A familiar Tampa buffet is suddenly at the center of a public health scare after state officials tied it to a listeriosis outbreak that has already sickened five people.
Florida health officials said Friday they are investigating a cluster of Listeria infections that appears to trace back to China Buffet at 1245 E. Fowler Ave. Early case interviews and lab work suggest the restaurant is the likely common link for the illnesses. State agencies are now working together to pull records, talk with patients and run down where any contamination might have started.
The Florida Department of Health and the Department of Business and Professional Regulation say five illnesses are currently in the cluster, and four of those patients reported eating at China Buffet sometime between March and June. Health officials are urging anyone who dined there from April 9 through June 28 to call their health care provider if they develop symptoms. According to Tampa Bay 28, the investigation is still active.
State Inspections and Possible Enforcement
State licensing records show China Buffet on Fowler Avenue did not escape notice from inspectors this summer. A complaint inspection on June 4 was followed by routine and follow up visits in late June that turned up violations and flagged the site for further enforcement action.
Documents from the Division of Hotels & Restaurants include fire code notes and indicate an emergency order was recommended for the restaurant. Those details are laid out in the state licensing record and the DBPR inspection report.
Symptoms and Who Faces the Highest Risk
Listeria does not always cause dramatic illness. Many people experience only mild gastrointestinal issues. When the infection becomes invasive, though, it can cause fever, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions, which are conditions that need immediate medical care.
Symptoms of invasive listeriosis typically show up one to four weeks after exposure, but the timing can vary. Illness can begin as soon as the same day or as late as 70 days after eating contaminated food, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Pregnant people, newborns, adults 65 and older and anyone with a weakened immune system face the greatest risk of severe illness. Florida Department of Health guidance notes that infection during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery or a life threatening infection in a newborn.
What To Do if You Ate at China Buffet
Health officials say anyone who ate at China Buffet between April 9 and June 28 should keep an eye out for symptoms and contact a health care provider if they develop fever, muscle aches, stiff neck, severe headache or gastrointestinal illness.
They add that pregnant people should call their provider promptly even if they only have mild fever or flu like symptoms. The Florida Department of Health and licensing officials are advising continued follow up for people who were potentially exposed, according to Tampa Bay 28.
How Testing Works and What Happens Next
Outbreak related food testing in Florida is handled by the Bureau of Public Health Laboratories and is reserved for active investigations being run by county health departments. State materials list the processing time for bacteriological food testing at about 10 business days.
As part of this probe, investigators are continuing to collect and test environmental and food samples, comb through supplier lists and review records to pinpoint exactly where contamination may have begun. County and state agencies say they will release additional findings as lab results come in and interviews narrow the likely source.
Officials emphasize that most people who eat contaminated food will not go on to develop severe illness. Even so, they urge anyone in a high risk group who develops concerning symptoms to seek medical care right away. This report will be updated as state agencies provide more information.
