Category Archives: Food Virus

USA – South Carolina: Hepatitis A outbreak declared in Aiken County

Posted on February 14, 2019 by | Leave a comment

Outbreak News Today

South Carolina health officials report that an employee of City Billiards tested positive for hepatitis A. Customers who ate there between January 22 and February 5 could have been exposed to the virus.

This is the second case of hepatitis A diagnosed in an Aiken-area food handler in February. At this time, the Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) is not aware of a known connection between the two cases.

In light of these findings, DHEC is declaring a hepatitis A outbreak in Aiken County. An outbreak is defined as an unexpected increase in the number of cases in a geographic area or time period.  There have been 10 hepatitis A cases diagnosed in Aiken County since December 1, 2018.

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Posted in food handler, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Pathogen, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Virus, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Hepatitis A, Uncategorized, Virus

USA – Hepatitis A Exposure at Subway in Trumann, Arkansas

Posted on February 13, 2019 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin

An employee at the Subway restaurant at 121 Highway 463 North in Trumann, Arkansas, has been diagnosed with hepatitis A according to the Arkansas Health Department. Anyone who ate there between January 23, 2019 and February 6, 2019 should get a vaccination as soon as possible if they have never had this illness or have not been vaccinated.

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Posted in food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Virus, Hepatitis A, Uncategorized, Virus, Virus Vaccination

USA – Hepatitis A Diagnosed In Employee at Crescent City Tavern in Dalton, GA

Posted on February 11, 2019 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin

An employee at the Crescent City Tavern in downtown Dalton, Georgia has been diagnosed with hepatitis A, according to the Whitfield County Health Department. That employee, a food handler, worked while infectious during the time period of December 28, 2018 through January 31, 2019. That means that anyone who ate food or drank beverages during that time may have been exposed to the pathogenic virus.

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Posted in Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Pathogen, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Virus, Hepatitis A, Uncategorized, Virus

USA – Possible Hepatitis A Exposure at Aiken Brewing in Aiken, SC

Posted on February 7, 2019 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin

There was a possible hepatitis A exposure at the Aiken Brewing Company on Laurens Street South West in downtown Aiken, South Carolina, according to a press release issued by the SC Department of Health and Environmental Control.  Customers who ate there between January 11 and January 26, 2019 may have been exposed to the pathogen.

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Posted in food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Pathogen, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Virus, Hepatitis A, Uncategorized, Virus

USA – Hepatitis A Exposure At Kentucky Ave. Burger King in Indianapolis

Posted on February 5, 2019 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin

A worker at the Burger King at 3311 South Kentucky Avenue, near Mann Road in Indianapolis has been diagnosed with hepatitis A. Anyone who ate at that facility from January 21 through January 24, 2019 may have been exposed to the pathogenic virus.

The Marion Countuy Public Health Department is hating a special clinic on Monday, February 4, 2019, from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm at its South District Health Office at 7551 South Shelby Street. Anyone who visited that restaurant on the above dates can get a vaccination. People who ate there on January 21 have until today to get a shot, since the vaccine is only effective if given within two weeks of exposure. You can also get the shot at doctor’s offices.

The Burger King restaurant management is cooperating with public health officials and is cleaning the restaurant. The restaurant is remaining open while the investigation is ongoing.

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Posted in food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Pathogen, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Virus, Hepatitis A, Uncategorized, Virus

USA – Norovirus confirmed as cause of outbreak on ‘Viking Sea’

Posted on February 5, 2019 by | Leave a comment

Outbreak News Today

In a follow-up on a report approximately one week ago, Vessel Sanitation Program officials confirmed the etiology of the gastrointestinal outbreak on the Viking Ocean Cruises vessel, Viking Sea was Norovirus.

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Posted in food bourne outbreak, Food Virus, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Norovirus, outbreak, Uncategorized, Virus

USA – Norovirus Outbreak Associated with La Fuente in Renton, WA

Posted on February 4, 2019 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin Eurofins

A possible norovirus outbreak has been associated with La Fuente restaurant, located at 14400 South East Petrovitsky Road in Renton, Washington, according to a press release by the King County Public Health Department. Twenty-eight people are sick after eating food and drinking beverages there on January 25, 2019. The 28 people were all from one party.

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Posted in food bourne outbreak, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Pathogen, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Virus, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Norovirus, Uncategorized

USA – Norovirus: Suspect cases in Renton, WA; Confirmed cases at the University of Virginia

Posted on February 1, 2019 by | Leave a comment

Outbreak News Today Norovirus Food Safety kswfoodworld

More than two dozen people have been sickened with symptoms of nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea linked to La Fuente in Renton, WA, according to King County health officials.

Officials are investigating an outbreak of 28 norovirus-like illnesses from one meal party who became ill after consuming food and beverage from La Fuente on January 25, 2019.

Environmental Health investigators visited the restaurant on January 29. Investigators learned of a possible ill customer at the restaurant on January 25. If this customer was infected with norovirus, this could have contaminated the bathroom area with norovirus. The investigators observed improper handwashing and inadequate handwashing facilities. No employees reported being ill.

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Posted in Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Virus, microbial contamination, Microbiology, Norovirus, Uncategorized, Virus

Research – Prevalence of Norovirus in produce sold at retail in the United Kingdom

Posted on January 31, 2019 by | Leave a comment

Science Direct

Highlights

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Fresh / frozen raspberries and lettuce were sampled from UK retail outlets over a 13 months, and tested for Norovirus.

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5.3% of lettuce, 2.3% of fresh raspberry, and 3.6% of frozen raspberry samples were Norovirus-positive.

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The data raises whether food safety management systems are being effectively implemented in these food supply chains.

Abstract

To acquire data on contamination with Norovirus in berry fruit and salad vegetables in the United Kingdom, one thousand one hundred and fifty two samples of fresh produce sold at retail in the UK were analysed for Norovirus. Of 568 samples of lettuce, 30 (5.3%) were Norovirus-positive. Most (24/30) lettuce samples which tested positive for Norovirus were grown in the UK and 19 of those 24 samples contained NoV GI. Seven/310 (2.3%) samples of fresh raspberries were Norovirus-positive. Most (6/7) of the positively-testing fresh raspberry samples were imported, but no predominance of a genogroup, or any seasonality, was observed. Ten/274 (3.6%) samples of frozen raspberries were Norovirus-positive. The country of origin of the positively-testing frozen raspberry samples was not identified in most (7/10) instances. The collected data add to the currently limited body of prevalence information on Norovirus in fresh produce, and indicate the need for implementation of effective food safety management of foodborne viruses.

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Posted in food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Pathogen, Food Safety, Food Testing, Food Virus, Norovirus, Uncategorized, Virus

USA – Norovirus confirmed as cause of Oasis of the Seas outbreak

Posted on January 25, 2019 by | Leave a comment

Outbreak News Today norovirus-1080x655

In a follow-up on the gastrointestinal outbreak reported on a voyage earlier this month on Royal Caribbean’s vessel, Oasis of the Seas, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported Wednesday that the causative agent was indeed, Norovirus.

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Posted in food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Pathogen, Food Safety, Food Testing, Food Virus, Norovirus, Uncategorized, Virus