Category Archives: Foodborne Illness

USA – 20 cases of Salmonella linked to Valencia restaurant 

Posted on September 25, 2024 by | Leave a comment

The Signal

After initiating an investigation last week, the L.A. County Department of Public Health confirmed that 20 cases of salmonella have been linked to a Mexican restaurant in Valencia as of Monday afternoon.

The investigation began following a number of reports of people experiencing symptoms of food poisoning after dining at Madre Oaxacan Restaurant & Mezcaleria between Sept. 12 and 14.

According to Ivan Vasquez, owner of the restaurant, a health inspector is coming Tuesday morning to do a check-in. If all goes well, the restaurant could reopen as soon as Wednesday evening.

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

Food Poisoning in the United States: A Comprehensive Overview of Annual Cases, Economic Costs, and Preventive Efforts by Health Agencies and Food Poisoning Attorneys

Posted on September 21, 2024 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning News

Food poisoning, also known as foodborne illness, is a significant public health issue in the United States. Every year, millions of people suffer from foodborne illnesses, ranging from mild discomfort to life-threatening conditions. These illnesses arise from consuming contaminated food, which may harbor harmful bacteria, viruses, or parasites. Beyond the personal toll on those affected, food poisoning has far-reaching economic implications, from medical costs to lost productivity. Various health agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and state and local health departments, work tirelessly to mitigate the impact of foodborne illnesses. This article will provide an in-depth examination of the annual cases of food poisoning in the U.S., the associated economic costs, and the roles of these agencies in safeguarding public health.

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Posted in CDC, FDA, Food Illness, Food Microbiology Research, Food Poisoning, Food Poisoning Death, Food Poisoning Illness, Food Virus Illness, Foodborne Illness, Foodborne Illness Death, Illness, Poisoning, Research

Research – Food-borne disease risk: bio-surveillance in water networks 

Posted on September 16, 2024 by | Leave a comment

Eurosurveillance

In 2018, food-borne disease (FBD) was estimated to be responsible for 2.4 million cases of illness and more than 16,000 hospitalisations per year in the United Kingdom (UK) [1], with revised estimates indicating ca 180 deaths annually in the UK arising from exposure to 11 key pathogens [2]. The estimated annual cost from these illnesses is EUR 10.5 billion (GBP 9 billion) [3], with far-reaching impacts on health providers, industry and individuals.

Food for human consumption can become contaminated at any stage of food production, delivery, storage or preparation, and can involve contamination from environmental, human or animal sources [4–6], making identification of sources and pathways of pathogens responsible for FBD outbreaks a complex process. Furthermore, there is currently no fully integrated framework in the UK for the monitoring and surveillance of FBD, causing difficulty in the prediction and delay in the mitigation of outbreaks.

In 2022, a series of programmes was launched under HM Treasury Shared Outcomes Fund, one of which, Pathogen Surveillance in Agriculture, Food and Environment (PATH-SAFE) [7], aimed to pilot a better national surveillance programme for FBD and antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

Pilot studies carried out under PATH-SAFE focused on norovirus,  and  spp., identified by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) as being among the top five priority pathogens of concern with respect to FBD outbreaks [8], along with , used as an indicator organism for faecal contamination.

To present the findings and discuss the challenges, needs and opportunities for implementing a successful national biosurveillance programme, the Centre for Environment, Food and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) and Bangor University hosted a workshop at the Royal Institution, London, on 31 January 2024. Stakeholders with a range of interests in pathogens implicated in FBD and AMR were invited to contribute their views and recommendations on how best to achieve the desired outcomes for an effective national surveillance framework. Participants from diverse roles (scientists, decisionmakers, public health analysts, policy advisors) across government, academia and charities attended the event.

The first part of the workshop was devoted to presentations of work carried out under the pilot studies, including a combined poster and networking session. For the second part of the workshop, participants were guided into breakout groups to participate in discussions on “Surveillance and management of microbiological risks: gaps & limitations, knowledge & perceptions, approaches & opportunities”.

This workshop was a collaboration across disciplines with participants from multiple organisations: Declan Power (Animal & Plant Health Agency); Jaime Martinez-Urtaza (Universitat Autonòma de Barcelona); Davey Jones, Kata Farkas, Reshma Silvester (Bangor University); Andrew Weightman (Cardiff University); Craig Baker-Austin, David Haverson, David Walker, Richard Heal (Centre for Environment, Fisheries & Aquaculture Science); Steve Morris (Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs); Edward Haynes (Fera Science Ltd); Anthony J. Wilson (Food Standards Agency); K. Marie McIntyre (Newcastle University); Mandy Wootton (NHS Wales); Ellie Brown (Ribble Rivers Trust); Oliver Pybus (Royal Veterinary College); Rob Collins (The Rivers Trust); Andrew Singer (UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology); Matthew Wade (UK Health Security Agency); Edel Light (Veterinary Medicines Directorate).

