Monthly Archives: September 2014

Research – Reservoirs of Listeria Species in Three Environmental Ecosystems

Posted on September 30, 2014 by | Leave a comment

American Society for Microbiology

Soil and water are suggested to represent pivotal niches for the transmission of Listeria monocytogenes to plant material, animals and the food chain. In the present study, 467 soil and 68 water samples were collected in 12 distinct geological and ecological sites in Austria during 2007-2009. Listeria spp. was present in 30% and 26% of the investigated soil and water samples respectively. Generally, the most dominant species in soil and water samples were L. seeligeri, L. innocua and L. ivanovii. The human and animal pathogenic L. monocytogenes was exclusively isolated from 6% soil samples in region A (mountainous region) and B (meadow). Distinct ecological preferences were observed for L. seeligeri and L. ivanovii, which were more often isolated from wildlife reserves region C (Lake Neusiedl) and from sites in the proximity to wild and domestic ruminants (region A). The higher L. monocytogenes detection and antibiotic resistances in region A and B could be explained by the proximity to agricultural land and urban environment. L. monocytogenes multi-locus sequence typing corroborated this evidence since sequence type (ST) ST37, ST91, ST101, and ST517 were repeatedly isolated from regions A and B over several months. A higher L. monocytogenes detection and strain variability was observed during flooding of the river Schwarza (region A) and Danube (region B) in September 2007, indicating dispersion via watercourses.

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Denmark – Three Deaths Traced to New Listeria Outbreak – Asparagus Soup

Posted on September 30, 2014 by | Leave a comment

The Local

Three people have died from listeria-infested asparagus soup at Odense University Hospital.

The deaths are a result of a new listeria outbreak and are not related to the one that has been traced to the deli meat rullepølse, which has claimed 16 lives.
“There are two different outbreaks and they are not connected. In the asparagus soup, it is a completely different strain of listeria than in the rullepølse outbreak. The deaths we have listed on our website are only from the rullepølse outbreak,” Tyra Grove Krause of the Danish State Serum Institute (SSI) told Ritzau news agency.

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USA – E.coli Outbreak -Was it Raw Milk?

Posted on September 30, 2014 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News imagesCAZ9J1WP

The five Kentucky children hospitalized in an E. coli outbreak earlier this month all consumed milk from the same raw milk dairy, according to multiple reports and the mother of one of the sickened children.

The Kentucky Department for Public Health has not announced the source of the outbreak. Microbial testing of animals, milk samples, and environmental samples from the dairy in question came back negative for E. coli.

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Australia – FSANZ Recall – Blue Cheese and Pistachio Dip – Salmonella

Posted on September 30, 2014 by | Leave a comment

FSANZ FSANZ3

Fresh Fodder Pty Ltd has recalled their Blue Cheese & Pistachio dip from independent outlets such as IGA supermarkets, fruit shops and delicatessens in the ACT, NSW and VIC. The recall is due to Salmonella contamination. Food products contaminated with Salmonella may cause illness if consumed. Any consumers concerned about their health should seek medical advice and should return the products to the place of purchase for a full refund.

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Research – CDC – Multistate Outbreak of Human Salmonella Infections Linked to Live Poultry in Backyard Flocks

Posted on September 29, 2014 by | Leave a comment

CDC

  • As of September 23, 2014, a total of 344 persons infected with the outbreak strains of Salmonella Infantis, Salmonella Newport, or Salmonella Hadar have been reported from 42 states and Puerto Rico.
    • 31% of ill persons have been hospitalized, and no deaths have been reported.
  • Epidemiologic, laboratory, and traceback findings have linked this outbreak of human Salmonella infections to contact with chicks, ducklings, and other live poultry from Mt. Healthy Hatcheries in Ohio.
    • 78% of ill people reported contact with live poultry in the week before their illness began.
  • Findings of multiple traceback investigations of live baby poultry from homes of ill persons have identified Mt. Healthy Hatcheries in Ohio as the source of chicks and ducklings. This is the same mail-order hatchery that has been associated with multiple outbreaks of Salmonella infections linked to live poultry in past years, including in 2012 and 2013.

 

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USA – FDA Recall – Cat and Dog Pet Foods – Salmonella

Posted on September 29, 2014 by | Leave a comment

FDA Salm2

Bravo of Manchester, CT is recalling select lots of Bravo Turkey and Chicken pet foods for dogs and cats because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. Salmonella can affect animals eating the products and there is risk to humans from handling contaminated pet products, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the products or any surfaces exposed to these products.

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Europe Recalls – Fromage – Salmonella – Raw Milk cheese

Posted on September 29, 2014 by | Leave a comment

HACCP Europa

Gourmets De L’artois is recalling Plateau Raclette Fromage Charcuterie because some of the batches may be contaminated with Salmonella.

