Monthly Archives: August 2016

Food Poisoning Bulletin

At least five restaurants served sprouts linked to an E. coli outbreak that has sickened 30 people in nine states, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). But consumers wondering which restaurants are involved will be left to wonder as health officials are not releasing the names.

Sprouts Extraordinaire of Denver has issued a recall for the sprouts which are tainted with two strains: Salmonella Reading and Salmonella Abony. They were sold in 5-pound boxes labeled “Living Alfalfa Sprouts.”

Onset of illness dates range from May 21 to July 20. Five people have been hospitalized. States reporting illnesses include: Colorado (13), Kansas (8), Minnesota (1), Missouri (1), Nebraska (2), New York (1), Oregon (1), Texas (1) and Wyoming (1).

Barf Blog

Hawaii News Now reports the outbreak of Hepatitis A in the islands has now sickened 135 people, the state Health Department said Wednesday.

All cases have been in adults, and 39 have required hospitalization.

The total number of cases statewide is up by 42 people since last week. The onset of illness ranges from June 12 to July 24.

This is by far the largest outbreak of Hepatitis A in the islands in decades. State health officials said the outbreak appears to be focused on Oahu, but its source remains unclear. Seven of those who have been sickened live on the Neighbor Islands; one visitor has returned to the mainland.

Hawaii News Now

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) –

The State Health Department has confirmed another case of Hepatitis A in a State Department of Transportation employee, raising the number of confirmed cases to 135.

The Department of Health said on Monday that it is getting closer to finding out what is causing the outbreak.

“The indications are that whatever it is, this is not a fresh product its probably something that keeps for a while so frozen or dried or something,” state epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Park said.

All Department of Transportation employees, who may have been exposed, have been contacted are being offered vaccinations.

The Centers for Disease Control said three experts from epidemiology, infectious diseases and clinical care are in Hawaii assisting the DOH with the investigation.

Food Poisoning Bulletin

Two seafood products are being recalled in Canada for histamines, according to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Histamines in fish can cause a form of food poisoning called scombroid poisoning, which is sometimes confused with an allergic reaction to fish. There have been reported illnesses associated with the consumption of blue marlin loins and the blue marlin used to make the recalled skewers, as identified below. The recalls were triggered by consumer complaints.

CFS

Centre for Food Safety Food and Environmental Hygiene Department 2016-08-05

IJID Online 

Times of Israel 

With 240 boxes thought to have reached consumers, Health Ministry orders daily inspections at plant until contamination scare is over.

The Health Ministry said Sunday that it has suspended a manufacturing license given to multinational corporation Unilever, after cornflakes tainted with salmonella managed to reach Israeli consumers.

The Daily Record 

CIDRAP

MCR-1 gene detected in Scottish patient infected with Salmonella

Health officials in Scotland have announced the country’s first detection of antibiotic-resistant bacteria harboring the MCR-1 gene.

According to a report from Health Protection Scotland, investigators with the Scottish Salmonella, Shigella and C. difficile Reference Laboratory identified the gene in an isolate from a Salmonella Enteritides patient who had travelled to Southeast Asia. The agency said the patient is currently recovering and did not require any antimicrobial therapy.

The MCR-1 gene, which can confer resistance to the powerful antibiotic colistin, was first identified in Escherichia coli strains in China in November 15, and since then has been detected in more than 30 countries. MCR-1 has alarmed public health officials because colistin is considered an antibiotic of last resort and is mainly used for bacterial infections that won’t respond to other drugs. In addition, the gene can quickly spread colistin resistance to other bacteria because it’s located on mobile pieces of DNA called plasmids.

The concern is that MCR-1 will latch onto multidrug-resistant bacteria and create infections that doctors can’t treat.
Aug 2 Health Protection Scotland news release

USDA: Antimicrobial resistance ranges from 36% to 44% in E coli

A study by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has detected moderate levels of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in illness-producing Escherichia coli strains from food animals and humans.

The strains were from six serogroups of non-O157 Shiga toxin–producing E coli (n-STEC)—O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, and O145. These serogroups have been identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as those responsible for the greatest numbers of n-STEC illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths in the United States. Under USDA rules, any raw ground beef found to contain these bacteria is prohibited from sale to consumers.

Researchers found that 40% of the 138 E coli strains showed resistance to 1 of  15 antimicrobial agents, with AMR prevalence being lower in food animals (36%) than in humans (44%). One animal strain (from serogroups O121 and O145) and one human strain (from serogroup O26) showed extensive resistance.

In the same study, the human and animal E coli strains showed similar susceptibility to 24 disinfectants that were evaluated, with all strains being susceptible to triclosan.
August J Food Prot abstract

12 News 

PHOENIX – Maricopa County Department of Public Health officials are investigating an outbreak of Cryptosporidium, a diarrheal illness caused by a parasite Cryptosporidium parvum, and are advising the public to take precautions to further prevent the spread of this disease.

Public health officials said 19 cases were reported in July. Five of those initial cases have been linked to recreational water facilities.

While officials said some people with Crytosporidium show no symptoms, the most common symptom to be on the lookout for is watery diarrhea usually beginning 2-10 days from infection.

Food Poisoning Bulletin 

Alfalfa sprouts have been linked to a nine-state Salmonella outbreak that has sickened 30 people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  Many of those sickened reported eating the contaminated sprouts at restaurants,  but health officials have not released the names of those establishments. Five people have been hospitalized.