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Posted in Food Illness, Food Microbiology Research, Food Poisoning Illness, Food Virus Illness, Foodborne Illness, Illness, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology Risk, Research

Research – An outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157:H7 associated with contaminated lettuce and the cascading risks from climate change, the United Kingdom, August to September 2022

Posted on September 14, 2024 by | Leave a comment

Eurosurveillance

Shiga toxin-producing  (STEC) serotype O157 is a food-borne gastrointestinal pathogen of public health concern. Infections with STEC can present as sporadic cases or as outbreaks, and they can be symptomatic or asymptomatic. Symptoms can range from mild diarrhoea to abdominal cramps, vomiting and severe bloody diarrhoea, with ca 30% of cases requiring hospital admission. Overall, around 5% of cases (rising to 11% in children aged 1–4 years) develop haemolytic-uraemic syndrome (HUS), which is a severe multisystem condition that predominantly affects the kidneys and can be fatal [1].

In 2022, STEC was the third most commonly notified food-borne zoonotic pathogen in the European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA) countries [2]. Of the 29 EU/EEA countries reporting data for 2022, 25 reported 8,565 confirmed cases of STEC infection [3], with 71 food-borne STEC outbreaks reported by 14 countries [4].

The gastrointestinal tract of ruminants is the ecological niche of STEC, with cattle and sheep being the main animal reservoirs [5]. Transmission from animals to humans can occur via direct contact with colonised animals or their environment or by the consumption of food or water contaminated with the pathogen. Food items frequently associated with food-borne outbreaks of STEC O157 include raw or undercooked beef or lamb meat products, unpasteurised dairy products and fresh produce exposed to rainwater run-off, floodwater or irrigation water containing animal faeces [6].

Climate hazards have previously been described as having the potential to activate cascading risk pathways with a sequence of secondary, causally connected events [7]. For example, cascading risks associated with heavy precipitation followed by flooding of animal environments, may lead to contamination of crops and cause food-borne outbreaks of zoonotic diseases. Higher pathogen loads frequently detected in floodwater after rainstorms [8,9] and extreme weather events have been associated with outbreaks of gastrointestinal illness [10–12].

Outbreak detection

In late August and early September 2022, the United Kingdom (UK) Health Security Agency (UKHSA) Gastrointestinal Bacteria Reference Unit (GBRU) reported a substantial increase in the submission of containment level 3 faecal samples and isolates that were presumptive for STEC. The number of presumptive STEC isolates received by the reference laboratory in the first 6 days of September 2022 was 245, compared with 259 isolates received during the whole of September 2019, the most recent pre-pandemic year for which data were comparable. Between 5 and 7 September, the number of confirmed STEC O157 cases was 73 compared with an average of 16 cases of STEC O157 reported each week in the previous 4 weeks. This, coupled with a substantial increase in the number of enhanced surveillance questionnaires (ESQs) for STEC cases suggested a surge in cases warranting further investigation. On 7 September 2022, a national level outbreak was declared and a multi-agency incident management team (IMT) established.

The IMT aimed to investigate the source of the outbreak by undertaking traditional epidemiological analyses and traceback investigations. A separate sub-group of the IMT explored a novel triangulation methodology using meteorological, flood risk, land use and land-classification and sheep holding density data, to explain the contamination and independently determine the potential source of the STEC outbreak.

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Posted in E.coli O157, E.coli O157:H7, food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Food Microbiology Research, Food Poisoning Illness, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, outbreak, Research, STEC, STEC E.coli

Swedish Salmonella outbreak sickens 27

Posted on September 13, 2024 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

Swedish health officials are searching for the source of a Salmonella outbreak that has affected almost 30 people.

Folkhälsomyndigheten (the Public Health Agency of Sweden) reported that the number of reported cases of Salmonella has increased significantly since August.

Whole genome sequencing has shown that 27 people have the same type of Salmonella Typhimurium. They are suspected of having been infected by a common source.

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

Botulism Strikes 5 in France, 1 in New Jersey

Posted on September 13, 2024 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning News

Botulism from adulterated pesto sauce is suspected in the illness of five people who are all currently receiving medical treatment. Botulism is a potentially fatal illness caused by a potent toxin that attacks the nervous system.

The incident occurred in west-central France, where authorities believe a locally produced sauce may have been contaminated with the pathogen.

Botulism can occur when the bacterium Clostridium botulinum grows and produces toxins.  Symptoms of botulism can include general weakness, dizziness, double vision, difficulty speaking or swallowing, breathing problems, muscle weakness, abdominal distension, and constipation. These symptoms may appear anywhere from six hours to two weeks after consuming contaminated food.

Failure to treat botulism can result in death. Public awareness and medical advancements have greatly increased the likelihood of surviving botulism food poisoning. In the past fifty years, over half of all botulism cases proved fatal, though that figure recently dropped to 3-5 percent.

