Category Archives: Foodborne Illness

USA – Hepatitis A Outbreak Grows

Posted on June 18, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety NewsNorovirus

The Hepatitis A outbreak continues in eight western states with the case count as of June 14 rising to 106. The illnesses are blamed on an organic blend of frozen berries and pomegranate seeds from multiple countries.  Produced by Oregon-based Townsend Farms and sold at Costco and Harris Teeter stores, the frozen berry blend has caused Hepatitis A cases in Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Washington.

In an update today on its investigation, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta profiled the cases based on available epidemiologic data from 94 of the 106 cases under investigation:

76 of 94 (81 percent) ill people interviewed reported eating “Townsend Farms Organic Anti-Oxidant Blend” frozen berry and pomegranate mix

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Posted in Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Virus, Foodborne Illness, Hepatitis A, Hygiene, Illness, Laboratory, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen

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USA – More Than Just Burgers and Beer – Campylobacter

Posted on June 18, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Campylobacter BlogCampylobacter

Bacterial contamination was being blamed Monday for an outbreak of foodborne illness following the popular Burger & Beer Bash in Westchester County earlier this month.

The county Health Department said Monday that the campylobacter bacterium was to blame for the outbreak at the June 6 outdoor food festival at the Kenisco Dam in Valhalla.

The bacterium was identified through tests on samples from several people who got sick at the event. The department did not specify exactly how many people were sickened.

But health officials have not determined the source of the bacteria, since most attendees ate food from many of the 30 different vendors at the event, the department said. The department has launched an investigation and has been interviewing people in an effort to trace the source.

 

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Posted in Bacteria, Campylobacter, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Hygiene, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen

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UK – Food Poisoning Begins at Home?

Posted on June 17, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Haringey IndependantiStock_000012710183Small

Most cases of food poisoning happen when cooking at home, according to Haringey Borough Council.

The authority’s food safety teams, part of the Food Standards Agency, investigated 210 complaints of food poisoning but found no evidence to link them to eating out.

This suggested that most incidents were a result of poor food hygiene while cooking at home.

According to council figures, 40 per cent of the cases were caused by Campylobacter – a bacterium commonly found in raw or undercooked meat, especially poultry, unpasteurised milk, untreated water and domestic pets with diarrhoea.

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

USA – Restaurant Linked to 10 E.coli Cases

Posted on June 16, 2013 by | Leave a comment

E.coli Blog

According to the Chicago Tribune, the DuPage County Health Department closed an unnamed Lombard restaurant in connection with the investigation into four confirmed cases of E. coli in people admitted to a county hospital this week, officials said today.

Jason Gerwig, a public information officer for the DuPage County Health Department, said his agency is looking at a Lombard restaurant as a possible source for the outbreak, and said the restaurant had been temporarily closed at 5 p.m. Friday as part of the investigation. Gerwig said the total number of cases confirmed or under investigation is about 10.

The four confirmed cases were all hospitalized at Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove, officials said Friday. Jim Silvestri, a spokesman for Good Samaritan, said Friday that eight people had come to the hospital feeling ill and that four had been admitted.

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Posted in Bacteria, E.coli, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, Pathogen

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USA – E.coli Case

Posted on June 14, 2013 by | Leave a comment

E.coli BlogEcoli Istock

Wellesley Health Department (WHD) received notice by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s (MDPH) surveillance system on June 12, 2013 of a case of E. coli in a Wellesley resident.

The origin of the cases’ illness is being investigated.

Rumors have been circulating that the cause of the illnesses has been linked to a local supermarket. At this point, no local supermarkets are a focus of the investigation.

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Posted in Bacteria, E.coli, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Hygiene, Laboratory, Microbiology, Pathogen

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China – 160 Sickened Suspected Food Poisoning

Posted on June 14, 2013 by | Leave a comment

English News ChinaStaphylococcus

GUANGZHOU, June 12 (Xinhua) — A total of 160 staff from a food company in south China’s Guangdong Province were suspected of suffering from food poisoning, a company source said on Wednesday.

