Category Archives: E.coli

Research New Bacterial Identification Technology

Posted on January 17, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin

xTAG Gastrointestinal Pathogen Panel (GPP), which recently received approval from US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), is one lab test that can do the job of many,  expertly scanning a solitary stool sample for 11 different illness-inducing organisms.

To many, that sounds an impressive feat in an of itself. But considering that 179 million Americans are stricken with gastroenteritis every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it’s also one that can come in handy. Infectious gastroenteritis is caused by certain viruses, bacteria, or parasites and can be spread easily through person-to-person contact or from contaminated food, water, and surfaces. Symptoms include vomiting and diarrhea.

The  xTAG can scan for  bacteria including Campylobacter, Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) toxin A/B, Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157, Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) LT/ST, Salmonella, Shigella and Shiga‐like Toxin producing E. coli (STEC) stx 1/stx 2. It can scan for viruses including Norovirus and Rotavirus A. And it can scan for parasites such as Cryptosporidium and Giardia.

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Posted in Bacteria, Campylobacter, Clostridium difficile, Cryptosporidium, E.coli, E.coli O103, E.coli O104, E.coli O145, E.coli O157, E.coli O26, EHEC, Food Safety, Food Technology, Food Testing, Food Virus, Giardia, Methods, Microbiology, Norovirus, Pathogen, Rotavirus

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USA – Raw Beef Recalled – E.coli O157

Posted on January 16, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

Glenn’s Market and Catering, a Watertown, WI establishment, is recalling approximately 2,532 pounds of raw ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The following products are subject to recall:  Various size packages of Glenn’s Market ground round, ground chuck and ground beef sold between Dec. 22, 2012 and Jan. 4, 2013.

The products subject to recall were sold only at Glenn’s Market and Catering in Watertown, WI from the retail meat case.

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Posted in Bacteria, E.coli, E.coli O157, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall

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USA -FDA – Recall Cheese STEC E.coli

Posted on January 16, 2013 by | Leave a comment

FDA

The State Milk Board, in conjunction with the Missouri Department of Agriculture and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, announced today that Homestead Creamery of Jamesport, Mo. is voluntarily withdrawing a batch of its Flory’s Favorite cheese from the marketplace.

Preliminary test results received from the Missouri State Health Laboratory indicate the cheese may be contaminated with Shiga-Toxin producing E.coli, which can lead to food borne illness. Confirmatory tests are ongoing.

The Homestead Creamery plant license to sell milk products in Missouri has been temporarily suspended, pending the results of the investigation by the State Milk Board and Missouri departments of Agriculture and Health and Senior Services.

The withdrawn product, Flory’s Favorite, is a 60-day aged cheese made with raw milk. Packages of the cheese are marked with “Packed On 210” on the label. This affects approximately 250 pounds of cheese and does not affect any other dairy products from Homestead Creamery.

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Posted in Bacteria, E.coli, EHEC, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall, STEC

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Canada – More Recalls Lettuce – E.coli O157

Posted on January 15, 2013 by | Leave a comment

CFIACIFA

Reference Number: 7688
Recalling Firm: FRESHPOINT TORONTO
Date of Recall: 1/13/2013
Recall Classification: 1
Distribution : New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec
Extent of the Product Distribution : Hotel/Restaurant/Institutional

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Posted in Bacteria, CFIA, E.coli, E.coli O157, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall

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UK – Takeaway Owner Jailed for E.coli Outbreak

Posted on January 15, 2013 by | 5 comments

BBC NewsEcoli Istock

The owner of a Cardiff takeaway has been jailed for eight months following an outbreak of E. coli.

Diar Wali Ali admitted at Cardiff magistrates’ court to 23 food hygiene offences and was jailed on Monday.

In August 2011, nine customers fell ill with food poisoning after visiting the Adonis Kebab House in City Road, Roath.

The takeaway was closed for two weeks while inspections were carried out and the council was satisfied the risks had been removed.

Councillor Derek Morgan, chair of Cardiff council’s public protection committee, said people had a right to eat safe food and certain levels of hygiene.

“However, where poor hygiene practices and substandard conditions are found, we take immediate action to safeguard public health,” he said.

“I hope this case helps to show how seriously we take this commitment and demonstrate that, where appropriate, we will use the full force of the law to ensure food safety regulations are met.”

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Posted in Bacteria, E.coli, EHEC, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Hygiene, Illness, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen, Recall, STEC

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USA – Raw Milk Cheese Recall – E.coli STEC

Posted on January 15, 2013 by | Leave a comment

E.coli Blog

The State Milk Board, in conjunction with the Missouri Department of Agriculture and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, announced today that Homestead Creamery of Jamesport, Mo. is voluntarily withdrawing a batch of its Flory’s Favorite cheese from the marketplace.

