US: Hundreds sickened by contaminated food

Health officials in Indianapolis, Indiana, reported that at least 373 people became ill after eating at an Olive Garden restaurant December 15. The sickness was determined to have been caused by norovirus, a type of pathogen associated with fecal contamination, although the source of the contamination has yet to be specified.

Beginning in late November, an outbreak of E. coli sickened 71 people who had eaten at Taco Bell restaurants in five Northeastern states. Of these, 53 were hospitalized and 8 developed kidney failure. Meanwhile, 54 people in Iowa and Minnesota were reported ill from E. coli after eating at Taco John franchises.

At least 199 people in 26 states and Canada were sickened by bagged spinach contaminated with a virulent strain of E. coli bacteria in August and September. Also in September, at least four Americans and two Canadians were hospitalized and left paralyzed after consuming carrot juice that contained botulism toxin. In October and November, at least 400 people were sickened by salmonella-tainted tomatoes.

Food poisoning is excessively common in the US, although most cases go unreported. The CDC estimates that as many as 81 million cases of food-related illnesses occur each year, causing up to 9,000 deaths.

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http://wsws.org/articles/2006/dec2006/food-d21.shtml