British Columbia Chicken Nugget Strips 2003
An outbreak of Salmonella Heidelberg occurred in early 2003, in British Columbia, Canada. Interviews with individuals from this outbreak implicated frozen chicken nuggets, or strips, as the source of the outbreak. Of the 23 cases, 65% sought treatment in the emergency room, 45% ended up in the hospital and 40% had bloody diarrhea. Salmonella Heidelberg which matched the outbreak strain was isolated from opened and unopened packages of the chicken products. Many of the cases had thought that microwaving the product was an adequate way to prepare the product.
- Outbreak began:
- January 2003
- Affected Country:
- International
- Affected States/Territories:
- Not Applicable
- Organism(s):
-
- Salmonella
- Vehicle(s):
- Poultry, Chicken, Chicken Nugget Strips
- Molecular Results Available:
- Unknown
- Test Results:
- None
- Location(s):
- Home
- Brand Name(s):
- Unknown
- Product Subject to Recall:
- Unknown
-
- Recall Links:
- None
- Total ill:
- 23
- Number ill by Case Definition Known:
- Unknown
- Number Laboratory Confirmed Cases:
- N/A
- Number Probable Cases:
- N/A
- Number Possible Cases:
- N/A
- Anyone Hospitalized:
- Yes
- Number Hospitalized:
- 10
- Any Deaths:
- Unknown
- Number Dead:
- Unknown
- Any References:
- Yes
-
- References:
- Page 9 -- http://www.iflr.msu.edu/BookStudentPapers_files/Leitch_Microwave_instructions_for_PNRT_foods-It_s_just_not_worth_the_risk.pdf
- MacDougall, L., M. Fyfe, L. McIntyre, A. Paccagnella, K. Cordner, A. Kerr, & J. Aramini, (2004). Frozen chicken nuggets and strips - a newly identified risk factor for Salmonella Heidelberg infection in British Columbia, Canada. Journal of Food Protection: 67 (6) 1111-1115.
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15222535?dopt=A