Salmonella outbreak traced to WDW restaurants

[Belle1962]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20020824/ap_on_he_me/disney_salmonella_outbreak_4


Disney Salmonella Outbreak Probed
Fri Aug 23, 9:03 PM ET
By MIKE SCHNEIDER, Associated Press Writer

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - A salmonella outbreak at Walt Disney World sickened as many as 141 people, including visitors attending an athletic competition for organ-transplant recipients, health officials said Friday.



Eighteen cases were confirmed by laboratory tests. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( news - web sites) in Atlanta estimates 141 people who attended the U.S. Transplant Games in late June may have gotten sick.

The outbreak source was prepackaged, diced Roma tomatoes served at six Disney World restaurants, Orange County epidemiologist Bill Toth said.

The restaurants stopped serving the tomatoes immediately, Disney spokeswoman Marilyn Waters said.

Salmonella can cause diarrhea and fever. More serious infections can occur in children, the elderly and people with weak immune systems, such as organ transplant recipients.

After two people who attended the U.S. Transplant Games became sick, the CDC traced the source by asking people about their eating habits during the competition, Toth said. Of the 369 who responded, 82 reported being sick.

No deaths were reported.

Because transplant recipients are more susceptible to infections than the general population, the CDC suggested that doctors place transplant patients who may have salmonella on antibiotics.

 

[JeffH]

The article claims that the poisoning was traced to WDW restaurants, as if it were Disney's fault.
The poisoning was traced to prepackaged, diced Roma tomatoes (served at six Disney World restaurants).
Were these prepackaged by WDW?
Did the poisoning originate at WDW or at a non-Disney packaging plant that prepared the diced Roma tomatoes?
Are there other prepackaged, diced Roma tomatoes out there somewhere being served at...Universal restaurants, perhaps?

 

[KNWVIKING]

.... But I don't see a conspiracy here. Looks like the article has the facts right. People got sick eating prepackage tomatoes at WDW.

 

[JeffH]

I wasn't questioning the facts only the implied conclusion.
I wasn't so much defending WDW as asking for the FULL details of the story.
Where did the diced tomatoes come from in the first place, that's what is important.
Did they come from an non-Disney vendor, if so who else might have been affected.
Were the germs introduced in a food prep area at WDW, then the WDW food prep procedures need to be reviewed.
Were the germs 'germinated' due to inadaquate refridgeration at WDW, then this needs to be reviewed.

I just want to know, not simply see WDW's name thrown into an article to sell papers.

 

[Uncleromulus]

I agree. The "Disney" name is what people see, and I'm sure many have already jumped to the conclusion--"well--Disney must have done something wrong. They must be responsible".

A truly responsible news article would have headlined something like '"Salmonella found in Roma tomatoes"--and THEN went on to mention WDW. But that wouldn't have grabbed as much attention.

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

I am sure that Disney has bigger pockets than the people who packaged the tomatoes so that would be the name that people would want to blame IMHO.

When you consider how many meals a year are served at DW I am perfectly comfortable eating anywhere there and I am a woman who sprays all surfaces with a bleach spray a few times a day in my own kitchen.

Slightly Goofy/Linda