Category Archives: CDC

USA – Small Turtles On-Going Salmonella Risk

Posted on December 9, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin 800px-Florida_Box_Turtle_Digon3_re-edited

Six ongoing Salmonella outbreaks that have sickened a total of 248 people in 34 states have been linked to illegal pet turtles, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  Almost 70 percent of those who became ill were children under the age of 10.

It is precisely because of Salmonella risk , especially to young children, that the Food and Drug Administration banned the sale and distribution of small  turtles as pets in 1975. Turtles with shells shorter four inches should not be purchased as pets or given as gifts.

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Posted in Bacteria, CDC, Eurofins Laboratories, FDA, Hygiene, Illness, Microbiology, Pathogen, Research, Salmonella

USA Research -CDC – Report on Levels of Yersinia in Pork

Posted on November 28, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

In a new study of raw pork chops and ground pork, Consumer Reports found 69 percent of samples were contaminated with Yersinia enterocolitica, according to a report published by the group today.

A lesser-known foodborne pathogen, Yersinia enterocolitica can cause fever, abdominal pain and diarrhea, lasting one to three weeks, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There is approximately one confirmed infection per 100,000 people reported each year, but since these cases are severely under-reported, CDC estimates there are actually around 100,000 infections in the United States annually.

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Posted in Bacteria, CDC, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Safety, Microbiology, Pathogen, Research, Yersinia

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USA – CDC – Multistate Outbreak of E.coli O157:H7 – Spinach

Posted on November 20, 2012 by | Leave a comment

CDCE.coli O157

A total of 28 persons infected with the outbreak strain of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coliO157:H7 (STEC O157:H7) have been reported from five states, with most cases in New York.

42% of ill persons have been hospitalized. Two ill persons have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure, and no deaths have been reported.

The outbreak was initially in New York. More recently, more ill persons in other states have been reported, and the investigation has expanded.

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Posted in Bacteria, CDC, E.coli, E.coli O157, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Safety, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Hygiene, Illness, Methods, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen, Recall

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CDC Letter – UK Shellfish Market and Viruses – Hepatitis E

Posted on November 6, 2012 by | Leave a comment

CDC (full letter)

Bivalve mollusks (shellfish), such as mussels and oysters, are filter feeders; they concentrate microorganisms of human and animal origin (up to 100×) from the surrounding environment. Several recent reports have linked the incidence of human infection with hepatitis E virus (HEV) to consumption of undercooked pork, game products, and shellfish (1,2). Infectious HEV has been found in swine manure and wastewater (3); therefore, application of manure to land and subsequent runoff could contaminate coastal water, leading to contamination of shellfish and, subsequently, possible human infection. Because they are filter feeders, bivalve mollusks are biologically relevant sentinels and can indicate potential pathogens that are contaminating the environment. It is essential to ensure that this sustainable resource of coastal areas, where mussels and oysters are farmed or collected wild, is not subjected to environmental contamination that could lead to public health risks.

Risk management for bivalve mollusks, aimed at control of fecal pollution, relies heavily on the use of Escherichia coli as an indicator of fecal (sewage) contamination and is enacted under European food regulations (Regulation 854/2004, www.cefas.co.uk/media/455777/extract_reg_no_854_2004.pdf Adobe PDF file). However, although these regulations probably reduce the number of infections, especially bacterial infections, they are not viewed as adequately controlling the risk for viral infections. Specific risks are posed by the robustness of viruses in the environment and the different behavior of viruses within bivalve mollusks compared with behavior within bacterial fecal indicators.

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Posted in CDC, E.coli, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Virus, Foodborne Illness, Hepatitis E, Microbiology, Norovirus, Pathogen, Research, Virus, Water

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

Posted on October 13, 2012 by | Leave a comment

CDC – Final Update on the outbreak

 A total of 93 persons infected with the outbreak strain of SalmonellaMontevideo were reported from 23 states and Puerto Rico.

  • The number of ill persons identified in each state was as follows: Alaska (1), California (4), Colorado (1), Florida (1), Georgia (1), Illinois (3), Indiana (10), Iowa (2), Kansas (15), Kentucky (2), Massachusetts (2), Missouri (28), Nebraska (8), Nevada (1), New York (1), North Carolina (1), Ohio (1), Oklahoma (5), South Dakota (1), Texas (1), Vermont (1), West Virginia (1), Wyoming (1), and Puerto Rico (1).
  • 21 ill persons were hospitalized. One death was reported in Missouri, but Salmonella infection was not considered a contributing factor in this person’s death.
  • 38% of ill persons were children 10 years of age or younger.
  • Epidemiologic, laboratory, and traceback findings linked this outbreak of human Salmonella infections to contact with chicks, ducklings, and other live baby poultry from Estes Hatchery in Springfield, Missouri.