The recalled product is Plateau Raclette Fromage Charcuterie branded Auchan, packaged in 800g units with EAN barcode: 3596710022465, veterinary identification: FR 62.907.002 CE and Expiry date: 13/09/2014.

HACCP Europa

Basitenberghof – Direktvermarkter is recalling Rohmilchkäse “Kuhweiß” (Raw milk cheese “Kuhweiß”) because some of the batches may be contaminated with Salmonella.

The recalled product is Rohmilchkäse “Kuhweiß” (Raw milk cheese “Kuhweiß”) packaged in 100-150 grams units with use-by date: 09/10/2014.

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Canada – CFIA Recalls – Hommous- Listeria monocytogenes – Tomally Spread – Clostridium botulinum – Flax and Chia Seeds – Salmonella

Posted on September 29, 2014 by | Leave a comment

CFIA CIFA

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is warning the public not to consume and retailers, restaurants and institutions not to sell or use the product described in the link above due to Listeria monocytogenes. (Hommous)

CFIA

Fruits de Mer Madeleine Inc. is recalling Madeleine brand Tomalley Spread from the marketplace because it may permit the growth of Clostridium botulinum. Consumers should not consume the recalled product described in the link above.

CFIA

The food recall warning issued on September 11, 2014 has been updated to include additional product information. This additional information was identified during the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s (CFIA) food safety investigation.

Advantage Health Matters is recalling Organic Traditions brand Sprouted Flax Seed Powder and Sprouted Chia & Flax Seed Powder from the marketplace due to Salmonella. Consumers should not consume the recalled products described in the link above.

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Reasearch – The Global Burden of Listeriosis: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Posted on September 26, 2014 by | Leave a comment

The Lancet

Background

Listeriosis, caused by Listeria monocytogenes, is an important foodborne disease that can be difficult to control and commonly results in severe clinical outcomes. We aimed to provide the first estimates of global numbers of illnesses, deaths, and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) due to listeriosis, by synthesising information and knowledge through a systematic review.

Methods

We retrieved data on listeriosis through a systematic review of peer-reviewed and grey literature (published in 1990—2012). We excluded incidence data from before 1990 from the analysis. We reviewed national surveillance data where available. We did a multilevel meta-analysis to impute missing country-specific listeriosis incidence rates. We used a meta-regression to calculate the proportions of health states, and a Monte Carlo simulation to generate DALYs by WHO subregion.

Findings

We screened 11 722 references and identified 87 eligible studies containing listeriosis data for inclusion in the meta-analyses. We estimated that, in 2010, listeriosis resulted in 23 150 illnesses (95% credible interval 6061—91 247), 5463 deaths (1401—21 497), and 172 823 DALYs (44 079—676 465). The proportion of perinatal cases was 20·7% (SD 1·7).

Interpretation

Our quantification of the global burden of listeriosis will enable international prioritisation exercises. The number of DALYs due to listeriosis was lower than those due to congenital toxoplasmosis but accords with those due to echinococcosis. Urgent efforts are needed to fill the missing data in developing countries. We were unable to identify incidence data for the AFRO, EMRO, and SEARO WHO regions.

Funding

WHO Foodborne Diseases Epidemiology Reference Group and the Université catholique de Louvain.

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Research – CDC – Multistate outbreak of hepatitis A virus infections linked to pomegranate seeds from Turkey (Final Update)

Posted on September 26, 2014 by | Leave a comment

CDC E.coli O157

165 people were confirmed to have become ill from hepatitis A after eating ‘Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend’ in 10 states: Arizona (24), California (80), Colorado (29), Hawaii (8), New Hampshire (1), New Jersey (1), New Mexico (11), Nevada (6), Utah (3), and Wisconsin (2). [Note: The cases reported from Wisconsin resulted from exposure to the product in California, the cases reported from New Hampshire reported fruit exposure during travel to Nevada, and the case reported in New Jersey was a household contact of a confirmed case from Colorado.] Eight of the confirmed cases were household contacts of confirmed cases (secondary cases).

  • 91 (55%) female ill persons
  • Ages ranged from <1 – 84 years;
    • 95 (58%) of those ill were between 40 – 64 years of age.
    • 11 children age 18 or under were also ill. None were previously vaccinated.
  • Illness onset dates ranged from 3/31/2013 – 8/12/2013
  • 69 (42%) ill people were hospitalized, and no deaths were reported
  • All ill people who reported eating this product purchased it from Costco markets; however, the product was also sold at Harris Teeter stores. No ill people were identified that bought the product at Harris Teeter.

 

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