Category Archives: Foodborne Illness

Canada – First E.coli O157 of 2013

Posted on January 4, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Ecoli Blog

CBC News reports that Canadian health officials say seven people in Nova Scotia have been infected with E. coli, likely E. coli O157:H7. Five people have been treated in hospital and released, while two people remain hospitalized. One is suffering from kidney failure. The people who have fallen ill range from their late teens to their 80s.

Five to six cases of E. coli O157:H7 have also been reported in New Brunswick, leading health officials to believe the common denominator is likely a food item that is sold in both provinces.

According to the Herald News, because there are no known new cases, officials are hoping that whatever caused the illness was a food with a short shelf life, such as a type of fruit or vegetable

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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

UK – HPA Norovirus Update

Posted on January 3, 2013 by | Leave a comment

HPAnorovirus-2(1)

Latest figures from the Health Protection Agency (HPA) show there have been 3,877 laboratory confirmed cases of norovirus this season (from week 27 to week 51 2012). The latest figures are 72 per cent higher than the number of cases reported at this point last year, when there were 2,255 cases.

During the Christmas period there is typically a drop in the number of laboratory reports. In previous norovirus seasons the general trend is that cases increase in the New Year and we expect to see cases rise again over the next few weeks.

During the two weeks up to 30 December there were 29 hospital outbreaks reported, compared to 70 in the previous fortnight, bringing the total of outbreaks for the season to 590.

Cases of norovirus have risen earlier than expected this winter season and this is a trend that has been seen across Europe and other parts of the world. It has not yet been determined why this has been the case and activity varies significantly from year to year.

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Posted in Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Standards Agency, Food Virus, Foodborne Illness, HPA, Microbiology, Norovirus, Pathogen, Virus

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USA – 10 Largest Food Poisoning Outbreaks 2012

Posted on January 2, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning BulletinEcoli Istock

The 10 largest multi-state food poisoning outbreaks of 2012 poisoned 1,071 people in 45 states. Various strains of just three pathogens- Salmonella, E.coli and  Listeria were the cause of the 10 largest multi-state foodborne illness outbreaks, based on the total number of people sickened.  Six of them were caused by Salmonella, three by E.coli and one by Listeria. These dangerous bacteria  made their way into unsuspecting consumers through a variety of food sources including  meat, cheese, fish, peanut butter, fruit and vegetables.

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Posted in Bacteria, E.coli, E.coli O157, FDA, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Hygiene, Illness, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen, Research

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Research- New Listeria Strains Discovered from the US Canteloupe Outrbreak 2011

Posted on December 31, 2012 by | 2 comments

Food Safety Newscatalopue

After analyzing four of the five types of Listeria implicated in last year’s deadly cantaloupe outbreak, scientists have discovered that a new outbreak strain was among those that contributed to the nearly 150 illnesses and 33 deaths caused by contaminated melons.

The researchers, an international team of government and university scientists, also compared the strains involved in the 2011 outbreak to those that had caused other outbreaks or been collected from other food facilities. By doing this, they identified two new sets of “epidemic clones” –  strains isolated in different times and places that appear to have common ancestors.

Only five epidemic clones, or ECs, of Listeria had been identified prior to this study, which raises that number to seven.

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Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Hygiene, Illness, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Methods, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen, Research

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USA – Leftover Food Storage Tips Chart

Posted on December 31, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety.gov

These short but safe time limits for home-refrigerated foods will keep them from
spoiling or becoming dangerous to eat. The guidelines for freezer storage are
for quality only. Frozen foods remain safe indefinitely.

Food Safety.gov Egg Products

Egg Safety Information

USDA Tips on Thawing and Re-Heating

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Posted in Bacteria, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Safety, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Methods, Microbiology, Research

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All I Want for Christmas is Norovirus !

Posted on December 27, 2012 by | Leave a comment

CBC News Canadanorovirus-2(1)

The Thunder Bay District Health Unit confirmed Friday that it was the Norovirus that caused an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness that affected dozens of people.

Maltese Grocery had shut down its catering operations temporarily after 85 people became sick after eating food at three events the company had catered the previous week. They’ve since resumed, but with additional precautions.

Senior Public Health Inspector Abby Mackie said clinical specimens submitted to a lab confirmed the Norovirus to be the source of the outbreak.

USA – Colorado

DENVER— The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment is reporting widespread gastrointestinal illness (norovirus) throughout Colorado, including in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, schools and child care centers. Everyone is encouraged to increase simple prevention measures to stop further spread of illness in the community. Symptoms of the illness include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and stomach cramping.

