Category Archives: Food Poisoning

Listeria: Why so deadly to the Elderly and Pregnant Women

Posted on December 7, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin – Full Article at this link.

Listeria is the common name for the pathogenic or disease-causing bacterium known as Listeria monocytogenes.  It is a foodborne bacterium that, when ingested, causes an infection known as listeriosis.[1]  Approximately 2,500 illnesses and 500 deaths are attributed to listeriosis in the United States annually.[2]

Listeria is ubiquitous in the environment, and can be isolated from wild and domestic animals, birds, insects, soil, wastewater, and vegetation.  The bacterium easily comes into contact with farm animals, as it has been found to be present in grazing areas, stale water, and poorly prepared animal feed.  In addition to being present in the environment, Listeria can live in the intestines of humans, animals, and birds for long periods of time without causing infection.

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Posted in Bacteria, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Hygiene, Illness, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, Pathogen, Research

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USA – Vibrio Outbreak Raw Oysters

Posted on December 4, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning BulletinVibrio

Vibrio outbreak associated with eating raw oysters and raw clams has sickened at least 104 people in 13 states over the last six months, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Six people have been hospitalized.

Public health investigators have traced the source of some of these illnesses to shellfish harvest areas in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, and Virginia. Massachusetts issued a recall of oysters,  Connecticut issued a recall of oysters and clams. Implicated harvest areas in Virginia were closed in July and remain closed.  In Massachusetts, they were closed in August and remain closed. In New York they were closed in June and reopened in mid-September. In Connecticut, they were closed in August and reopened in mid-September.

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Posted in Bacteria, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Hygiene, Laboratory, Methods, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen, Vibrio

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UK – FSA – Recall Mussels/Calms – Possible Illness

Posted on December 2, 2013 by | Leave a comment

FSAfood_standards_agency_logo

Following a small number of illness reports in the UK, as a precaution while investigations are taking place, Marks & Spencer has removed from sale and recalled three Marks & Spencer branded mussel-based products.

M&S – Mussels in Garlic
Unique code: 00604819 and 00929189

M&S – Mussels in White Wine
Unique code: 00720618

M&S – Mussels and Clams
Unique code: 00667104

‘Use by’: all date codes

Marks & Spencer has recalled the affected products from consumers. Point-of-sale notices have been displayed in stores advising consumers of the recall and the actions they can take if they have bought an affected product.

A copy of the company’s product recall notice is attached to this notification.

 

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Posted in Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Standards Agency, Food Technology, Food Testing, Microbiology, Recall

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Australia – 55 Sick Norovirus Outbreak

Posted on December 2, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Consumer Food Safetynorovirus-2(1)

At least 55 children and their teachers became violently ill with nausea, vomiting, dehydration and diarrhea during a three-day stay at the Borambola Sport and Recreation Centre in New South Wales, Australia.

Eleven ambulances from across the region and medical staff from Wagga Base Hospital were called to the center.

Initially the number of those affected was only small, but it quickly became apparent it was highly contagious with about 55 falling ill over the course of just a few hours.

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Posted in Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Food Virus, Laboratory, Microbiology, Norovirus, outbreak, Virus

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Norway – 18 Sick Salmonella Outbreak

Posted on December 2, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Global DispatchSalm

The Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH), or the Folkehelseinstituttet reported an outbreak during the month of November caused by a relatively rare strain of the salmonella bacteria, according to a news release this week .

The outbreak of Salmonella Coeln has sickened at least 18 people in several counties (Oslo, Rogaland, Akershus, Nordland Oppland Oslo, Troms, Rogaland, Hordaland, Western College and Østfold) across the country.

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Posted in Bacteria, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Laboratory, Microbiology, Pathogen, Salmonella

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UK – Salmonella Outbreak at a Nursery Source Unknown

Posted on November 28, 2013 by | Leave a comment

thetele.co.ukSalmonella

An NHS investigation has failed to find the source of a salmonella outbreak that hit Dundee toddlers.

Eight youngsters from the city’s Technotots nursery were struck down with salmonella, with NHS Tayside’s health protection team and city council environmental health officers launching a “wide-ranging” investigation.

However, they were unable to confirm where the Brunel Road nursery’s outbreak stemmed from.

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Posted in Bacteria, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Laboratory, outbreak, Pathogen, Salmonella

USA – E.coli O157 Report Released 94 Sickened

Posted on November 26, 2013 by | Leave a comment

E.coli BlogEcoli Istock

The Maricopa County Department of Public Health (MCDPH)’s report of its investigation of an Escherichia coli O157:H7 outbreak in which 94 ill persons were identified was released today.

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

USA -CDC Update Foster Farms Salmonella Outbreak

Posted on November 20, 2013 by | Leave a comment

CDCE.coli O157

As of November 15, 2013, a total of 389 persons infected with seven outbreak strains of Salmonella Heidelberg have been reported from 23 states and Puerto Rico.

40% of ill persons have been hospitalized, and no deaths have been reported.

Most ill persons (74%) have been reported from California.

Epidemiologic, laboratory, and traceback investigations conducted  by local, state, and federal officials indicate that consumption of Foster  Farms brand chicken is the likely source of this outbreak of Salmonella Heidelberg infections.

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Posted in Bacteria, CDC, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Hygiene, Illness, Laboratory, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall, Salmonella

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USA – Salmonella Outbreak Sickens 18

Posted on November 19, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning BulletinSalmonella

The Salmonella outbreak we reported on last week has been confirmed as Salmonella enteritidis, according to MLive. Eighteen cases have been confirmed in Muskegon County. The Muskegon County web site was down at the time of this report.

Officials believe that a single source caused the outbreak, and that people were exposed to the bacteria from October 30 to November 2, 2013. Seventeen of the eighteen cases are related. There is no information about  the source of the bacteria, where the patients ate, or what they ate. Officials are going to start studying epidemiological evidence and will conduct statistical analysis this week.

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Posted in Bacteria, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Laboratory, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall, Salmonella

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USA – Shigella Outbreak –

Posted on November 18, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Shigella BlogShigella_stool

There is a regional outbreak of shigella related illnesses throughout Stanly, Cabarrus, Rowan, Union, and Mecklenburg counties.  Cabarrus County has over 40 lab confirmed cases reported which is the highest number of reported cases in all these counties,” said Cindy Russell, Stanly County Health Department communicable disease nurse.

“We want to call your attention to this outbreak as many Stanly County residents participate in activities that cross county lines. As of this week, Stanly County has had two reported cases of shigella and one probable case.”

Shigella is a highly infectious disease. Most of those that are infected with shigella develop watery stools, fever and stomach cramps starting a day or two after they are exposed to the bacteria, according to the health department. The watery stools are often bloody. Shigellosis usually resolves in five to seven days.

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Posted in Bacteria, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Laboratory, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen, Shigatoxin, Shigella

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