Category Archives: foodborne outbreak

UK – Salmonella pork scratching outbreak sickens 500

Posted on November 19, 2021 by KSW | Leave a comment

More than 500 people in the United Kingdom have been affected by a Salmonella outbreak linked to pork scratching products.

There were 534 sick people as of late October with the majority falling ill since June. The first patient was in September 2020 and the peak was 80 cases reported in one week.

Slightly more than half are male with an age range of 0 to 92 years old and a median of 54. A dozen were admitted to hospital but this information is only available for 35 people. The majority of those sick are in England but some patients live in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Whole genome sequencing identified the genetically similar Salmonella Infantis cases. It is thought to be the largest outbreak of this Salmonella type ever reported in Europe.

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

USA – Salmonella Serotypes Associated with Illnesses after Thanksgiving Holiday, United States, 1998–2018

Posted on November 19, 2021 by KSW | Leave a comment

CDC

Abstract

We sought to determine which Salmonella serotypes cause illness related to the Thanksgiving holiday in the United States and to foods disproportionately eaten then (e.g., turkey). Using routine surveillance for 1998–2018 and a case-crossover design, we found serotype Reading to be most strongly associated with Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving, celebrated annually in the United States on the fourth Thursday of November, often brings together family and friends who eat specific traditional foods, such as mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie; the most prominent food eaten is turkey (1). In 2017, ≈45 million turkeys were produced for Thanksgiving, ≈18% of annual production (2). Turkey is popular across regions, races, sexes, and generations; 88% of person in the United States report eating turkey during their Thanksgiving meal (1,3,4).

Foodborne Salmonella infections cause substantial illness and death in the United States: an estimated1 million cases, 20,000 hospitalizations, and 400 deaths occur annually (5). Typical illness consists of diarrhea, fever, and abdominal pain lasting 3–7 days; only a minority of persons seek health care. Incubation typically ranges from 6 hours to 6 days (5). Salmonella outbreaks caused by serotypes Hadar and Saint Paul have been most commonly attributed to turkey, and serotypes Enteritidis, Heidelberg, and Typhimurium have been frequent causes of turkey-associated outbreaks (6). During 2015‒2020, Reading and Hadar were the serotypes most often isolated from turkeys (7); less is known about which serotypes cause turkey-associated sporadic Salmonella infections. We aimed to determine which Salmonella serotypes cause sporadic enteric infections after the Thanksgiving holiday and are most likely related to foods disproportionately eaten then, particularly turkey.

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Posted in food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, outbreak, Research, Salmonella

Denmark – Listeria outbreak has sickened 9 in Denmark

Posted on November 17, 2021 by KSW | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

Danish officials are investigating a years-long outbreak of Listeria infections that has affected nine people from 2018 through this month.

The Statens Serum Institut (SSI), Danish Veterinary and Food Administration (Fødevarestyrelsen) and DTU Food Institute are trying to find the source of the infections.

The same type of Listeria monocytogenes has been found in nine people from late 2018 to November 2021. The four patients this year have all only recently become ill. Two people fell sick in both 2018 and 2019 and one case was recorded in 2020.

Among those sick are seven women aged from 35 to 95 years old and two children younger than age 5. They live all over the country. All nine Danish patients have been hospitalized but there have not been any deaths.

Whole genome sequencing (WGS) showed samples from outbreak patients to be closely related, which means it is likely they came from the same source.

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USA – Outbreak Investigation of E. Coli O157:H7 – Spinach (November 2021)

Posted on November 17, 2021 by KSW | Leave a comment

FDA

Outbreak Investigation of E. Coli O157:H7 in Spinach (November 2021): Sample Image of Josie's Organics Baby Spinach

The FDA and CDC, in collaboration with state and local partners, are investigating illnesses in a multistate outbreak of E. coli O157:H7. According to the CDC, as of November 15, 2021, 10 people infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7 have been reported from 7 states. Illnesses started on dates ranging from October 15 to October 27, 2021. Five people in this outbreak report eating spinach in the week before becoming sick and one person reported Josie’s Organics brand.

On November 15, 2021, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture reported that, as part of this outbreak investigation, a sample of Josie’s Organics Baby Spinach collected from the home of an ill person tested positive for E. coli O157:H7. This sample had a “Best If Used By” date of October 23, 2021 and is undergoing Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) analysis to determine if the strain of E. coli O157:H7 present in the product sample matches the outbreak strain.

As WGS analysis of the sample is underway, FDA is tracing back the supply of the baby spinach in the positive product sample. Thus far, FDA has traced supply chains for this product back to a small number of farms in two different geographic regions and is deploying investigators along the supply chains of interest.

FDA and state partners are working with the firm to determine if additional products could be affected. This is an ongoing investigation and additional information will be provided as it becomes available.

Recommendation

Consumers, restaurants, and retailers, should not eat, sell, or serve Josie’s Organics Baby Spinach with a “Best If Used By” date of October 23, 2021. Josie’s Organics Baby Spinach is sold in a clear plastic clamshell with the Best If Used By Date on the top label.

