An outbreak of likely Clostridium perfringens was investigated by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and the Jefferson County Public Health starting on August 22, 2023. That day, a school nurse at Evergreen County Day School reported 40 or so illnesses following a school event on August 21, 2023. The outbreak was given the state ID “2023-30-129.”
Improving the identification of toxin-producing bacteria is a real challenge for understanding food poisoning episodes. As part of the Joint European “One Health” Program coordinated by ANSES, the agency coordinated a European collaborative project on the toxin-producing bacteria which cause the most collective foodborne illnesses (TIAC).
Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus and Clostridium perfringens were at the heart of the European TOX-Detect project. This trio was not chosen at random: they are the toxin-producing bacteria most frequently involved in collective foodborne illness (TIAC) . According to the European Union Zoonoses Report One Health 2021 published by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), bacterial toxins are the second leading cause of TIAC after bacteria themselves (17%). The project, coordinated by ANSES, began in 2018 for a duration of 3 years. It was funded by the One Health EJP program and involved the Institut Pasteur, INRAE as well as various partners from several European countries.
“ Depending on the bacterial strains, the expression of virulence factors is not the same. These virulence factors are, for example, the presence of adhesion proteins or the production of toxins, in food or in the body. They serve the bacteria to counter the defenses that the host could put up against them, explains Yacine Nia, co-coordinator of the project and deputy head of unit of the Staphylococcus, Bacillus, Clostridium (SBCL) unit, of the food safety laboratory. of Anses. The ability of the bacteria to harm the body will be higher or lower depending on these virulence factors. »
Most poisonings caused by the toxins of the three bacteria studied cause gastrointestinal symptoms (nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea). Deaths may occur, especially in the most sensitive subjects.
Clostridium perfringens in fish meal from Portugal in Italy
Summary
Public Health is investigating an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness associated with a private event catered by a Tacos El Guero food truck on September 14, 2023. Symptoms and timing of illness onsets were suggestive of a bacterial toxin, such as Clostridium perfringens or Bacillus cereus.
The exact food or drink that caused the illnesses has not been identified, though this is not uncommon for outbreaks associated with a bacterial toxin.
Illnesses
Public Health identified 34 sick people that developed one or more symptoms consistent with bacterial toxin, including diarrhea, abdominal cramping, and nausea. Illness onset dates ranged from September 14, 2023, to September 15, 2023.
Public Health actions
On September 15, 2023, a group reported the outbreak to Public Health after eating together on September 14, 2023. Public Health gathered information about symptoms and when people became ill.
Environmental Health investigators visited the mobile food trucks and restaurant on September 18, 2023. Investigators identified potential risk factors for bacterial toxin growth including inadequate refrigeration and improper cooling of food. We also observed inadequate equipment improper reheating, and lack of managerial oversight. Additionally, food at this event was served out of an unpermitted food truck. Corrective actions were discussed at the time of the visit. Based on unsafe food handling practices identified during the investigation, environmental health investigators closed the restaurant on September 18, 2023. Environmental Health investigators will revisit the facility to ensure adoption of safe food handling practices prior to allowing the restaurant to reopen.
Posted in Brochothrix thermosphacta, Clostridium perfringens, Decontamination Microbial, Enterobacteriaceae, ESBL, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Pseudomonas, Staphylococcus aureus
The number of outbreaks in France went up in 2021 but was still below 2018 and 2019 levels.
Figures from Santé publique France show there were 1,309 outbreaks affecting 11,056 people in 2021. A total of 512 people went to hospitals and 16 died.
Reported outbreaks rose from 1,010 in 2020 when figures were strongly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to officials.
For 327 incidents in 2021, a pathogen could be microbiologically confirmed in food or in at least one sick person per outbreak. A pathogen was suspected without microbiological confirmation for 734 outbreaks.
16 deaths in outbreaks
The most frequently microbiologically confirmed pathogen was Salmonella 147 times. It was mostly Salmonella Enteritidis, followed by monophasic Salmonella Typhimurium but the type was not known in 92 incidents. Confirmed Salmonella outbreaks were responsible for 935 patients and 166 hospitalizations.
Campylobacter caused 52 outbreaks with 178 patients and Bacillus cereus had 46 with 665 patients. Nineteen norovirus outbreaks sickened 493 and 11 histamine outbreaks affected 35 people.
Seven outbreaks were due to E. coli, six to Yersinia enterocolitica, four to Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), and one each because of Listeria monocytogenes, Clostridium botulinum, and Shigella.
The pathogen was identified in patients for 208 outbreaks, of which 143 were confirmed with Salmonella. Identification of the agent took place in food samples for 89 epidemics with 67 confirmed as Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus and Clostridium perfringens.
The top suspected pathogens based on epidemiological and clinical information, but not microbiologically confirmed, were the toxins Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus and Clostridium perfringens. For these three pathogens, 3,787 patients and 169 hospital trips were recorded.
Posted in Clostridium, Clostridium perfringens, Decontamination Microbial, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk
Posted in Clostridium, Clostridium perfringens, Decontamination Microbial, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk
The Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition has communicated to the competent authorities of the autonomous communities and the Center for Coordination of Health Alerts and Emergencies (CCAES), through the Coordinated System of Rapid Information Exchange (SCIRI), a alert, transferred by the health authorities of the Community of Madrid, regarding the presence of Clostridium perfringens in cinnamon molta of the Especias Pedroza brand.
The data of the product involved are:
The withdrawal of the affected products from the marketing channels will be verified by the competent authorities.
People who have products affected by this alert at home are advised to refrain from consuming them and return them to the point of purchase.
Posted in ACSA, Clostridium, Clostridium perfringens, food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, Food Quality, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Safety Regulations, Food Testing, Food Toxin
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