OTTAWA, ONTARIO–(CCNMatthews – Aug. 3, 2006) –
What is foodborne illness?
Food contaminated by bacteria, viruses and parasites can make you sick. Many people have had foodborne illness and not even known it. It’s sometimes called food poisoning, and it can feel like the flu. Symptoms may include the following:
– stomach cramps
– nausea
– vomiting
– diarrhea
– fever
Symptoms can start soon after eating contaminated food, but they can hit up to a month or more later. For some people, especially young children, the elderly, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems, foodborne illness can be very dangerous.
Public health experts estimate that there are 11 to 13 million cases of foodborne illness in Canada every year. Most cases of foodborne illness can be prevented by using safe food handling practices and using a food thermometer to check that your food is cooked to a safe internal temperature!

William Marler (Bill) is the managing partner in the law firm Marler Clark L.L.P., P.S. Since 1993, Bill has represented thousands of victims of E. coli, Salmonella, Hepatitis A, Listeria, Shigella, Campylobacter and Norovirus illnesses in over thirty States.

Food poisoning lawsuits against companies responsible for introducing contaminated food into our food supply have become the focus of Billís professional career as an attorney. Billís first client who was injured after consuming contaminated food was nine-year-old Brianne Kiner, who fell with an E. coli O157:H7 infection and Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome after eating a contaminated hamburger during the now-infamous Jack in the Box E. coli outbreak of 1993. Bill negotiated a $15.6 million settlement for Brianneís injuries, a record in the State of Washington for personal injury cases. He resolved several other cases from the Jack in the Box E. coli outbreak for over $2.5 million each.

Bill, known as the ìE. coli lawyer,î has since represented thousands of people sickened or killed in outbreaks of E. coli O157:H7 and other food borne pathogens, including Salmonella, Hepatitis, Shigella, Campylobacter, Norovirus, and Listeria. In 1998, he negotiated a reported $12 million settlement for the families of children who fell ill after drinking E. coli-contaminated apple juice sold by Odwalla; and in 2001, a jury awarded the families of eleven children Bill represented $4.6 million for the injuries they received during an E. coli outbreak traced to school lunch served at Finley Elementary School in Finley, Washington. He also resolved dozens of E. coli cases in 2003 related to one of the largest meat recalls in United States history. Bill recently settled an E. coli case in New York for a young girl for $11 million. Bill was also able to secure a $6.25 million settlement on behalf of a client who suffered a kidney transplant as part of the Chi-Chiís Hepatitis A outbreak.

Continue Reading FOOD POISONING LAWYER – FOOD POISONING ATTORNEY

Grand Forks Herald
Jul. 27, 2006
* Do not swim if you have diarrhea. This is especially important for children in diapers.
* Avoid drinking water in lakes and in swimming pools.
* Practice good hygiene. Shower before and after swimming in lakes and in swimming pools.
* Wash hands with soap frequently and thoroughly, especially after going to the bathroom, after changing diapers, and before preparing food or beverages.
* Supervise hand-washing of toddlers and small children after they use the toilet.
* Dispose of diapers properly in a garbage can.
* Disinfect diaper changing areas after using them.
* Keep children with diarrhea out of child care settings.
* Do not prepare food for others if you have been vomiting, or if you have diarrhea.

Dan Rahn of the University of Georgia writes about dangers that can lurk in recreational swimming water:
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, recreational water illnesses can spread quickly in swimming pools that arenít properly maintained.
Serious diseases caused by such bacteria as cryptospordidum, giardia, E. coli and shigella can be contracted by ingesting water contaminated with fecal matter. While symptoms can be as minor as diarrhea or skin, ear or eye infections, these illnesses can be fatal in people with weak immune systems.
Read more about recreational water illness in the full article at the Washington, Georgia News-Reporter Web site.

