I am so glad I feed raw...
From: Peggy & The Girls
Sent: Friday, May 04, 2012 4:44 PM
To: Chihuahuas@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Chihuahuas] Tainted Dog Food Sickens 14 People and Not The Dogs!!
http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2012/05/salmonella-tainted-dog-food-sickens-14-people/
Tainted Dog Food Sickens 14 People
Salmonella in Diamond Pet Foods
by Mary Rothschild | May 04, 2012
Fourteen people have been sickened with Salmonella Infantis infections in
a 9-state outbreak linked to dog food. At least five of the individuals have
been hospitalized, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC reported Thursday that multiple brands of Diamond Pet Foods dry
dog food - including several that have been recalled in recent days - are the
likely source of the human illnesses, either through contact with the
contaminated food or through handling an animal that has eaten the tainted
kibble. The dog food was produced at a single manufacturing plant in South
Carolina.
How many dogs may have been sickened was not mentioned in the CDC report.
In some recall notices, Diamond Pet Foods has claimed that no dog illnesses
have been reported. Those recall alerts from the company did not reveal that
human cases of infection were being investigated.
According to the CDC, routine tests by the Michigan Department of
Agriculture and Rural Development first detected Salmonella in an unopened bag
of Diamond Pet Foods Naturals Lamb Meal & Rice dry dog food on April 2.
PulseNet, the national surveillance system for foodborne illnesses, then
spotted several cases of human Salmonella Infantis infections with a genetic
fingerprint identical to that found in the dog food, the CDC said.
The outbreak strain of Salmonella Infantis was isolated from an opened
bag of Diamond Brand Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul Adult Light Formula
dry dog food, found in the household of an ill person in Ohio. The outbreak
strain was also isolated from samples taken from an unopened bag of the dog
food obtained from an Ohio retail store.
A sample of Diamond Puppy Formula dry dog food collected by the Food and
Drug Administration during an inspection at the South Carolina production plant
yielded Salmonella, the CDC said.
Seven of 10 outbreak victims interviewed said they had contact with a dog
during the week before they became ill. Of five people who could remember the
type of dog food they had handled, four said it was a Diamond Pet Foods brand.
Missouri and North Carolina each confirmed 3 cases related to the dog
food outbreak. Ohio reported two cases while Alabama, Connecticut, Michigan,
New Jersey , Pennsylvania and Virginia each reported single cases.
The first onset of illness reported was Oct. 8, 2011 and the most recent
illness onset was April 22 -- more than two weeks after the first pet food
recall. The case patients range in age from 1 to 82 years old with a median age
of 48. Seventy-seven percent of the ill people are female.
Diamond Pet Foods recalled certain batches of its Naturals Lamb Meal &
Rice dry dog food on April 6 as a "precautionary measure" and stated then that
"no illnesses have been reported and no other Diamond manufactured products are
affected." That was four days after the Michigan test results.
Then a second recall was announced April 26 for certain production codes
of Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul Adult Light formula dry dog food. This
time, the recall alert stated more narrowly that "no dog illnesses" had been
reported.
On April 30, the company expanded the recall to include Diamond Puppy
Formula dry dog food and again said there were no reports of dog illnesses
related to the product. No mention was made of human infections in the recall
announcement.
"There have been numerous human outbreaks linked to pet food," said food
safety attorney Bill Marler, managing partner at Marler Clark (publisher of
Food Safety News). "It again shows how important food safety is, both to your
pet and your family."
According to the CDC, dogs and cats infected with Salmonella usually have
diarrhea and may seem lethargic, but they also can carry the infection and not
appear to be sick. Humans can become infected by touching the animals, their
food, or their environments such as food bowls, especially if they have not
thoroughly washed their hands after the contacts.
The CDC offered this advice for pet owners:
- Consumers should check their homes for recalled dog food products and
discard them promptly. Consumers with questions about recalled dog food may
contact Diamond Pet Foods at telephone number 800-442-0402 or visit
www.diamondpetrecall.com.
- Follow the tips listed on Salmonella from Dry Pet Food and Treats to
help prevent an infection with Salmonella from handling dry pet food and treats.
- People who think they might have become ill after contact with dry pet
food or with an animal that has eaten dry pet food should consult their health
care providers. Infants, older adults, and persons with impaired immune systems
are more likely than others to develop severe illness.
- People who think their animal might have become ill after eating dry
pet food should consult their veterinary-care providers.
