Category Archives: foodborne outbreak

Research – Multinational investigation of a Salmonella Umbilo outbreak reveals rocket salad and baby spinach as the likely infection vehicles, Europe, 2024

Posted on November 21, 2024 by | Leave a comment

Eurosurveillance

We report on the collaborative investigation of an outbreak including about 200 cases of  serotype Umbilo (. Umbilo) that affected several European countries mainly between July and September 2024. The investigation enabled to rapidly identify and microbiologically confirm rocket salad (also known as arugula or rucola) from company A in Italy as the likely food vehicle. Baby spinach and possibly other items produced by the same company could be additional food vehicles. While case numbers appeared to decline in October 2024, some . Umbilo infections (with genomic analysis pending to confirm these cases) continue to be detected at the time of writing.

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

Outbreak on cruise ship carrying 1.822 passengers departing from Singapore – Norovirus

Posted on November 20, 2024 by | Leave a comment

Vietnam VN

Sheet USA Today November 16.11 reported 70 people infected on the ship Travel Coral Princess. The ship was carrying 1.822 passengers on a month-long journey from Singapore to Los Angeles (California, USA) when a virus spread and caused an outbreak on board.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (USCDC) said that 55 guests and 15 crew members on the Coral Princess ship were infected with norovirus, with the main symptoms being vomiting and diarrhea.

Norovirus is an intestinal virus that is highly contagious through direct or indirect contact with an infected person. According to the website CruiseMapper, the Coral Princess ship owned by Princess Cruises Company (headquartered in California), left Singapore on October 17.10.

The Coral Princess has implemented “enhanced cleaning and disinfection procedures in accordance with its pandemic preparedness and response plan,” among other measures, according to the CDC. The CDC’s ship sanitation program is monitoring the outbreak remotely. The cruise line did not respond to a request for comment.

By page Cruise Mummy On November 15.11, another norovirus outbreak was also recorded on the Crown Princess cruise ship currently traveling around Australia and New Zealand.

Passengers on board the ship received a letter advising them to disembark in Darwin, Australia, if possible, so that authorities could conduct a thorough cleaning of the ship, including disinfecting all guest rooms and public areas.

While cases of norovirus have been reported on cruise ships, the total number of cases represents only 1% of all cases ever reported on board. world.

Dr. Sarah Hochman at Tisch Hospital (New York, USA) confirmed that this virus has no special connection to cruise ships.

“It really is (spread) in any setting where there are large numbers of people congregate. It also happens in the community on a much smaller scale, between households and household contacts. It’s just not as limited. medical public as much as for larger gathering settings,” according to Dr. Hochman.

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Posted in food bourne outbreak, Food Virus, Food Virus Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Norovirus, Norovirus Cruise, outbreak

Research – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE E. COLI O157:H7 BACTERIA DURING AN OUTBREAK

Posted on November 19, 2024 by | Leave a comment

Food Poison Journal

E. coli is an archetypal commensal bacterial species that lives in mammalian intestines. E. coli O157:H7 is one of thousands of serotypes Escherichia coli.[1] The combination of letters and numbers in the name of the E. coli O157:H7 refers to the specific antigens (proteins which provoke an antibody response) found on the body and tail or flagellum[2]respectively and distinguish it from other types of E. coli.[3] Most serotypes of E. coli are harmless and live as normal flora in the intestines of healthy humans and animals.[4] The E. coli bacterium is among the most extensively studied microorganism.[5] The testing done to distinguish E. coli O157:H7 from its other E. coli counterparts is called serotyping.[6]

Read more at the link above

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Posted in E.coli O157, E.coli O157:H7, food bourne outbreak, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, outbreak, STEC, STEC E.coli

USA – Guacamole link in PCC E. coli Outbreak

Posted on November 18, 2024 by | Leave a comment

Marler Blog

Seattle-King County Public Health (Public Health) investigated an outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O157:H7 (STEC) in the spring of 2024. This outbreak was associated with PCC Community Markets.

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

USA – Saint Louis County Department of Public Health Continues to Investigate E. coli O157 Outbreak as Cases Climb

Posted on November 18, 2024 by | Leave a comment

Food Poison Journal

The Saint Louis County Department of Public Health (DPH) is continuing to actively investigate an outbreak of Escherichia coli O157 (E. coli) affecting students, parents and guests of Rockwood Summit High School. As of 12:30 this afternoon, 69 cases have been identified, with some laboratory-confirmed and others presenting compatible symptoms and epidemiological links to confirmed cases.

Further investigation has revealed that individuals who tested positive for E. coli attended two separate events hosted at or catered through Andre’s Banquets and Catering in association with Rockwood Summit High School. Although current details are suggestive of salad being the source of illness, we have not identified a specific ingredient, nor do we have information on the nature or timing of the contamination (i.e., farm vs. later).