Although this product is past expiration and should no longer be available for purchase, consumers should check their homes for product and discard it. If consumers froze fresh Josie’s Organics Baby Spinach, they should discard it.

Case Count Map Provided by CDC

Case Counts

Total Illnesses: 10
Hospitalizations: 2
Deaths: 0
Last Illness Onset: October 27, 2021
States with Cases: IA (1), IN (3), MI (1), MN (2), MO (1), OH (1), SD (1)

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Posted in CDC, E.coli O157, E.coli O157:H7, FDA, food bourne outbreak, food contamination, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Toxin, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, outbreak, STEC, STEC E.coli

USA – Alsum Farms Onions Are Recalled For Possible Salmonella Contamination

Posted on November 17, 2021 by KSW | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin

Alsum Farms onions are recalled for possible Salmonella contamination, according to an FDA notice. The fresh yellow, white, and red onions were delivered to retailers in Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, and Pennsylvania between July 13, 2021 and August 18, 2021. The onions were imported from Chihuahua, Mexico by Keeler Family Farms. No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with onions marketed through Keeler Family Farms. Alsum Farms & Produce is located in Friesland, Wisconsin. You can see all of the secondary onion recalls in association with a multistate Salmonella outbreak here.

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USA – Salmonella Outbreak linked to Onions hits nearly 900 in 38 States

Posted on November 17, 2021 by KSW | Leave a comment

Food Poison Journal

Since the last update on October 29, 2021, 84 more sick people were added to this outbreak. As of November 12, 2021, 892 people infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Oranienburg have been reported from 38 states and Puerto Rico (see map). Illnesses started on dates ranging from May 31, 2021, to October 25, 2021 (see timeline).
Sick people range in age from less than 1 year to 101 years, with a median age of 37, and 58% are female. Of 571 people with information available, 183 (32%) have been hospitalized.

The true number of sick people in an outbreak is likely much higher than the number reported, and the outbreak may not be limited to the states with known illnesses. This is because many people recover without medical care and are not tested for Salmonella. In addition, recent illnesses may not yet be reported as it usually takes 3 to 4 weeks to determine if a sick person is part of an outbreak.

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USA – Salmonella Citterio Salame Sticks Outbreak Grows to 30

Posted on November 15, 2021 by KSW | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin

The Salmonella Citterio Salame Sticks outbreak has grown to include 30 patients in 10 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which is an increase of 10 patients since the last update on October 28, 2021. Six people are hospitalized because they are so ill. That is an increase of two more states in the case count. A recall was issued after the government discovered that the product was still being sold at one retail location, which was not named.

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

Canada – Salmonella outbreak: 46 cases in five provinces

Posted on November 15, 2021 by KSW | Leave a comment

Outbreak News Today

A collaboration of multiple health agencies to include The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) report investigating a Salmonella outbreak involving five provinces: British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario.

As of November 10, there have been 46 laboratory-confirmed cases of Salmonella Enteritidis illness investigated in: British Columbia (18), Alberta (18), Saskatchewan (3), Manitoba (6) and Ontario (1). The illness reported in Ontario was related to travel to Alberta.

Three individuals have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.

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Australia – Monitoring the incidence and causes of disease potentially transmitted by food in Australia: Annual report of the OzFoodNet network, 2016The OzFoodNet Working Group

Posted on November 13, 2021 by KSW | Leave a comment

In 2016, a total of 44,455 notifications of enteric diseases potentially related to food were received by state and territory health departments in Australia. Consistent with previous years, campylobacteri-osis (n = 24,171) and salmonellosis (n = 18,060) were the most frequently-notified infections. Notable increases in incidence were observed for shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (n = 343; 166% increase), shigellosis (n = 1,408; 93% increase), campylobacteriosis (33% increase) and salmonellosis (30% increase) when compared with the historical five-year mean. The extent to which the intro-duction of culture-independent testing as a method of diagnosis has contributed to these increases remains unclear. In total, 188 gastrointestinal outbreaks, including 177 foodborne outbreaks, were reported in 2016. The 11 non-foodborne outbreaks were due to environmental or probable environ-mental transmission (nine outbreaks) and animal-to-person or probable animal-to-person transmis-sion (two outbreaks). No outbreaks of waterborne or probable waterborne transmission were reported in 2016. Foodborne outbreaks affected 3,639 people, resulting in at least 348 hospital admissions and four deaths. Eggs continue to be a source of Salmonella Typhimurium infection across the country: 35 egg-related outbreaks, affecting approximately 510 people, were reported across six jurisdictions in 2016. Three large multi-jurisdictional Salmonella outbreaks associated with mung bean sprouts (n = 419 cases); bagged salad products (n = 311 cases); and rockmelons (n = 144 cases) were investigated in 2016. These outbreaks highlight the risks associated with fresh raw produce and the ongoing need for producers, retailers and consumers to implement strategies to reduce potential Salmonellacontamination.