Category Archives: Foodborne Illness

USA -Canada – As many as 17,941 with Salmonella linked to Cantaloupe in U.S. and Canada

Posted on December 27, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Marler Blog

Canada:164 lab confirmed cases with 61 hospitalized with 7 deaths. (as of December 22)

United States: 302 lab confirmed cases with 129 hospitalized with 4 deaths. (as of December 14)

According to health officials, only a small proportion of all Salmonella infections are diagnosed and reported to health departments. It is estimated that for every reported case, there are approximately 38.6 undiagnosed infections.[1] The CDC estimates that 1.4 million cases, 15,000 hospitalizations, and 400 deaths are caused by Salmonella infections in the U.S. every year.[2]

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Posted in food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Food Microbiology Research, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, outbreak, Research, Salmonella, Salmonella Cantaloupes

France – Over 700 Airbus Employees Suffer Severe Suspected Food Poisoning Following Christmas Dinner

Posted on December 26, 2023 by | Leave a comment

PYOK

Over 700 employees of Airbus Atlantic have fallen sick with severe gastrointestinal symptoms after a Christmas dinner laid on at the company’s dining facilities in Montoir-de-Bretagne in northwest France.

French health authorities say they are now investigating the cause of the mass sickness, which started at the end of last week.

Employees enjoyed the Christmas dinner just before the weekend of 16th and 17th December, but in the following days, hundreds of workers had fallen ill with vomiting and diarrhoea.

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Posted in Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Foodborne Illness, Illness

USA – Final Report Released of September E. Coli Outbreak at Huntley High School

Posted on December 22, 2023 by | Leave a comment

MCH

This is a very detailed 15 page report.

The most likely mode of transmission of STEC in the HHS cafeteria was through an
infected food handler. At the time of the investigation a HHS food handler, that worked at both the cold sandwich station, providing garnishes (lettuce and cheese) to the sandwiches, and at the cookie station was confirmed by PCR, to have been intermittently shedding STEC, Shiga toxin 2.
The laboratory was unable to perform a culture of the stool specimen, which is indicative of an insufficient amount of the pathogen present at the time of testing to culture. The food handler denied illness. However, since most infections are self-limiting and most individuals do not seek health care and/or are not tested, and since it has been documented that STEC can be shed for up to 62 days, it is likely that the food handler was previously mildly ill and did not associate that illness with this outbreak investigation. Since shedding of the pathogen declines over time it is not unexpected that a culture could not be performed

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Posted in food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, outbreak, STEC, STEC E.coli

USA- FDA – Investigations of Foodborne Illness Outbreaks – Core Outbreak Table

Posted on December 21, 2023 by | Leave a comment

FDA

What’s New

  • For the outbreak of Salmonella Sundsvall and Oranienburg (ref #1203) linked to cantaloupe, the recall was expanded to include additional retailers and wholesalers who received the recalled melons. See the Outbreak Advisory for additional information.
  • For the outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes (ref #989) linked to peaches, plums, and nectarines, the advisory was updated to include the full list of retailers who received the recalled product.
  • For the investigation of elevated lead levels in Cinnamon Applesauce Pouches (ref # 1198) the advisory was updated to include additional adverse event reports and Investigation updates.
  • For the outbreak of Salmonella Thompson (ref #1190) in onions, the investigation is complete and the outbreak has ended. See the Outbreak Advisory for additional information.
  • For the outbreak of E. coli O121 (ref #1195) in a not identified food, the investigation is complete and the outbreak has ended.
Date
 Ref Pathogen
or
Cause of
Illness		 Product(s)
Linked to
Illnesses
(if any)		 Total
Case
Count
Status
12/6/

2023

 1205 Listeria
monocytogenes		 Not Yet
Identified		 3 Active
11/22/

2023

 1201 Salmonella
Newport		 Not Yet
Identified		 44 Active
11/22/

2023

 1203 Salmonella
Sundsvall and
Oranienburg		 Cantaloupe See

Advisory

 Active
11/15/

2023

 989 Listeria
monocytogenes		 Peaches, Plums,
and Nectarines		 See

Advisory

 Active
11/8/

2023

 1198 Elevated Lead
Levels		 Apple
Cinnamon
Puree		 See

Advisory

 Active

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Posted in CORE Investigation Table, food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Foodborne Illness, Foodborne Illness Death, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, outbreak, Salmonella, Salmonella Cantaloupes

Salmonella outbreak over in Norway, but source not found

Posted on December 19, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

An outbreak of Salmonella has ended in Norway without officials finding the source.

