I came across this which is quite an interesting tool for looking at outbreaks.
The Contagion® Outbreak Monitor provides details on the number of confirmed cases, deaths, and recent website articles on infectious disease outbreaks.
Use the Contagion® Outbreak Monitor to learn about infectious disease outbreaks in your geographical region and manipulate the map to find out the latest information on global outbreaks. Click on “Trends” to learn more about trends in the number of cases and deaths.
Posted in food bourne outbreak, food contamination, food death, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, foodborne disease, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Uncategorized
News Beezer reports that shortly before Christmas, the Norwegian Institute of Public Health announced that there had been six reports of a new outbreak of Listeriosis. Today it was known that this number has increased significantly and that the affected area is also larger than previously known. So far, five patients have detected bacteria with a similar DNA profile.
The aim of this study was to isolate Listeria monocytogenes from chicken neck skins and lytic bacteriophages from poultry slaughterhouse wastewaters, and following the characterization of the isolates, biocontrol of L. monocytogenes was investigated on chicken drumsticks with the isolated phages. L. monocytogenes prevalence was detected 12.3% in the chicken samples and the dominant serotype was determined as 1/2a (92.5%). Expression levels of major virulence genes were revealed by real‐time RT‐PCR. Ten different DNA profiles were detected by ERIC‐PCR fingerprinting. According to the MIC results, LM‐P75 was defined as MDR by showing resistance to antibiotics in six different groups. Besides, five lytic listeriophages were isolated from wastewaters and treated with Cla1 and Sac1. Taking EoP, TEM, in vitro, and in vivo analyses results into consideration, three bacteriophages were used for the biocontrol assay. The application of the bacteriophages on drumsticks achieved a reduction up to 3.3 log CFU/ml in L. monocytogenes count in 3 hr of incubation at 4°C.
Our results showed that in spite of the developments in hygiene practices during slaughtering, chicken meat is still a potential source for L. monocytogenes. On the other hand, the phage cocktail that used in this study can be an effective tool to reduce L. monocytogenes in chicken carcasses at final wash or at cooling step in poultry slaughtering process, as well as in decontamination of chicken meat parts.
The United States has seen 70 Salmonella outbreaks linked to contact with live poultry between 2000-2017, resulting in 4794 cases, according to reports from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The most recent surveillance reports indicate that live poultry-related outbreaks are on the rise with 9 outbreaks reported in 2016 and 10 reported in 2017.
Despite the frequency of live poultry-related outbreaks, environmental sampling is not routinely conducted during outbreak investigations. As a result, the source of the outbreak is rarely identified.
However, on June 12, 2018, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MHHS) requested assistance from the CDC to investigate Salmonellarisk factors at a mail-order hatchery. The findings of the investigation were published in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Grand Strand Sandwich Company is recalling Lunch Box Italian Subs, Lunch Box Ham & Swiss Croissants and Lunch Box Ham & Cheese Frozen Wedges for possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. No illnesses have been associated with these recalled items to date.
On January 3, 2019 the firm was notified by the FDA that swabs public health officials collected from the company’s meat slicing areas on December 11, 2018 tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes bacteria.
The recalled items are Italian Subs sold in 7 ounce packages, with UPC number 0 67068 12222 8 and Julian date 35218; Ham & Swiss Croissants in 5 ounce packages with UPC number 0 67068 21217 2 and Julian Date 34618; and Ham & Cheese, sold in 4,.5 ounce packages with UPC number 0 67068 12110 8 and Julian Date 34618. They were sold between December 17, 2018 and January 4, 2019. The products are packaged in clear plastic and sold mostly in convenience stores and vending machines in North Carolina and South Carolina.
If you bought these sandwiches, don’t eat them. Throw them away in a secure garbage can, or return them to the place of purchase.
The BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) believes raw milk was the likely source of an E. coli contamination in Little Qualicum Cheeseworks’ Qualicum Spice cheese.
On Nov. 13, five people in B.C. became sick after consuming products from Little Qualicum Cheeseworks, prompting a warning from the BCCDC.
For several months, the BC Centre of Disease Control and Vancouver Island Health Authority worked with Little Qualicum Cheeseworks, going through the cheese-making process with the company, checking procedures, ingredient and equipment, said Sion Shyng, food safety specialist with the BCCDC.
Kroger is recalling cooked shrimp that was actually sold raw or undercooked because they could be a potential health hazard. That means the shrimp could be contaminated with spoilage bacteria or with bacteria that could make you sick. The Kroger shrimp was sold in stores in parts of Michigan, central and northwest Ohio, and northwestern Virginia. This recall also includes Fry’s, King Soopers, and Smith’s grocery stores that are part of the Kroger chain.
Consumers may contact:
Aqua Star Consumer Hotline at 1-800-232-6280
We are sorry for this inconvenience. Your safety is important to us.
Posted in bacterial contamination, cross contamination, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Spoilage, Food Testing, microbial contamination, Uncategorized
Hy-Vee, Inc. is voluntarily recalling its cheesecakes made with Diamond Crystal Brands cheesecake mix due to the potential that they may be contaminated with Salmonella. The potential for contamination was brought to Hy-Vee’s attention today after receiving a letter from the supplier.The voluntary recall includes 32 varieties of cheesecakes in both 8-ounce and 32-ounce packages with best if used by dates of Dec. 6, 2018, through Jan. 11, 2019. No illnesses have been reported to date.
The mixture was distributed to 117 of Hy-Vee’s 249 grocery stores across its eight-state region of Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin. The product comes in a plastic container with a plastic lid. The expiration date range is between Dec. 6, 2018, and Jan. 11, 2019. The expiration date can be found on the label.
The Arkansas Department of Health is warning consumers that there is a possible hepatitis A exposure at the On the Border Mexican Grill & Cantino at 2324 Red Wolf Boulevard in Jonesboro. Anyone who ate there between December 13 and December 17, 2018 may have been exposed to the pathogenic virus.
The City of Cleveland has posted a press release that six passengers who were traveling on Frontier Airlines from Cleveland to Tampa were sick during the flight. There is no information about what type of illness these people had, their symptoms, whether or not they were hospitalized, or if they have recovered. The flight was on January 1, 2019.