They had symptoms of chills, fever, nausea, vomiting, stomach ache and diarrhea after having dinner at the third canteen of the Dongguan Hsu Chi Food Co. Ltd based in Dongguan City on Monday, said Sun Tianzhen, a media relations officer of Hsu Fu Chi International Ltd. told Xinhua.

Dongguan Hsu Chi Food Co. Ltd. is a subsidiary of Hsu Fu Chi International Ltd.

A 57-year-old female plate washer at the canteen was found dead at her dormitory on Tuesday but it is yet to know whether her death is connected with food poisoning or not, said Sun.

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

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Hong Kong – 19 Diners Sick with Cigutera Poisoning

Posted on June 14, 2013 by | Leave a comment

South China Morning Post

Health authorities are launching an investigation into food poisoning case in which 19 people fell ill after eating coral reef fish at a Lamma Island eatery on Saturday.

Fourteen men and five women, aged 23 to 71, had eaten fish at the seafood restaurant, and had fallen ill with symptoms of the potentially lethal ciguatera poisoning three to 19 hours later, the Centre for Health Protection said.

The restaurant in question was the Wai Kee Sea Food Restaurant in Sok Kwu Wan.

Symptoms can include numbness of the mouth and limbs, heart palpitations fatigue, vomiting, diarrhoea and flushes. Excessive consumption can also affect the circulatory and nervous systems.

Six of the diners had sought medical help and at least one person was admitted to hospital. All are in now in stable condition, the CHP said.

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Posted in Ciguatera, Ciguatera Poisoning, Food Chemistry, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, Pathogen, Poisoning, Toxin

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Australia – Supplier of Eggs Under Scrutiny – Salmonella

Posted on June 10, 2013 by | Leave a comment

The Age

A Victorian egg supplier is under investigation and one person has ongoing  health issues following Canberra’s largest salmonella outbreak, which has left  health professionals ”struck by the severity” of the symptoms and high  infection rate.

The outbreak, which affected 140 people and hospitalised 15 in mid-May, was  traced back to raw egg mayonnaise served at the Copa Brazilian restaurant in  Dickson. But ACT Chief Health Officer Dr Paul Kelly confirmed on Wednesday that  the focus had  turned to an egg producer in Victoria who supplied eggs to the  Copa.

 

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

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USA – FDA – Foodborne Illness: Especially Dangerous for the Vulnerable

Posted on June 10, 2013 by | Leave a comment

FDAFDA

If you’ve ever become sick after eating a food contaminated with disease-causing bacteria, it’s not an experience you want to repeat.

But if you’re part of what is called an “at-risk” or “vulnerable” population, a foodborne illness can be extremely dangerous. Symptoms—such as vomiting, diarrhea and fever—can intensify and the illness can become life-threatening.

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Posted in Bacteria, FDA, 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, Research

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USA – CDC Vital Signs Website – Listeria Information

Posted on June 10, 2013 by | 3 comments

CDC Vital SignsE.coli O157

Many germs can be spread through food. Some, like Listeria, can be deadly. Listeria strikes hard at pregnant women and their newborns, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems. Listeria can cause miscarriage and meningitis. Most people found to have Listeria infection require hospital care and about 1 in 5 people with the infection die. Outbreak investigations tell us what foods make people sick and what needs to change to make food safer and save lives. We have made some progress against Listeria, which is the third leading cause of death from food poisoning. However, we can do more to protect people at higher risk for food poisoning and make food safer for everyone.

If you, or someone you make food for, are pregnant, 65 or older, or have a weakened immune system, you must be especially careful when selecting, preparing, and storing foods.

  • Know your risk of food poisoning.
  • Select, prepare, and store food safely.
  • Follow the safe food guidelines – Clean, Separate, Cook, Chill – at www.FoodSafety.gov

CDC

New CDC Vital Signs: Listeria Food Poisoning Striking Hard at Nation’s Most Vulnerable

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Posted in Bacteria, CDC, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Hygiene, Illness, Laboratory, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen, Research

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