Preliminary test results received from the Missouri State Health Laboratory indicate the cheese may be contaminated with Shiga-Toxin producing E.coli, which can lead to food borne illness. Confirmatory tests are ongoing.

The Homestead Creamery plant license to sell milk products in Missouri has been temporarily suspended, pending the results of the investigation by the State Milk Board and Missouri departments of Agriculture and Health and Senior Services.

The withdrawn product, Flory’s Favorite, is a 60-day aged cheese made with raw milk. Packages of the cheese are marked with “Packed On 210″ on the label. This affects approximately 250 pounds of cheese and does not affect any other dairy products from Homestead Creamery.

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Posted in Bacteria, E.coli, EHEC, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall, STEC

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USA – Raw Milk STEC Outbreak

Posted on January 13, 2013 by | Leave a comment

 Food Poisoning Journal

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) has become aware of several cases of diarrheal illness from northwest Missouri, possibly caused by Shiga-toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC), including one confirmed as E. coli O103. These may be related to the consumption of locally-produced, raw (unpasteurized) dairy products.

DHSS recommends that any person who has signs or symptoms of STEC infection seek medical care. Health care providers should evaluate patients adequately to determine if testing for STEC infection is warranted.

Symptoms of STEC infection include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (which is often bloody), and vomiting. If there is fever, it usually is not very high. Most patients’ symptoms improve within 5–7 days, but some patients go on to develop hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), usually about a week after the diarrhea starts. The classic triad of findings in HUS are acute renal damage, microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, and thrombocytopenia.

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Posted in Bacteria, E.coli, E.coli O103, EHEC, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Technology, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Hygiene, Microbiology, O103, outbreak, Pathogen

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Canada – KFC – Taco Bell Lettuce – E.coli

Posted on January 12, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning BulletinSalmonella

The source of an E.coli outbreak that has sickened at least 16 people in Canada was lettuce served at Taco Bell and KFC restaurants, health officials in New Brunswick have discovered.  The outbreak affected three provinces: New Brunswick, where six people became ill and Nova Scotia and Ontario which each had five cases.

“Based on the information we have collected and shared with other provinces, we believe that lettuce has been a common food source among cases,” said Dr. Eilish Cleary, New Brunswick’s chief medical officer of health. “Since lettuce has a limited shelf life, it is highly unlikely that some from the affected lots remain in restaurants.”

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Posted in Bacteria, E.coli, E.coli O157, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, Pathogen

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USA – E.coli O157 – Outbreak in Leafy Greens

Posted on January 9, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin

 E.coli outbreak likely caused by leafy greens has sickened five people in Hamilton County, Ohio, Food Poisoning Bulletin has learned. The outbreak was confirmed this morning by  Mike Samet, a public information officer, for the county’s public health department.

There are five confirmed cases and one probable case of  E.coli 0157:H7 infection which were likely caused by tainted leafy greens, he said. The case patients, four females and two males,  range in age from 12 to 83 and first showed signs of illness from December 10 to December 15, 2012

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Posted in Bacteria, E.coli, E.coli O157, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Hygiene, Illness, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen

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Canada – E.coli O157 Outbreak Update

Posted on January 8, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety NewsEcoli Istock

Canada’s eastern and adjoining provinces of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick are reporting 15 confirmed cases of E. coli O157:H7. None of the illnesses have yet been traced to a source.

Ten of the E. coli illnesses are located in central Nova Scotia, with five reported by the Capital District Health, two by the Guysborough Antigonish Strait Health Authority, and one each by the Pictou, Cumberland, and Colcherster East Hants health authorities.

On the other side of the Bay of Fundy in New Brunswick, heath officials reported two cases were reported in the St. John region and three in the Fredericton region.

Dr. Eilish Cleary, chief medical officer for New Brunswick, said it is not known if there is a common source for the cases. A number of possible sources are being investigated. Dr. Robert Strang, chief medical officer for Nova Scotia, said that it would not be uncommon for there to be additional cases as it may take as long as ten days for some people to begin to experience symptoms of E. coli O157:H7 and get tested.

One of the Nova Scotia patients experienced kidney failure, but along with the others is said to be recovering. In New Brunswick, four illnesses were treated by emergency room visits, and one victim was hospitalized.

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Posted in Bacteria, E.coli, E.coli O157, EHEC, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Hygiene, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen