Category Archives: Clostridium botulinum

Argentina – Two botulism cases reported in Buenos Aires – Clostridium botulinum

Posted on March 21, 2022 by | Leave a comment

Outbreak News Today

Two women have been hospitalized for botulism, including one in serious condition, according to a La Voz report.

The patients ate matambre (Argentian flank steak) and Russian salad delivered from a  traditional restaurant in the Buenos Aires neighborhood of Boedo.

“The salad is prepared with boiled potatoes and carrots and dried peas soaked in a can, with salt and mayonnaise added. Orders are shipped in disposable plastic containers with lids, and they include four slices of homemade matambre along with a portion of Russian salad”, according to the restaurant.

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Posted in Clostridium, Clostridium botulinum, food contamination, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Toxin, Poisoning

Research – Death by duck paste: Centenary of the Loch Maree botulism tragedy

Posted on February 7, 2022 by | Leave a comment

Press and Journal

kswfoodworld

There were 13 fishermen, two wives, 17 ghillies and three mountain climbers in the party, and they set out that morning with packed lunches prepared by the hotel staff.

The picnic included duck paste sandwiches, the paste coming from the firm of Lazenby & Sons of London.

Little did the diners know that they were carrying a ticking time bomb between slices of bread in their hampers, and that eight of their number would be dead within days.

Read the story at the Link Above

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Posted in Clostridium, Clostridium botulinum, Death, food death, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning Death, Foodborne Illness, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Research

Ukraine – Botulism in Ukraine 2021: 98 cases, 10 deaths

Posted on January 20, 2022 by | Leave a comment

Outbreak News Today

CDC Clost Spore

The Ukraine Ministry of Health reported 88 outbreaks of botulism in 2021, as a result of which 98 people became ill, including three children. Ten cases were fatal.

79 patients were given anti-botulinum serum.

This compares to 2020 when Ukraine reported 65 cases and four deaths.

In 2021, cases of botulism were registered in all regions of Ukraine, except Zakarpattia, Luhansk and Mykolaiv regions. The highest number of cases was registered in Volyn oblast – 9, eight cases were recorded in Zhytomyr, Lviv and Chernihiv oblasts and seven cases were reported in Cherkasy oblast.

The main causes of botulism food poisoning were the consumption of dried / salted / dried freshwater fish of home cooking or of unknown origin, which was purchased on the natural markets (30 cases – 30.6%), canned home-cooked meat (30 cases – 30.6%) .

Food borne botulism is a severe intoxication caused by eating the preformed toxin present in contaminated food.

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Posted in botulism, Clostridium botulinum, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Intoxications, microbial contamination, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations

Argentina – Botulism behind at least two deaths; others sick in Argentina

Posted on January 12, 2022 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

kswfoodworld

Foodborne botulism has been linked to two deaths in an Argentinian province.

The Ministry of Public Health in Misiones reported the two fatalities and at least four other cases occurred this past week in the village of Andresito.

The four ill people, including three adults and one child, are being treated in the intensive care unit of a local hospital. According to media reports, a third person, a child, has since died and up to 10 people have been affected.

Agency officials said that products suspected to be linked to the food poisoning have been seized. Local media reported homemade sausages are believed to be the source of infection.

Botulism antitoxin has been brought from Buenos Aires and Corrientes to reinforce local stock.

Officials reminded people about how food that is not approved by the relevant authorities should not be consumed.

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Posted in Clostridium, Clostridium botulinum, food contamination, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Toxin

Canada – Moncton Fish Market brand “La” Stimpson’s Surf Clams recalled due to potential presence of Clostridium botulinum

Posted on January 11, 2022 by | Leave a comment

CFIA

Summary

Product
“La” Stimpson’s Surf Clams
Issue
Food » Microbial Contamination » Clostridium botulinum
What to do

Do not consume the recalled product

Moncton Fish Market brand "La" Stimpson's Surf Clams – 153 grams

Moncton Fish Market brand "La" Stimpson's Surf Clams – 153 grams – ingredients

Issue

Moncton Fish Market Ltd. is recalling Moncton Fish Market brand “La” Stimpson’s Surf Clams that have been sold unrefrigerated from the marketplace because the product may permit the growth of Clostridium botulinum.

The recalled product has been sold at Moncton Fish Market, Moncton, New Brunswick.

What you should do

  • If you think you became sick from consuming a recalled product, call your doctor
  • Check to see if you have the recalled product in your home
  • Do not consume the recalled product
  • Recalled products should be thrown out or returned to the location where they were purchased

Food contaminated with Clostridium botulinum toxin may not look or smell spoiled but can still make you sick. Symptoms in adults can include facial paralysis or loss of facial expression, unreactive or fixed pupils, difficulty swallowing, drooping eyelids, blurred or double vision, difficulty speaking, including slurred speech, and a change in sound of voice, including hoarseness. Symptoms of foodborne botulism in children can include difficulty swallowing, slurred speech, generalized weakness and paralysis. In all cases, botulism does not cause a fever. In severe cases of illness, people may die.