An investigation into the outbreak of Salmonella Napoli has been completed as no cases have been detected since the end of September.

The Norwegian Institute of Public Health (FHI) had reported seven outbreak cases.

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Posted in food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, outbreak

USA – FDA releases retailer lists for stone fruit linked to deadly Listeria outbreak

Posted on December 18, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

Retailer lists are now available for peaches, nectarines and plums linked to a Listeria outbreak that has killed one person and sickened others.

Samples from sick people were collected from Aug. 22, 2018, to Aug. 16, this year. The outbreak is considered ongoing by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The sick people are spread across seven states and all of them have required hospitalization.

Whole genome sequencing has allowed public health officials to match patients across several years, all with the outbreak strait of Listeria monocytogenes. The Food and Drug Administration has also found the pathogen on samples of peaches from the producer.

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Posted in food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, Listeria monocytogenes, outbreak

India – 80 In Hospital With Food Poisoning After Eating At Wedding In Nagpur Resort

Posted on December 18, 2023 by | Leave a comment

NDTV

In a case of food poisoning, at least 80 persons were hospitalised as they fell ill after eating food served during a wedding ceremony at a resort on the outskirts of Nagpur city in Maharashtra, police said today.

The incident took place on December 10, following which the businessman father of the bridegroom lodged a complaint against the resort management alleging that the food served during the function was stale and emitted a foul smell, the police said.

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Posted in Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Foodborne Illness, Illness, Poisoning

USA/Canada – Cantaloupe Salmonella Outbreak spikes to 455 ill, with 185 hospitalized and 10 dead

Posted on December 18, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Food Poison Journal

United States Outbreak

More patients have been identified in the Salmonella outbreak traced to cantaloupe. The outbreak is now spread across 42 states. Since the most recent update, on Dec. 7, another 72 patients have been confirmed, bringing the total number of sick people to 302.

Of 263 people interviewed so far, half have been hospitalized. Four people have died, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The outbreak strains of Salmonella in this outbreak are particularly virulent as the pathogen generally does not cause such a high percentage of hospitalizations.

Canadian outbreak

There is a related outbreak in Canada involving cantaloupe from the same supplier in Mexico. Recalls there also include pre-cut products.

As of Dec. 15, there have been 153 laboratory-confirmed cases of Salmonella Soahanina, Sundsvall and Oranienburg illness linked to this outbreak, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada. Of patients with the information available, 53 have been hospitalized. Six patients have died.

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Posted in Death, food bourne outbreak, food death, Food Illness, Foodborne Illness, Foodborne Illness Death, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, outbreak, Salmonella, Salmonella Cantaloupes

USA – Cantaloupe Salmonella Outbreak: 302 sick, 129 hospitalized and 4 dead in U.S.

Posted on December 18, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Food Poison Journal

Since the last update on December 7, 302 people infected with one of the outbreak strains of Salmonella have been reported from 42 states. Illnesses started on dates ranging from October 16, 2023, to November 28, 2023. Of 263 people with information available, 129 (49%) have been hospitalized. Four deaths have been reported, three from Minnesota and one from Oregon.

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Posted in Death, food bourne outbreak, food death, Food Illness, Foodborne Illness, Foodborne Illness Death, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, outbreak, Salmonella, Salmonella Cantaloupes

France – Raw milk cheese sickens six children in France – STEC E.coli O26

Posted on December 18, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

A cheese made from raw milk has been linked to half a dozen serious E. coli infections in France.

Six cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) have been reported. HUS is a severe complication associated with E. coli infections that causes kidney failure.

Following severe diarrhea, young children attending the Minimes crèche in Toulouse had to be hospitalized in November. Stool cultures revealed Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) infection. Cheese has tested positive for E. coli O26.

The crèche was closed for a few days, but has since reopened. Samples from surfaces were taken and analyzes of the meals were carried out as well as a thorough cleaning of the premises.

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Posted in E.coli O26, E.coli O26 :H11, food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, outbreak, Raw Milk, raw milk cheese, STEC, STEC E.coli