News Archive
Marler Clark has published 5,626 articles about foodborne illness outbreaks and lawsuits.
January 28, 2024 • Firm News
The Effects of Hepatitis A on the Human Liver
After a few days of typical symptoms, jaundice (also termed “icterus”) sets in. Jaundice is a yellowing of the skin, eyes and mucous membranes that occurs because bile flows poorly through the liver and backs up into the blood. The urine will also turn dark with bile and the stool …
January 28, 2024 • Firm News
Common Causes of E. coli Outbreaks in Restaurants
E. coli O157:H7 bacteria and other pathogenic E. coli mostly live in the intestines of cattle, but E. coli bacteria have also been found in the intestines of chickens, deer, sheep, and pigs. A 2003 study on the prevalence of E. coli O157:H7 in livestock at 29 county and three …
January 28, 2024 • Case News
Dispelling Common Myths About Salmonella
Only a small proportion of all Salmonella infections are diagnosed and reported to health departments. It is estimated that for every reported case, there are approximately 38.6 undiagnosed infections. The CDC estimates that 1.4 million cases, 15,000 hospitalizations, and 400 deaths are caused by Salmonella infections in the U.S. every year. …
January 25, 2024 • Case News
What's the latest on Lead and Chromium in Applesauce for Kids?
As of January 22, 2024, FDA has received 90 confirmed complaints/reports of adverse events potentially linked to recalled product. To date, confirmed complainants, or people for whom a complaint or adverse event was submitted and met FDA’s complainant definition, are between zero and 53 years of age and the median …
January 20, 2024 • Firm News
The Litigated Dish: Can Foodborne Illness be Contagious?
This question, however, is quite broad because – which foodborne illness? There are several bacteria, viruses, and parasites that can cause foodborne illness. I thought I would put together a neat little table of some of the pathogens I frequently encounter, their food sources, and whether they are contagious. …
January 10, 2024 • Firm News
The Litigated Dish: Recounting the Most Startling Recent Foodborne Illness Outbreaks
During my time at Marler Clark, I have had the chance to witness and work on some of the most tragic and profoundly disturbing foodborne illness outbreaks our firm has encountered. …
January 10, 2024 • Firm News
The Litigated Dish: Top foodborne pathogens
One of my New Year’s resolutions — I call it my “professional growth resolution” — is to start writing columns in 2024. I hope this will drive more traffic to my law firm’s many existing websites and blogs — we even have this newspaper: Food Safety News. Bill Marler, my …
January 02, 2024 • Firm News
Signs You May Have Contracted Norovirus
Norovirus illness usually develops 24 to 48 hours after ingestion of contaminated food or water. Symptoms typically last a relatively short amount of time, approximately 24 to 48 hours. These symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. Headache and low-grade fever may also accompany this illness. People infected with …
January 02, 2024 • Firm News
Which Foods Are Most Likely To Spread Botulism
Botulism is a rare, life-threatening paralytic illness caused by neurotoxins produced by an anaerobic, gram-positive, spore-forming bacterium, Clostridium botulinum. Unlike Clostridium perfringens, which requires the ingestion of large numbers of viable cells to cause symptoms, the symptoms of botulism are caused by the ingestion of highly toxic, soluble exotoxins produced …
January 02, 2024 • Firm News
The Relationship Between Campylobacter and GBS
For those persons who suffer a Campylobacter infection that does not resolve on its own, the complications (or sequelae) can be many. The complications can include septicemia (bacterial pathogens in the blood, also known as bacteremia), meningitis, inflammation of the gall bladder (cholecystitis), urinary tract infections, and appendicitis. …
January 02, 2024 • Firm News
Technological Advancements That Help Fight E. coli
In 1993 after a large multi-state outbreak of E. coli O157 infections in the Western United States. To prevent future severe outbreaks an effective surveillance network called PulseNet was developed. PulseNet is the national network for molecular sub-typing of foodborne bacteria and is coordinated by CDC. The laboratories participating in …
December 25, 2023 • Firm News
The Importance of Staying Hydrated During Food Poisoning
When a person contracts food poisoning the symptoms, diarrhea and vomiting, can cause dehydration to occur quickly A person can become dehydrated within 24 hours if they are unable to retain any liquids and the symptoms continue. …
December 25, 2023 • Firm News
What To Do If Your Child Contracts Listeria
Invasive infections with Listeria can be treated with antibiotics. When infection occurs during pregnancy, antibiotics given promptly to the pregnant woman can often prevent infection of the fetus or newborn. Babies with listeriosis receive the same antibiotics as adults, although a combination of antibiotics is often used until physicians are …
December 25, 2023 • Firm News
What Makes Botulism Such a Dangerous Illness?