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Posted in CFIA, Clostridium, Clostridium botulinum, food contamination, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Toxin

Canada – Moncton Fish Market brand Bar Clams recalled due to potential presence of dangerous bacteria – Clostridium botulinum

Posted on December 24, 2021 by | Leave a comment

CFIA

Moncton Fish Market - Bar Clams: 153 g

Moncton Fish Market - Bar Clams: 153 g

Product
Bar Clams
Issue
Food » Microbial Contamination » Clostridium botulinum
What to do

Do not consume the recalled product

Affected products

Brand Product Size UPC Codes
Moncton Fish Market Bar Clams 153 g 8 78173 00004 8 All jars that were sold unrefrigerated

Issue

Moncton Fish Market Ltd. is recalling Moncton Fish Market brand Bar Clams that have been sold unrefrigerated from the marketplace because the product may permit the growth of Clostridium botulinum.

The recalled product has been sold at Moncton Fish Market, Moncton, New Brunswick.

What you should do

  • If you think you became sick from consuming a recalled product, call your doctor
  • Check to see if you have the recalled product in your home
  • Do not consume the recalled product
  • Recalled products should be thrown out or returned to the location where they were purchased

Food contaminated with Clostridium botulinum toxin may not look or smell spoiled but can still make you sick. Symptoms in adults can include facial paralysis or loss of facial expression, unreactive or fixed pupils, difficulty swallowing, drooping eyelids, blurred or double vision, difficulty speaking, including slurred speech, and a change in sound of voice, including hoarseness. Symptoms of foodborne botulism in children can include difficulty swallowing, slurred speech, generalized weakness and paralysis. In all cases, botulism does not cause a fever. In severe cases of illness, people may die.

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Posted in Bacterial Toxin, CFIA, Clostridium, Clostridium botulinum, Exotoxin, food contamination, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Toxin

USA – Clostridium Botulinum Outbreak May Be Associated With Canned Soup

Posted on December 17, 2021 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin

A new Clostridium botulinum outbreak on the USDA’s Core Investigation Table may be associated with canned soup. That pathogen is a risk with low acid canned foods such as canned soup or home canned vegetables.

There is no more information on the table about this outbreak. We do not know the patient case counts, if traceback or sampling is being conducted, or if any facilities are being inspected.

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Posted in Clostridium, Clostridium botulinum, food bourne outbreak, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, microbial contamination, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, outbreak

RASFF Alert- Botulism Case – Fish Soup

Posted on December 10, 2021 by | Leave a comment

RASFF

Botulism case suspected to be linked to fish soup from France in Belgium

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Posted in Bacterial Toxin, Clostridium, Clostridium botulinum, food contamination, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Toxin, Poisoning, RASFF, Toxin

Ukraine – Four hospitalized with botulism after eating homemade canned mushrooms

Posted on December 7, 2021 by | Leave a comment

Outbreak News Today

In Sumy Oblast in northeastern Ukraine, four people were hospitalized with botulism after eating homemade canned mushrooms at a dinner in the city of Lebedin.

According to the medical director of the Clinical Center for Infectious Diseases and Dermatology, Krasovitsky Irina Trotskaya, two victims were hospitalized at the center for infectious diseases in Sumy, two remained to be treated in the city hospital.

So far in 2021, Ukraine has reported 80 foodborne botulism outbreaks involving 89 patients, including three children.

In most cases, botulism in Ukraine is due to the consumption of dried and salted freshwater and sea fish (40%), meat, fish, vegetables, mushroom canned food and other meat products made at home or bought in unauthorized places.

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Posted in botulism, Clostridium, Clostridium botulinum, Death, food bourne outbreak, food contamination, food death, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, Food Poisoning Death, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Toxin, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, outbreak

Ukraine – Two botulism cases reported in Zaporizhzhia Oblast

Posted on November 22, 2021 by | Leave a comment

Outbreak News Today

Two cases of foodborne botulism were reported in Berdyansk, Zaporizhzhia Oblast in southeastern Ukraine.

On November 17, it was reported that botulism was found in two residents of the city. An outbreak of the disease occurred among members of the same family. Homemade dried fish (roach, bream) could be a source of botulism.

The state of health of the sick is not reported.

Food borne botulism is a severe intoxication caused by eating the preformed toxin present in contaminated food.

Food borne botulism occurs when the bacterium Clostridium botulinum is allowed to grow and produce toxin in food that is later eaten without sufficient heating or cooking to inactivate the toxin. Botulinum toxin is one

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Posted in Clostridium, Clostridium botulinum, food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Toxin