Connecticut State Department of Public Health

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Foodborne and Animal Contact Outbreak Investigations in Connecticut

 

 

The Connecticut Department of Public Health, Epidemiology and Emerging Infections Program collaborates with state partners, local health departments in CT, other state health departments, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to detect, investigate, control, and prevent foodborne disease outbreaks.

 

Connecticut participates in the CDC’s Foodborne Diseases Centers for Outbreak Response Enhancement (FoodCORE). The centers work together to develop new and better methods to detect, investigate, respond to, and control multistate outbreaks of foodborne diseases. Since 2012, Connecticut FoodCORE has hired students to provide additional epidemiologic capacity.

 

 

Backyard Live Poultry Safety

 

If you keep live poultry (chickens, ducks, geese, etc.) in your backyard, it's important to be aware that these animals come with potential health risks. Poultry may have germs, like Salmonella, that can make people sick like Tyler. Safe handling of backyard flocks is necessary to prevent illness and the CDC has some helpful tips.

 

This poster shows the number of people affected by germs carried by poultry, and simple ways to stay safe. 

 

Backyard Flocks and Salmonella

 

Las aves de corral domésticas y la Salmonella

 

Outbreak Data

 

The CDC captures national foodborne outbreak data from local and state public health departments then analyzes and makes it publicly available online using the National Outbreak Reporting System (NORS) Dashboard. 


Additional information concerning collected data can be found on the following webpages:

 

Animal Contact Outbreak Surveillance System

 

Annual Summaries of Foodborne Outbreaks

 

Foodborne Disease Outbreaks - The 3 Types of Data Used to Link Illnesses to Contaminated Foods and Solve Outbreaks

 

Publications That Contain Data from the Foodborne Disease Outbreak Surveillance System, 2008-2014

 

Report to the Joint Standing Committee of the Connecticut General Assembly Having Cognizance of Matters Relating to Public Health - Foodborne Disease Outbreaks Originating from Public Eating Places - July 1, 2016

 

Surveillance for Foodborne Disease Outbreaks 

 

Selected Outbreak Investigation Summaries by Year

 

2024

 

        Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Live Backyard Poultry

     Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Cucumbers

  Persistent Strains of Campylobacter jejuni (REPDBR01) Linked to Pet Store Puppies


  Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Charcuterie Meats

 

2023

 

  Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Cantaloupes

 

First Known Outbreak of E. Coli (ETEC) in Connecticut, May 2022

 

School Norovirus Outbreak in Connecticut, 2023

 

Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Small Turtles

  

Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Ground Beef

 

  Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Backyard Poultry


2022
Salmonella Outbreaks Linked to Backyard Poultry

       Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Pet Bearded Dragons

 

2021

Norovirus Outbreak at a Food Service Establishment

 

An Outbreak of Clostridium Perfringens Associated with a Connecticut Healthcare Facility

       
        Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Seafood
  Salmonella Outbreak with Unknown Food Source
 Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Raw Frozen Breaded Stuffed Chicken Products

Connecticut Leads Coordinated Investigation and Response to Contaminated Cheese

 

Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Backyard Poultry

 

Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Ground Turkey

 

Listeria Outbreak Linked to Queso Fresco Made by El Abuelito Cheese Inc. 

 

2020

Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Small Turtles

 

Outbreak of Salmonella Stanley Infections Linked to Wood Ear Mushrooms

 

Outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis Infections Linked to Peaches

 

Outbreak of Salmonella Newport Infections Linked to Onions

 

Outbreak of Salmonella Linked to Backyard Poultry

 

An Outbreak of Sapovirus Associated with the Consumption of Raw Oysters

 

Outbreak of Salmonella Infections Linked to Small Pet Turtles

 

2019

Outbreak of Multidrug-resistant Campylobacter Infections Linked to Contact with Pet Store Puppies

 

Outbreak of Salmonella Infections Linked to Cut Fruit

 

An Outbreak of Norovirus Gastroenteritis Associated with a School Event, Connecticut, 2019

 

Outbreak of Multidrug-Resistant Salmonella Infections Linked to Contact with Pig Ear Dog Treats

 

Outbreak of Cyclospora Infections Linked to Fresh Basil from Siga Logistics de RL de CV of Morelos, Mexico

 

Outbreak of E. coli Infections Linked to Ground Bison Produced by Northfork Bison Distributions, Inc.

 

Outbreak of Salmonella Infections Linked to Whole, Fresh Papayas Imported from Mexico

 

Norovirus Outbreaks at a Food Service Establishment, Connecticut 2018-2019

 

Salmonella Infections Linked to Backyard Poultry

 

Outbreak of E. coli Infections Linked to Flour

 

Salmonella Infections Linked to Frozen Raw Tuna

 

2018

Investigation of a Norovirus Outbreak at a Summer Camp, Connecticut, 2018

 

Investigation of a Norovirus Outbreak at a Connecticut University, 2018

 

Outbreak of E. coli Infections Linked to Romaine Lettuce

 

Outbreak of Salmonella Infections Linked to Ground Beef

 

Outbreak of Multidrug-Resistant Salmonella Infections Linked to Raw Turkey Products

 

Outbreak of Multidrug-Resistant Salmonella Infections Linked to Raw Chicken Products

 

An Outbreak of Clostridium Perfringens Gastroenteritis Associated With a Restaurant, Connecticut, 2018

 

Multistate Outbreak of Cyclosporiasis Linked to Salads Sold at a Fast-Food Chain - United States, 2018

 

Multistate Outbreak of Salmonella Infections Linked to Contact with Live Poultry in Backyard Flocks, 2018

 

Multistate Outbreak of Salmonella Mbandaka Infections Linked to Kellogg's Honey Smacks Cereal

 

Multistate Outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 Infections Linked to Chopped Romaine Lettuce

 

Multistate Outbreak of Salmonella Infections Linked to Kratom 

 

Multistate Outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium Infections Linked to Dried Coconut

 


2017

Campylobacteriosis Outbreak at a Wine and Food Festival Detected Using SaTScan™ - Connecticut, 2017

 

EPEC/EAEC - What the heck? An Outbreak Investigation Using Culture-Independent Diagnostic Testing (CIDT), Connecticut, 2017 

 

Multistate Outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O157:H7 Infections Linked to Leafy Greens (Final Update)

 

Multistate Outbreak of Salmonella Infections Linked to Coconut Tree Brand Frozen Shredded Coconut

 

Multistate Outbreak of Multidrug-Resistant Campylobacter Infections Linked to Contact with Pet Store Puppies

 

Multistate Outbreak of Salmonella Agbeni Infections Linked to Pet Turtles, 2017

 

Cyclosporiasis Outbreak Investigations - United States, 2017

 

Multistate Outbreak of Salmonella Kiambu and Salmonella Thompson Infections Linked to Imported Maradol Papayas

Multistate Outbreaks of Human Salmonella Infections Linked to Live Poultry in Backyard Flocks, 2017

 

Multistate Outbreak of Listeriosis Linked to Soft Raw Milk Cheese Made by Vulto Creamery

 

 

2016

Notes from the Field: Clostridium perfringens Outbreak at a Catered Lunch - Connecticut, September 2016

 

Notes from the Field: Outbreak of Escherichia coli O157 Infections Associated with Goat Dairy Farm Visits - Connecticut, 2016

 

Investigation of Salmonellosis Among Attendees of a Pig Roast, Connecticut, 2016

 

Multistate Outbreak of Human Salmonella Infections Linked to Live Poultry in Backyard Flocks

 

Multistate Outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O157:H7 Infections Linked to Beef Produced by Adams Farm

 

An Outbreak of Escherichia coli O121 Involving a Common Food Service Establishment, Connecticut, April - May 2016

 

Multistate Outbreak of Listeriosis Linked to Frozen Vegetables

 

Multistate Outbreak of Salmonella Montevideo and Salmonella Senftenberg Infections Linked to Wonderful Pistachios

 

Multistate Outbreak of Listeriosis Linked to Packaged Salads Produced at Springfield, Ohio Dole Processing Facility

 

 

2015

An Outbreak of Norovirus Among Students and Staff of an Academic Institution - Connecticut, October 2015

 

An Outbreak of Salmonella Braenderup Involving a Common Food Service Establishment - Connecticut, April 2015

 

Multistate Outbreak of Salmonella Poona Infections Linked to Imported Cucumbers

 

Multistate Outbreak of Drug-Resistant Salmonella Enteritidis Infections Linked to Raw, Frozen, Stuffed Chicken Entrees Produced by Barber Foods

 

 

2014

An Outbreak of Norovirus Involving Multiple Events and a Common Food Service Establishment - Connecticut, September 2014

 

Investigation of a Norovirus Outbreak at a Summer Camp - Connecticut, 2014

 

Outbreak of Salmonella Associated with a Restaurant-Connecticut, May 2014

 

Outbreak of Salmonella Newport Infections Linked to Cucumbers — United States, 2014

 

Multistate Outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis Infections Linked to Bean Sprouts

 

Multistate Outbreak of Salmonella Braenderup Infections Linked to Nut Butter Manufactured by nSpired Natural Foods, Inc.

 

Multistate Outbreak of Salmonella Infections Linked to Organic Sprouted Chia Powder

 

 

2013

Krasnitski J, Phan Q, Mullins J, et al. A Tale of Two Receptions: Two Norovirus Outbreaks at a Banquet Facility-Connecticut, 2013. International Conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases 2015 poster and oral presentation abstracts. Emerg Infect Dis. 2015 Sep. Pages 312-3 https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/pdfs/ICEID2015.pdf.

 

Outbreak of Vibrio parahaemolyticus Associated with Raw Shellfish Consumption, Connecticut, June-October 2013

 

Multistate Outbreak of Multidrug-Resistant Salmonella Heidelberg Infections Linked to Foster Farms Brand Chicken

 

Increase in Vibrio parahaemolyticus illnesses associated with consumption of shellfish from several Atlantic coast harvest areas, United States, 2013

 

Cyclosporiasis Outbreak Investigations — United States, 2013

 

 

2012

Investigation of a Norovirus Outbreak in a Connecticut University, 2012

 

Investigation of Two Multistate Outbreaks of Salmonellosis, Connecticut, 2012

 

Multistate Outbreak of Shiga Toxin-producing Escherichia coli O157:H7 Infections Linked to Organic Spinach and Spring Mix Blend

 

Multistate Outbreak of Salmonella Bredeney Infections Linked to Peanut Butter Manufactured By Sunland, Inc.

 

Multistate Outbreak of Salmonella Bareilly and Salmonella Nchanga Infections Associated with a Raw Scraped Ground Tuna Product

  

Other Resources and Helpful Sites

 

For local health departments 

 

For the medical community (physicians, hospitals, laboratories)

Disease reporting requirements/forms

 

Suspected foodborne outbreaks are Category 1 reportable condition. If you suspect a foodborne outbreak, contact:

 

For the public

If you have a complaint about a food service establishment, contact:

 

 

This page last updated 08/20/2024.