Alicia Cronquist, epidemiologist at the department, said, “We believe the illness is being caused by a virus germ called norovirus. This infection is very common this time of year.

Japan Times

MIYAZAKI — Six patients have died of gastroenteritis caused by a norovirus outbreak at Shunkokaihigashi Hospital in Nichinan, Miyazaki Prefecture, hospital officials said Sunday.

The victims — all men aged between 78 and 88 — were among 44 patients and staff who came down with symptoms of the illness, including vomiting and diarrhea, the officials said. All six were bedridden.

The health ministry has issued a nationwide warning about the norovirus because infections are approaching the record high set in 2006.

The China Post

TAIPEI–Health experts said Tuesday that an unusually high number of diarrhea cases have been reported this winter due to norovirus outbreaks and it warned that the peak season is yet to come.//

About 10,108 patients sought treatment for watery diarrhea at emergency departments across the country last week, which was a five-year high, said Chuang Jen-hsiang, director of the Epidemic Intelligence Center at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

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Posted in Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Virus, Foodborne Illness, Hand Washing, Hygiene, Illness, Microbiology, Norovirus, outbreak, Pathogen

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Canada – Salmonella Outbreak

Posted on December 27, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Global NewsSalmonella

EDMONTON – Health officials in southwestern Alberta are dealing with an acute  outbreak of salmonella. Officials in Lethbridge say there are more than 30 cases, mostly in rural  areas. Many of the infections are secondary ones, meaning it is being spread by  household contact. Symptoms include nausea and vomiting and residents are warned that the most  serious complication is dehydration.

 

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

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USA – Foodborne Illness Outbreaks Database 1984 – 2012

Posted on December 24, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Marler Clark

Welcome to outbreakdatabase.com, a searchable database of illness outbreaks caused by one or more of the following

  1. consumption of contaminated foods or beverages,
  2. exposure to animals,
  3. exposure to contaminated recreational water,
  4. person-to-person contact with someone whose illness initiated from animal exposure or consumption of contaminated foods and beverages.

The database describes outbreaks occurring since 1984.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines an outbreak as “two or more ill persons linked to a common source” and this serves as the basis of outbreakdatabase.com. To be included in outbreakdatabase.com, the outbreak must have supporting documentation from public health agencies, journal articles, media reports, etc. Names of stores, brands, restaurants, or other sources are listed if they have been publicly identified previously.

The database is a work in progress. It will continually be updated and revised. Significant effort has been made to ensure the data are accurate. We welcome contributions, corrections, comments, etc. Please use the contact form for comments.

 

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Posted in Bacteria, FDA, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Spoilage, Food Technology, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Hygiene, Illness, Methods, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen, Recall, Research

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HPA- Norovirus Update

Posted on December 19, 2012 by | Leave a comment

HPANorovirus

Figures from the Health Protection Agency (HPA) show that there were 337 confirmed laboratory reports of norovirus in the week ending December 9 2012 and 236 for the week ending 2 December 2012. The latest weekly report is now published.

In this season to date there have been 3,046 confirmed laboratory reports of norovirus. This is 83 per cent higher than the same period in the last season when there were 1,669 cases reported.

The figures for the number of hospital outbreaks show that there were 61 hospital outbreaks during the last two weeks up to December 16 2012. In the same fortnight in the previous year there were 35 outbreaks reported by the same time.

The data show that the increase in norovirus laboratory reports is earlier this season than in previous years; however, there are no indications as to why this is the case.

BBC – Schools Norovirus

BBC – Hospital Norovirus

BBC – Hospital Norovirus

Guardian – Norovirus

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Posted in Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Standards Agency, Food Testing, Food Virus, Foodborne Illness, Hepatitis A, Hygiene, Illness, Microbiology, Norovirus, outbreak, Pathogen, Virus

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Australia – Listeria monocytogenes in Cheese Recall

Posted on December 18, 2012 by | Leave a comment

The Australian

Eight cases of listeria infection across Australia have found to be linked and a further three cases are under investigation, Victoria’s Department of Health said. The state’s chief health officer Rosemary Lester said consumers should discard 1kg brie and camembert cheese branded Jindi, the 1kg Wattle Valley double brie and the 1kg Wattle Valley camembert with a best before date of December 21.

Dr Lester warned consumers to check the best before date of any Jindi or Wattle Valley soft cheeses. “Consumers who have purchased a cut portion of camembert or brie from a supermarket or delicatessen who are unsure of the brand should discard it,” she said.

Two Victorians, three NSW residents and one person in Queensland, Tasmania and Western Australia have been diagnosed with the infection.

The cheeses have been voluntarily recalled as a precaution.

 

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Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Foodborne Illness, Hygiene, Illness, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall

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