Tampa restaurant listeria outbreak leaves multiple people sick

TAMPA, Fla. - A growing number of people nationwide are getting sick from a parasitic foodborne illness, drawing intense scrutiny regarding the cleanliness of the food supply.

Tampa restaurant outbreak

What we know:

The Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough County reported a listeria outbreak at China Buffet, located at 1245 E. Fowler Ave. in Tampa. Officials said five people fell sick, with four of them eating at the restaurant between March and June. Listeria spreads through contaminated food, prompting the restaurant to close briefly in June.

FOX13 spoke with the China Buffet manager on Friday, who said the restaurant was cleaned by professionals, including drains, and a health inspector cleared the business to reopen.

Experts warn that listeria causes fever, diarrhea, fatigue and muscle aches. Anyone who ate at the location between April 9 and June 28 should watch for symptoms, which can take one to four weeks to appear, according to FDOH.

National parasite surge

What we don't know:

Health officials are reporting a growing number of Cyclosporiasis cases nationwide, with the CDC reporting 843 as of July 9, and states like Michigan reporting at least 1,500 cases. Health officials have not yet confirmed the exact source of a separate parasitic surge involving Cyclospora, which has also sickened people in Florida.

Dr. Sten Vermund, senior associate vice president at USF Health, noted there is no practical way to screen for the parasite other than avoiding contaminated irrigation water on crops.

Meanwhile, grocery chain Publix issued a recall this week for its GreenWise brand frozen blueberries due to potential E. coli contamination. That contamination sickened 12 people, including 11 in Florida.

"I have been contacted by a family where both of the family members were hospitalized and one person, an elder, the elderly grandmother, developed acute kidney failure and was on dialysis and hospitalized for almost a month," said Bill Marler, a food safety attorney based in Seattle.

Food safety precautions

What you can do:

Food safety experts urge consumers to focus on factors within their immediate control to prevent severe illness. Washing hands and produce thoroughly remains a critical defense against foodborne pathogens.

Marler, who represents two Florida families affected in the blueberry E. coli cases, recommends checking restaurant inspection records and awards before dining out.

"A lot of our system is based on trust that we trust the purveyors of food products and restaurants to act as safely as we would at home with our families. And sometimes that can be misplaced," said Marler.

Anyone who begins feeling sick should seek medical attention immediately to ensure their safety.

TampaHealth