Outbreak

In recent weeks we've been made aware of some outbreaks I think are important. We should all keep up with the status of what's going on. No, these aren't the kind of outbreaks (at least at this point) where Dustin Hoffman shows up in a bio-hazard suit determined to save the world.

Nonetheless, the current outbreaks are serious and can cause a lot of pain, suffering and in some cases death.

• Listeria - listeria is a bacteria that can infect improperly handled food causing contamination. When ingested by humans it can cause serious illness. Listeria is particularly harmful to older people, the young, pregnant women, newborns and people with weakened immune systems. But, that doesn't mean everyone else is impervious to contracting listeria. The CDC in Atlanta has an excellent page devoted to listeria - everything you need to know about it: from symptoms, treatment, prevention and more.  The recent outbreak of listeria has been traced back to Blue Bell ice cream and most if not all Blue Bell products have been recalled from the market. The FDA has release their findings after their inspection of a Blue Bell plant in Alabama.  
• Avian flu also known as bird flu - we've all seen the news reports of bird flu in Asia several years ago. Whole populations walked the streets wearing masks, infected birds were slaughtered - it was a nightmare scenario. A few weeks ago there was a news piece buried in the back of other news items about avian/bird flu been found in Canada. It got my attention. In a matter of days a report was released stating avian flu had been found in chickens in Iowa. The New York Times reported in late April 1.9 commercial chickens and turkeys in Wisconsin have been infected with avian flu. Two strains of avian flu have also been found in the states of: Arkansas, Idaho, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Washington and Wisconsin. It should be noted the chickens affected in this outbreak, so far, are egg laying birds. Already grocery stores in Minnesota are beginning to see a shortage of eggs. The CDC is keeping their eye on this outbreak and its relationship to humans. Currently most strains seen infect birds only.

If you ever have any questions or concerns about currents outbreaks the CDC maintains a "Current Outbreak" page that covers outbreaks at home and internationally for those interested in traveling. It's a good resource to have, so be sure to bookmark it.