Research – European study: 33,000 deaths a year from resistant infections

Posted on November 13, 2018 | Leave a comment

Cidrap

A team of European researchers estimates that more than 33,000 people in Europe die each year from antibiotic-resistant infections, and that the growing health burden of these infections is similar to that of influenza, tuberculosis, and HIV combined.

The results of the study, which calculated the incidence of five types of infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria in 31 European Union/European Economic Activity (EU/EEA) countries and measured the impact of those infections in number of cases, attributable deaths, and overall health burden, were published yesterday in The Lancet Infectious Diseases. The estimates are based on 2015 data from the European Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Network (EARS-Net).

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Posted in Antibiotic Resistance, Microbiology, Uncategorized

Research – FDA Report Released on Restaurant Foodborne Illness Factors

Posted on November 13, 2018 | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin

The FDA has released findings from the first phase of a 10 year study that is looking at restaurant foodborne illness factors  in fast food restaurants and full service restaurants. The report looked at risk factors from 2013 to 2014. The first 10-year study was conducted between 1998 and 2008.

In the 2008 study, the FDA found that the restaurant foodborne illness factors that needed the most improvement were poor personal hygiene, improper food holding/time and temperature, and contaminated equipment and protection from contamination.

More than half of all food poisoning outbreaks in the U.S. every year are associated with restaurant food. In 2014, when looking at outbreaks linked to a single location, restaurants accounted for 485 outbreaks, or 65% of the total, and 4780 illnesses, or 44%. Many of these outbreaks led to lawsuits. The FDA at that time stated it needed more research to identify the root causes for these poor retail food safety practices, and to determine effective intervention strategies.

The restaurant foodborne illness risk factors that were listed for this study include employee handwashing, proper temperature control of perishable foods, improper food holding time, hand-to-hand contact with ready-to-eat foods, cooking raw animal foods to safe final and required internal temperatures, contaminated equipment, and food obtained from unsafe sources.

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Posted in food contamination, food death, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Food Toxin, Uncategorized

UK – FSA -E. coli O157 cross-contamination guidance for food business operators and local authorities

Posted on November 12, 2018 | Leave a comment

FSA

We welcome stakeholder views on the proposed amendments to our guidance document on the control of E. coli O157 and cross-contamination.

About this consultation

This consultation will be of interest to:

  • food businesses where ready-to-eat and raw foods are handled
  • local authority enforcement officers
  • trade bodies, such as The British Hospitality Association and the British Retail Consortium

Consultation subject

The subject of this consultation is guidance which assists local authorities and all types of businesses that handle both raw foods (that can be a source of pathogens including E. coli O157) and ready to eat foods. This includes best practice around hygiene, separation and safety measures to be taken to avoid cross-contamination.

Consultation purpose

Following a routine review of the E.coli O157 guidance, the guide has been moved to a new format to increase understanding and accessibility. There have been no changes to the policy, science or law.

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Posted in E.coli, E.coli O157:H7, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Food Toxin, STEC, Uncategorized

South Africa – Durban Old Town Italy a Link in South African Salmonella Outbreak – What you need to know

Posted on November 12, 2018 | Leave a comment

Food Poison Journal

 

Time’s consumer reporter, Wendy Knowler, reports that salmonella bacteria, most likely from contaminated eggs, has put at least 30 people in the greater Durban area in hospital, and sickened many more.

Social media reports posted by people who’d contracted salmonellosis after eating at the upmarket Old Town Italy restaurant in Umhlanga – mostly meals including hollandaise sauce – raised the alarm, but the outbreak of the past few weeks goes far beyond one restaurant.

In addition, four children attending a Cowies Hill creche were confirmed by doctors to have salmonellosis; seven people who attended a private lunch ended up in Hillcrest Private Hospital for almost a week after eating a dessert made with egg; a Florida Road restaurant closed for two days after its patrons reported falling ill and many pharmacies in the greater Durban area have reported a sudden spike in the demand for diarrhoea medication.

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Posted in food bourne outbreak, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Pathogen, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Salmonella, Uncategorized

USA – CDC – Outbreak of Multidrug-Resistant Salmonella Infections Linked to Raw Turkey Products – One Death

Posted on November 12, 2018 | Leave a comment

CDC

CDC and public health and regulatory officials in several states are investigating a multistate outbreak of multidrug-resistant Salmonella infections linked to raw turkey products. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS) is monitoring the outbreak.

  • Seventy-four more ill people from 26 states were added to this investigation since the last update on July 19, 2018.
  • As of November 5, 2018, 164 people infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Reading have been reported from 35 states.
    • 63 people have been hospitalized, and one death has been reported from California.
  • Epidemiologic and laboratory evidence(https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/outbreaks/investigating-outbreaks/index.html) indicates that raw turkey products from a variety of sources are contaminated with Salmonella Reading and are making people sick.
  • In interviews, ill people report eating different types and brands of turkey products purchased from many different locations. Three ill people lived in households where raw turkey pet food was fed to pets.
  • The outbreak strain has been identified in samples taken from raw turkey pet food, raw turkey products, and live turkeys.
  • A single, common supplier of raw turkey products or of live turkeys has not been identified.
  • The outbreak strain of Salmonella Reading is present in live turkeys and in many types of raw turkey products, indicating it might be widespread in the turkey industry. CDC and USDA-FSIS have shared this information with representatives from the turkey industry and asked about steps that they may be taking to reduce Salmonella contamination.

 

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Posted in food contamination, food death, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Pathogen, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, foodborne disease, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Salmonella, Uncategorized

Canada – Updated Food Recall Warning – Canada Herb brand culantro (Ngò Gai) recalled due to Salmonella

Posted on November 12, 2018 | Leave a comment

CFIA Salm2

Recall details

Ottawa, November 9, 2018 – The food recall warning issued on October 31, 2018 has been updated to include additional product information. This additional information was identified during the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s (CFIA) food safety investigation.

Canada Herb is recalling Canada Herb brand culantro (Ngò Gai) from the marketplace due to possible Salmonella contamination. Consumers should not consume the recalled product described below.

Recalled products

Brand Name Common Name Size Code(s) on Product UPC
Canada Herb Culantro (Ngò Gai) Variable weight None – all packages sold up to and including November 9, 2018 None

 

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Posted in Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Salmonella, Uncategorized

Research – Sand bedding as a reservoir for Lactococcus garvieae dissemination in dairy farms

Posted on November 11, 2018 | Leave a comment

NRC

Lactococcus garvieae is now recognized as a species with clinical significance for human and veterinary medicine. The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of this pathogen in sand bedding and milk samples. Two farms in Minnesota with problems of clinical and subclinical mastitis due to streptococci-like organisms were selected. Twenty-four Lactococcus garvieae isolates from sand bedding and 18 isolates from quarter milk were comparatively studied using a genotypic approach. RAPD (random amplification of polymorphic DNA) PCR and REP (repetitive element palindromic) PCR experiments highlighted a similar electrophoretic profile. When genes belonging to the core genome of L. garvieae were tested through a MLRT (multilocus restriction typing), we again observed that all L. garvieae isolates coming from sand bedding and milk shared a common profile, distinguishable from previously studied representative L. garvieae strains. These data indicate that the L. garvieae isolated from sand bedding and milk originated from a few strains adapted to persist in the same habitat. This supports the hypothesis that sand bedding can represent a reservoir of L. garvieae strains and be a potential vehicle for their dissemination in dairy farms.

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Posted in Uncategorized