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Posted in Clostridium, Clostridium botulinum, food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Food Poisoning Illness, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, outbreak

USA- FDA – Core Investigation Table

Posted on September 12, 2024 by | Leave a comment

FDA

What’s New

  • For the outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis (ref #1250) linked to recalled eggs sourced from Milo’s Poultry Farms, LLC, an outbreak advisory was issued. Refer to the advisory for additional information. FDA has initiated traceback.
  • For the outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 (ref #1249) linked to a not yet identified product, the case count has increased from 26 to 27.
  • For the outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes (ref #1247) linked to a not yet identified product, the case count has increased from 3 to 4.
  • For the outbreak of Cyclospora cayetanensis illnesses (ref #1245) linked to a not yet identified product, the case count has increased from 50 to 54.
  • For the outbreak of Cyclospora cayetanensis illnesses (ref #1237) linked to a not yet identified product, FDA has initiated inspections.
  • For the outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium (ref #1234) linked to a not yet identified product, the case count has increased from 89 to 90. 

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Posted in CORE Investigation Table, Cyclospora, Cyclosporiasis, E.coli O157, E.coli O157:H7, FDA, food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, outbreak, Salmonella, Salmonella in Eggs, STEC, STEC E.coli

France – Pesto linked to five botulism cases in France

Posted on September 11, 2024 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

Several people are suspected to have developed botulism after eating pesto in France.

The Centre-Val-de-Loire Regional Health Agency received reports of five probable cases of botulism following a family meal.

Sick people ate wild garlic pesto from the “O Ptits Oignons” brand. The five cases are currently hospitalized in an intensive care unit.

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Posted in botulism, Clostridium botulinum, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Poisoning Illness, Foodborne Illness, Illness, Poisoning

USA -Shigella Outbreak hits Elk’s Lodge in Humboldt

Posted on September 9, 2024 by | Leave a comment

Food Poison Journal

Humboldt County Department of Health & Human Services Public and Environmental Health officials are advising community residents who attended a dinner at the Elks Lodge in Eureka on Wednesday, Aug. 28, that they may have been exposed to Shigella. Attendees experiencing gastrointestinal (GI) issues should contact their primary care provider, as well as take steps not to spread the highly contagious infection.

Instances of Shigella infection are on the rise in the county after at least six individuals have tested positive for the illness since August.

The first cluster of three cases was identified in late-August. The individuals all appear to have been infected sometime in mid-August and a connection between the individuals could not be confirmed. Based on this information, Public Health sent out a Provider Alert to monitor for potential cases in case there was ongoing spread in the community.

Humboldt County Health Officer Dr. Candy Stockton said within the last 24 hours, staff was notified about three new confirmed cases and five suspected cases associated with the Aug. 28 event.

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

USA – FDA – Outbreak Investigation of Salmonella: Eggs (Sept 2024)

Posted on September 9, 2024 by | Leave a comment

fda

Do not eat, sell, or serve recalled chicken eggs from Milo’s Poultry Farms and Tony’s Fresh Market. FDA’s investigation is ongoing.

Product

All types (conventional cage-free, organic, and non-GMO chicken eggs) and sizes (M, L, XL, Jumbo) of recalled chicken eggs supplied by Milo’s Poultry Farms, LLC in Bonduel, WI.

This recall covers all expiration dates for the following eggs:

  • All carton sizes and all egg types labeled with “Milo’s Poultry Farms”.
  • All carton sizes of “Tony’s Fresh Market” branded eggs.

Symptoms of Salmonella Infection:

Illness usually occurs within 12 to 72 hours after eating food that is contaminated with Salmonella, and the symptoms usually lasts four to seven days. Symptoms include diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps. Children younger than five, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems are more likely to have severe infections.

Stores Affected

Recalled eggs were distributed to food service locations and retailers located in Wisconsin, Illinois, and Michigan. The firm has directly notified foodservice customers who received recalled product.

FDA will update this advisory as more information becomes available.

Status

Ongoing

Recommendation

  • Consumers, restaurants, and retailers should not eat, sell, or serve recalled chicken eggs produced by Milo’s Poultry Farms, LLC and distributed to restaurants and retailers in IL, WI, and MI.
  • Consumers, restaurants, and retailers who purchased or received recalled chicken eggs, including wholesale eggs, should carefully clean and sanitize any surfaces or containers that they touched.
  • Check your refrigerators for any recalled chicken eggs and throw them away. If you stored the eggs without the original packaging and can’t tell if it is part of the recall, throw them away.
  • Wash hands, utensils, and surfaces with hot, soapy water before and after handling raw eggs and raw egg-containing foods. Follow FDA’s safe handling and cleaning advice and use extra care in cleaning and sanitizing any surfaces and containers that may have come in contact with this product to reduce the risk of cross-contamination.
  • Contact your healthcare provider if you think you may have developed symptoms of a Salmonella infection, after eating eggs.

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