Source of infectious outbreak still
unknown
NEED TEST
RESULTS: Valley peas suspected but there's no proof.
Source of Article: http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/529629.html
Published: September 18th, 2008
12:14 AM
Last Modified: September 18th, 2008 10:02 AM
WASILLA
--
Officials said last week they
believe the source was raw peas from a Palmer farm contaminated by excrement
from passing flocks of sandhill cranes. But more
testing is needed to establish a conclusive link.
The state issued a public
health alert last Thursday after receiving reports of more than 30 Southcentral residents with lab-confirmed Campylobacter
infections. Of 39 lab-confirmed cases as of mid-week, 23 ate raw peas grown at
Mat-Valley Peas' fields, a "significant" association, an official
said. One infected person was hospitalized for observation.
Symptoms of the illness can
include diarrhea, abdominal pain, weakness, fever, nausea and vomiting.
"That was enough of a
concern to issue a public-health alert and start a public health
investigation," said state epidemiologist Tracie Gardner.
Still, the state is awaiting
results from lab tests looking for bacteria in peas, water, soil and crane
stool samples taken from the farm. Those results, which might take up to two
weeks, could help determine whether the outbreak is linked to the farm's peas,
she said.
Wild birds carry the
Campylobacter bacteria in question, so it's possible the cranes spread the
bacteria onto the pea fields through their poop. People can also pick up
Campylobacter through contact with livestock, by drinking untreated water or
eating undercooked poultry.
Farmer John Hett,
65, who rises at 3 a.m. to pick peas -- as he has for 32 years -- said he's not
yet convinced his crop is at fault. But he supports
the investigation.
"We're
dealing with people's livelihoods here," he said. "If there's a
problem, then we'd like to know what it is and what can be done about it."
Health officials have said the
peas can be safely eaten if cooked, or just blanched in boiling water for 90
seconds. But several retailers said they have pulled the peas from shelves,
including the Three Bears warehouse store between Palmer and Wasilla.
"Basically, what everybody
is doing is waiting for those field results to come back," said Three
Bears produce manager Mark Inman.
Municipality of Anchorage
officials, leading up the retail side of the investigation, have told grocers
to either take the peas off the shelves or post alerts that the peas need to be
cooked, said Chris Tofteberg, the city's acting
environment services division manager.
For nearly 30 years, Hett said those bags have carried a message recommending
consumers blanch the peas for storage.
Some retailers, however, took
the peas out of the original bags and sold them, without the cooking message,
in smaller amounts, according to a state press release. The Alaska State Fair
and farmer's markets apparently sold peas out of the packaging, said state
health department spokesman Greg Wilkinson. So did Carrs/Safeway
grocery stores, said Tofteberg.
There is no labeling
requirement for produce unless it's marketed as washed and ready to eat, Klein
said. He expects various state officials and
It's unclear whether that
process will result in new laws.
Hett
said he has no gripe with retailers. He just hopes that, whatever the
investigation reveals, the bad publicity doesn't hurt his farm long-term.
In the meantime, he's sold some
peas at the farm and at farmer's markets.
"There's
a lot of people that aren't afraid of our peas," Hett
said.
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