Botulism is a rare, life-threatening paralytic illness caused by neurotoxins produced by an anaerobic, gram-positive, spore-forming bacterium, Clostridium botulinum. Unlike Clostridium perfringens, which requires the ingestion of large numbers of viable cells to cause symptoms, the symptoms of botulism are caused by the ingestion of highly toxic, soluble exotoxins produced …
December 25, 2023 • Firm News
The History of Salmonella: An In-Depth Look
Salmonella is a bacterium that causes one of the most common enteric (intestinal) infections in the United States – salmonellosis. It has long been said that, in 1885, pioneering American veterinary scientist, Daniel E. Salmon, discovered the first strain of Salmonella. Theobald Smith, research-assistant to Dr. Salmon, discovered the first …
December 20, 2023 • Firm News
Seattle Times: Food safety attorney Bill Marler is still in business — and show business
Marler already knew the main point he wanted to make at the podium if “Poisoned: The Dirty Truth About Your Food” won the science/nature category: That while progress has been halting, it is possible, if government, industry and consumers work together. …
December 07, 2023 • Press Releases
Food Safety attorney, Bill Marler, available to put deadly Salmonella Cantaloupe Outbreak in context
In the recently released Netflix documentary “Poisoned,” nearly everyone agree that Cantaloupe has been a problematic fruit. Those concerns are now being seen in the U.S. and Canada where 359 people have been sickened, 140 hospitalized and 8 deaths all linked to imported Cantaloupe from Mexico. …
November 26, 2023 • Press Releases
Food Safety Attorney, Bill Marler, calls for import restrictions on Mexican Cantaloupe
Food Safety Attorney, Bill Marler, calls for import restrictions on Mexican Cantaloupe Salmonella Cantaloupe Outbreak has sickened 162, hospitalized 62 with 3 deaths. …
November 24, 2023 • Case News
Gastro vs. Food Poisoning: How To Tell the Difference
When people complain of gastrointestinal illness or the stomach flu, the illness is usually Norovirus. …
November 24, 2023 • Case News
When To Consider Antibiotics for Listeria
Listeriosis is usually a self-limited illness—which means that most infected individuals will improve without the need for medical care. But for those patients with a high fever, a stool culture and antibiotic-treatment may be justified for otherwise healthy individuals. Although there have been no studies done to determine what drugs …
November 24, 2023 • Case News
Common Myths and Misconceptions About E. coli
E. coli is often referred to as the best or most-studied free-living organism. More than 700 serotypes of E. coli have been identified. The “O” and “H” antigens on the bacteria and their flagella distinguish the different serotypes. It is important to remember that most kinds of E. coli bacteria …
November 24, 2023 • Case News
A Brief Look at Supportive Therapy for Hepatitis A
Once a clinical infection is established, there is no specific treatment for hepatitis A. Affected individuals generally suffer from loss of appetite, so the main concern is ensuring a patient receives adequate nutrition and avoids permanent liver damage. An individual’s perception of the severity of fatigue or malaise is the …
November 04, 2023 • Case News
TMP/SMX: What They Are and Why They're Important
Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX), also known as co-trimoxazole, is a combination of two antimicrobial agents that act synergistically against a wide variety of bacteria. It is commonly used to treat urinary tract infections, middle ear infections, bronchitis, traveler’s diarrhea, and shigellosis (bacillary dysentery). TMP-SMX is also used to prevent or treat Pneumocystis …
November 04, 2023 • Case News
How Macrolides Help You Fight Campylobacter Infections
According to the CDC, macrolides like azithromycin are the current drugs of choice when antibiotic treatment is indicated for Campylobacter infections. The resistance to macrolides in Campylobacter has remained stable. …
November 04, 2023 • Case News
What To Do If You Think You've Contracted Botulism
Although botulism can be diagnosed based on clinical symptoms, distinguishing it from other diseases is often difficult, especially in the absence of other known persons affected by the condition. Common misdiagnoses include Guillain-Barré syndrome and myasthenia gravis, which also manifest flaccid paralysis. …
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