Sunday, July 7, 2019

Salmonella Outbreak May be Linked to Pig Ear Dog Treats

CDC identified pig ear dog treats as the likely source of an Salmonella outbreak.  To date, there have been 45 cases with 34 of 38 people interviewed having claimed contact with a dog with 17 of 24 claiming contact with pig ear treats or contact with a dog who had pig ear treats.

Testing done thus far has not identified the outbreak strain,  but they have found other strains of Salmonella.  Testing of the outbreak strain found that the organism is antibiotic resistant.

(Champ's snack of choice is Penn State Summer Sausage....luckily he is a little dude and doesn't eat mass quantities....plus his owner gets to enjoy some as well...all Salmonella free...can't put a price on that.)

https://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/pet-treats-07-19/index.html
Outbreak of Multidrug-Resistant Salmonella Infections Linked to Contact with Pig Ear Dog Treats
Published on July 3, 2019 at 2:45 PM ET

CDC, public health and regulatory officials in several states, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDAexternal icon) are investigating a multistate outbreak of multidrug-resistant Salmonella I 4,[5],12:i:- infections linked to contact with pig ear dog treats.

At A Glance
Reported Cases: 45
States: 13
Hospitalizations: 12
Deaths: 0

Forty-five people infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella I 4,[5],12:i:- have been reported from 13 states.
Twelve ill people have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.
Epidemiologic evidence indicates that contact with pig ear dog treats is the likely source of this outbreak.
In interviews, 34 (89%) of 38 ill people reported contact with a dog before getting sick.

Of 24 people with available information, 17 (71%) reported contact with pig ear dog treats or with dogs who were fed pig ear dog treats.

Officials from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development gathered pig ear dog treats at retail locations where ill people reported buying the products. They sampled pig ears for Salmonella. Although the outbreak strain was not identified, other strains of Salmonella were. Investigators are checking to see if any human illnesses are linked to those strains. Retail locations where sampling occurred have removed pig ears from shelves.

A common supplier of pig ear treats in this outbreak has not been identified. Pet owners can take steps to keep their families healthy while feeding pets.

This investigation is ongoing, and CDC will provide updates when more information is available.

July 3, 2019

CDC, public health and regulatory officials in several states, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are investigating a multistate outbreak of multidrug-resistant Salmonella I 4,[5],12:i:- infections linked to contact with pig ear dog treats.

Public health investigators are using the PulseNet system to identify illnesses that may be part of this outbreak. PulseNet is the national subtyping network of public health laboratories coordinated by CDC. DNA fingerprinting is performed on Salmonella bacteria isolated from ill people by using standardized laboratory and data analysis techniques called pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and whole genome sequencing (WGS). CDC PulseNet manages a national database of these DNA fingerprints to identify possible outbreaks. WGS gives a more detailed DNA fingerprint than PFGE. WGS showed that bacteria isolated from ill people were closely related genetically. This means that people in this outbreak are more likely to share a common source of infection.

As of July 2, 2019, a total of 45 people infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella I 4,[5],12:i:- have been reported from 13 states. A list of the states and the number of cases in each can be found on the Map of Reported Cases page.

Illnesses started on dates ranging from November 18, 2018, to June 13, 2019. Ill people range in age from less than 1 year to 81 years, with a median age of 23. Half (50%) of ill people are female. Of 39 ill people with information available, 12 (31%) have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.

Illnesses might not yet be reported due to the time it takes between when a person becomes ill and when the illness is reported. This takes an average of 2 to 4 weeks. Please see the Timeline for Reporting Cases of Salmonella Infection for more details.

Whole genome sequencing analysis of Salmonella isolates from 30 ill people predicted antibiotic resistance or decreased susceptibility to ampicillin, ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, nalidixic acid, streptomycin, sulfisoxazole, tetracycline, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Testing of one clinical isolate using standard antibiotic susceptibility testing methods by CDC’s National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) provided comparable results. These antibiotic-resistant infections may be difficult to treat with commonly recommended antibiotics, and may require a different antibiotic choice.

Investigation of the Outbreak

Epidemiologic evidence indicates that contact with pig ear dog treats is the likely source of this outbreak.

In interviews, ill people answered questions about animal contact in the week before they became ill. Thirty-four (89%) of 38 ill people reported contact with a dog before getting sick. Of 24 people with available information, 17 (71%) reported contact with pig ear dog treats or with dogs who were fed pig ear dog treats. Both of these proportions are significantly higher than the results from a survey pdf icon[PDF – 28 pages] of healthy people who reported contact with dogs (61%) or handling dog treats, such as pig ears (16%), in the week before interview.

Officials from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development gathered pig ear dog treats at retail locations where ill people reported buying the products. They sampled pig ears for Salmonella. Although the outbreak strain was not identified, other strains of Salmonella were. Investigators are checking to see if any human illnesses are linked to those strains. Retail locations where sampling occurred have removed pig ears from shelves.

A common supplier of pig ear dog treats has not been identified. Pet owners can take steps to keep their families healthy while feeding pets.

This investigation is ongoing, and CDC will provide updates when more information is available.


FDA Recall Notice
https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/pet-supplies-plus-issues-consumer-advisory-bulk-pig-ear-product-fda-investigating-contaminated-pig
Pet Supplies Plus Issues Consumer Advisory for Bulk Pig Ear Product FDA Investigating Contaminated Pig Ear Treats Connecting to Salmonella
Summary
Company Announcement Date: July 03, 2019
FDA Publish Date:July 03, 2019 
Product Type:Animal & Veterinary Animal Feed 
Reason for Announcement: Potential Salmonella contamination
Company Name:Pet Supplies Plus
Brand Name:  PSP
Product Description:  Pig ears

Company Announcement

With the recent announcements of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) investigating contaminated Pig Ear Treats connecting to Salmonella, Pet Supplies Plus is advising consumers it is recalling bulk pig ear product supplied to all locations by several different vendors due to the potential of Salmonella contamination. Salmonella can affect animals eating the products and there is risk to humans from handling contaminated pet products, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the products or any surfaces exposed to these products.

Individuals infected with Salmonella should monitor for some, or all, of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Rarely, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments, including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers.

Pets with Salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.

Bulk pig ears were distributed to Pet Supplies Plus stores in AL, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, MA, MD, MI, MN, MO, NC, NE, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, VA, WI and WV. Bulk pig ears were stocked in open bins. Prepackaged branded pig ears are not included in this voluntary recall.

To date, 45 individuals in 13 states have been diagnosed with Salmonella related illness. However, none of these cases are confirmed to be a result of purchasing pig ears from Pet Supplies Plus.

Testing by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development revealed that aging bulk pig ear product in one of our stores tested positive for Salmonella. We have pulled bulk pig ear product from the shelves at all of our stores and have stopped shipping bulk pig ears from our Distribution Center. We are working with the FDA as they continue their investigation as to what caused the reported Salmonella related illnesses.

Consumers who have purchased bulk pig ears should discontinue use of the product and discard it. Consumers who have further questions are welcome to contact our Neighbor Service team at 734-793- 6564 between Monday and Friday 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. EST (excluding holidays).

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