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Posted in Bacteria, CDC, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Hygiene, Illness, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen, Salmonella

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Multistate Outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium and Salmonella Newport Infections Linked to Cantaloupe

Posted on September 14, 2012 by | Leave a comment

CDC

  • A total of 270 persons infected with the outbreak strains of Salmonella Typhimurium (240 persons) and SalmonellaNewport (30 persons) have been reported from 26 states.
    • The number of ill persons infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Typhimurium identified in each state is as follows: Alabama (16), Arkansas (6), California (2), Florida (1), Georgia (9), Iowa (10), Illinois (26), Indiana (24), Kentucky (70), Massachusetts (2), Maryland (1), Michigan (6), Minnesota (5), Missouri (15), Mississippi (7), Montana (1), New Jersey (2), North Carolina (7), Ohio (6), Oklahoma (1), Pennsylvania (2), South Carolina (5), Tennessee (8), Texas (2), and Wisconsin (6).
    • The number of ill persons infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Newport identified in each state is as follows: Illinois (8), Indiana (9), Michigan (1), Missouri (6), Ohio (3), Virginia (1), and Wisconsin (2)
    • 101 ill persons have been hospitalized. Three deaths have been reported in Kentucky

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Posted in Bacteria, CDC, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Hygiene, Illness, Microbiology, outbreak, Recall, Salmonella

Cruise Ship Norovirus Outbreak

Posted on September 13, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoining Bulletin

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC) has issued an investigation update on the Norovirus outbreak on the Dawn Princess cruise ship. The ship of part of the Princess Cruises cruise line.

Voyage dates were August 21 to September 13, 2012. The number of passengers on the ship is 1,778, and crew members is 851. The passengers who reported being ill numbered 114, or 6.41%, and the number of crew who reported being ill numbered 11, or 1.29%. The symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea are consistent with Norovirus infection

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Posted in CDC, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Virus, Foodborne Illness, Hand Washing, Illness, Microbiology, Norovirus, outbreak, Pathogen, Virus

CDC 2011 Foodborne Disease Figures

Posted on July 30, 2012 by | Leave a comment

CDC

The Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet) conducts active population-based surveillance in ten areas (Connecticut, Georgia, Maryland, Minnesota, New Mexico, Oregon, Tennessee, and selected counties in California, Colorado, and New York) for laboratory-confirmed cases of infection caused by Campylobacter, Cryptosporidium, Cyclospora, Listeria, Salmonella, Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC, including STEC O157 and STEC non-O157), Shigella, Vibrio, and Yersinia.

FoodNet also conducts surveillance for postdiarrheal hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a complication of STEC infection characterized by renal failure and microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, through a network of pediatric nephrologists and infection-control practitioners. Hospital discharge data are reviewed to validate HUS diagnoses and verify the presence of diarrhea in the 21 days before HUS onset. This report contains preliminary postdiarrheal HUS data for 2010, rather than for 2011, because additional time is needed to review hospital records.

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Posted in Bacteria, CDC, Cryptosporidium, E.coli, Eurofins Laboratories, FDA, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Hygiene, Illness, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, Pathogen, Research, Salmonella, Shigella, STEC

CDC – Another Live Chicks Salmonella Outbreak

Posted on July 24, 2012 by | Leave a comment

CDC

  • A total of 37 persons infected with the outbreak strain of SalmonellaHadar have been reported from 11 states.
    • The number of ill persons identified in each state is as follows: Arizona (2), California (1), Colorado (3), Idaho (5), Illinois (2), Oregon (5), Tennessee (2), Texas (1), Utah (5), Washington (9), and Wyoming (2).
    • Eight ill persons have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.
    • 37% of ill persons are children 10 years of age or younger.
  • Epidemiologic, laboratory and traceback findings have linked this outbreak of human Salmonella infections to contact with live poultry from Hatchery B in Idaho.

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Posted in Bacteria, CDC, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Hygiene, Illness, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen, Pet Food, Recall, Salmonella

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US E.coli O145 Outbreak Now Hits Six States

Posted on June 9, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News 

Today the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that the E. coli O145 outbreak that killed a young girl in Louisiana has sickened at least 14 people in six states:

Georgia (5 illnesses), Louisiana (4), Alabama (2), California (1), Florida (1) and Tennessee (1).
 
Three people have been hospitalised. 
 
The source of the contamination remains unknown.
 
“The investigation is looking at both food and non-food exposures as part of the ongoing investigation,” a CDC statement read. “State public health officials are interviewing ill persons to obtain information regarding foods they might have eaten and other exposures in the week before illness.”
 
Illness onset dates range from April 15 to May 12. Infections that began after May 12 may not have been reported yet. The most recent case was reported on June 4.
 
A 21-month-old girl in Louisiana died from her infection on May 31 after falling ill several weeks earlier. This outbreak has no connection to the May 26 death of a 6-year-old Massachusetts boy suffering from an E. coli O157:H7 infection.

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Posted in Bacteria, CDC, E.coli, E.coli O145, EHEC, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen

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