Grand Forks Herald (North Dakota)
Susanne Nadeau
North Dakota’s state health department has confirmed 13 shigellosis cases in Rolette County, the first cluster of cases the state has seen for a few years, officials said.
“This does not happen very often at all,” said state epidemiologist Julie Goplin.
But, when it does, it can infect an entire community, she said.
“It becomes community wide if the public isn’t taking special care, then it can last for months,” she said.

Continue Reading Health dept. finds shigellosis cases: Rare disease infects 13

26.jul.06
The Galveston County Daily News (TX)
Sally Robinson and Keith Bly
When people think of risks associated with swimming, they usually think of sunburns or drownings. Most swimmers donít realize that the water itself can make them sick.
Recreational water illnesses (RWIís) are spread by swallowing, breathing or coming in contact with water that has been contaminated in swimming pools or hot tubs, and at water parks, lakes, rivers or oceans.
Symptoms of RWIís include skin, ear, respiratory, eye and wound infections. The most commonly reported RWI is diarrhea, which is caused by germs such as Cryptosporidium, Giardia, Shingella and E. coli. If contaminated water is swallowed, a person may become sick; many diarrhea-causing germs do not have to be swallowed in large amounts to make a person ill.

Continue Reading Importance of healthy swimming behavior

Associated Press
BISMARCK, N.D. – Thirteen cases of the intestinal disease shigellosis have been confirmed in Rollette County this month, state health officials said.
State epidemiologist Kirby Kruger said 12 of the cases involve children, and six people have been hospitalized.
Kruger said five additional cases are pending laboratory confirmation.
Shigellosis is caused by shigella bacteria, which are spread through undercooked or contaminated food and poor hygiene. The illness can cause bloody diarrhea, fever, vomiting and stomach cramps. Typical treatment is fluids and antibiotics.

Continue Reading Rollette County reports outbreak of diarrhea-causing bacteria

Michael Kiefer
The Arizona Republic
Jun. 30, 2006 12:00 AM
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office on Thursday filed criminal complaints of failure to meet health code standards against an Asian supermarket and two Mexican restaurants, including a popular Central Phoenix eatery.
“Establishments that ignore repeated warnings and citations for food safety violations need to understand they will now face criminal charges for endangering the public,” County Attorney Andrew Thomas said. “Repeat violators literally make us sick.”
County investigators targeted Ajo Al’s at 5101 N. 16th St. after several customers came down with a food-borne illness called shigellosis. The illness, which has symptoms including diarrhea and fever, can be spread by food handlers who don’t wash their hands.

Continue Reading 3 restaurants hit with criminal charges

Algonquin Countryside
July 6, 2006
McHenry County Department of Health has joined with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to remind families of the importance of healthy swimming behaviors.
Recreation water illnesses are spread by swallowing, breathing or having contact with contaminated water. The most commonly reported recreation water illness is diarrhea caused by pathogens, such as E. coli, shigella, giardia and cryptosporidium. Children, pregnant women and people with compromised immune systems are at greatest risk for infection from these pathogens. Other recreation water illnesses can cause various symptoms, including skin, ear, eye, respiratory and neurological infections.
The county Health Department samples beaches and public pools during the summer months to monitor bacterial levels and will continue testing the 39 beaches in the county through Labor Day to assess water quality.

Continue Reading Keep clean, safe at area beaches

Kelum Pelpola
HEALTHY SWIM: Next time you may have to think twice before you leap into the swimming pool. The reason for this is that a new entity named recreational water illnesses (RWI) has been described.
RWI refers to any illness or infection caused by organisms that contaminate water in pools, lakes, and oceans, resulting in diarrhoea, skin rashes, swimmer’s ear and other conditions. And they are on the rise.
The rate has more than doubled in the past 10 years, according to data from the CDC(Centre for Disease Control in the USA).
However, there is definite good news. It’s that some simple precautions would help you keep these illnesses at bay. Even though you get the disease, by being alert, quick treatment could be taken and complications could be very easily avoided.

Continue Reading Think twice before you leap into a pool