan Department of Community Health announced three people in Michigan have been diagnosed with of Q fever after drinking raw milk from a dairy herd share program Livingston County.


• Lee County, AL. June 24th: Six children sickened with E. coli O157:H7 after playing in Opelika Splash Park and Aquatic Center.


• Anchorage, AK. June 27th: The State of Alaska Section of Epidemiology is investigating four recent cases of Campylobacter infection associated with drinking raw milk from an Alaska farm.


• Idaho, New Jersey, North Dakota, Washington & Montana. June 24th: FDA warns the public not to eat alfalfa sprouts or spicy sprouts from plastic bags labeled "Evergreen Produce" or "Evergreen Produce Inc." because the sprouts may be linked to as many as 20 cases of Salmonella Enteritidis in Idaho, Montana, New Jersey, North Dakota and Washington State. Six of the outbreak victims report having consumed sprouts obtained from Evergreen Produce (Moyie Springs, ID). While no recall has been initiated, federal and state officials are warning consumers to discard any Evergreen Produce sprouts in their possession.


• Cruise Ship Inspection. June 10th: Cunard's Queen Mary 2 fails routine unannounced CDC Vessel Sanitation Program inspection, obtaining a score of 84 (a score of 86 or above represents a Satisfactory result).

Europe, including Russian Federation and Ukraine

• Bordeaux, France. June 27th: Sprout seeds incriminated in an outbreak of E. coli O104:H4 in Bordeaux were imported from Italy. The seeds were purchased from Jardiland de Villenave d'Ornon (Gironde) before sprouting. At least 10 people are suffering from bloody diarrhea, 8 of whom have been hospitalized. Five of the victims are suffering from hemolytic uremic syndrome. At least six people reported having consumed sprouts. E. coli O104:H4 has been confirmed in 3 of the outbreak victims.

Asia and Africa

• Hong Kong. June 22nd: The Centre for Health Protection is investigating a suspected food poisoning case involving 14 members of a study tour group from Taiwan. The victims developed gastroenteritis some 10-35 hours after dining at a restaurant in Tsim Sha Tsui in the evening of June 20th.


• Kinshasa, Congo. June 27th: Four new cases of cholera were reported in Kinshasa earlier today, bringing the total number of cases in the capital city to seven.


• Zabul Province, Afghanistan. June 27th: More than 70 civilians and military personnel in the Ma'ruf district of Zabul province have developed cholera. Another 200 people have been exposed to the disease and are experiencing its initial symptoms. Members of the Afghan air force and the US 738th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group have transported medical personnel and supplies to the affected region.