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

USA – E. coli O157 infections linked to consumption of burgers from Red Cow and Hen House restaurants

Posted on November 18, 2024 by | Leave a comment

Food Poison Journal

Health officials are urging people to contact their health care provider if they ate a hamburger, especially if undercooked, at a table-service restaurant since Oct. 31 and then developed diarrhea, particularly bloody diarrhea, in the following week.

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has identified 10 cases of E. coli O157 infection in people who had eaten burgers at multiple locations of Red Cow, a table-service restaurant chain with locations in Hennepin, Ramsey and Olmsted counties. One additional case reported dining at Hen House Eatery in Minneapolis, which received the same ground beef product suspected in this investigation. The ground beef product was also distributed to other establishments, so additional cases from other locations could be identified.

So far, cases have reported meal dates of Oct. 31 through Nov. 7, and illness onset dates range from Nov. 4 through Nov. 9. Cases range in age from 9 to 70 years. Two cases have been hospitalized. Additional potential cases are under investigation.

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

USA – Great Falls Salmonella Illnesses might be linked to Multi-State Outbreak

Posted on November 18, 2024 by | Leave a comment

Food Poison Journal

At this time, ten cases have been confirmed. Nine of those confirmed cases are within four GFPS elementary schools. Additional test results are pending.

The MT State lab is performing genomic sequencing of test samples for each confirmed salmonella infection. These results would determine whether the Great Falls cases are linked to cases in other jurisdictions but will not confirm a specific food source. As of 11/15, we have not yet received those results.

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

UKHSA defends response to fatal E. coli case

Posted on November 18, 2024 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has explained its role in investigating the case of a woman who died following an E. coli infection after being criticized in a coroner’s report.

An inquest concluded that Laura Farmer died from a stroke caused by an E. coli infection.

Following a diarrheal illness about 10 days earlier, the 46-year-old was admitted to University College Hospital in April 2024. She was diagnosed with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) caused by Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC). When thought to be in the recovery phase, she suffered an unexpected stroke and died.

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Posted in Death, food bourne outbreak, food death, Food Illness, Food Poisoning Death, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, outbreak, STEC, STEC E.coli, UKHSA

USA – Outbreak Investigation of E. coli O121:H9: Organic Carrots (November 2024)

Posted on November 18, 2024 by | Leave a comment

FDA

Cal-Organic Farms Carrots

Product

Grimmway Farms initiated a voluntary recall of multiple sizes and brands of bagged organic whole and baby carrots.

  • Organic whole carrots were available for purchase at retail from August 14 through October 23, 2024 (365, Bunny Luv, Cal-Organic, Compliments, Full Circle, Good & Gather, GreenWise, Marketside, Nature’s Promise, O Organic, President’s Choice, Simple Truth, Trader Joe’s, Wegmans, Wholesome Pantry).
  • Organic baby carrots include specific best-if-used-by dates printed on the bags ranging from September 11 to November 12, 2024 (365, Bunny Luv, Cal-Organic, Compliments, Full Circle, Good & Gather, GreenWise, Grimmway Farms, Kroger, LIDL, Marketside, Nature’s Promise, O Organic, President’s Choice, Raley’s, Simple Truth, Sprouts, Trader Joe’s, Wegmans, Wholesome Pantry).

A full list of recalled products is below. These products are likely no longer available for sale in stores but could be in people’s homes.

Symptoms of E. coli

Symptoms include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, fever, nausea, and/or vomiting. Symptoms begin anywhere from a few days after consuming contaminated food or up to nine days later.

The severity or presence of certain symptoms may depend on the type of pathogenic E. coli that is causing the infection. Some infections can cause severe bloody diarrhea and lead to life-threatening conditions, such as a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), or the development of high blood pressure, chronic kidney disease, and neurologic problems.

Stores Affected

These products were sold nationwide but are likely no longer available for sale in stores.

Status

Ongoing

Recommendation

  • Consumers should check their refrigerators and freezers and should not eat recalled bagged whole or baby carrots. If you have these products in your home, do not eat or use them, throw them away, and clean and sanitize surfaces they touched. If you purchased organic whole or baby carrots and stored them without the original packaging and don’t know what brand they are, you should not eat them and should throw them away.
  • Retailers and distributors that purchased recalled bagged whole or baby carrots should not sell this product and should notify their customers. These products are likely past shelf-life and no longer available for sale in stores, but distributors and retailers should check their refrigerators and freezers and should not serve or sell recalled bagged whole or baby carrots.
    • Retailers that are unsure if they received these products may need to contact their supplier. If you are unable to determine whether or not recalled product was received, you should discard the contents of the bins and use extra care to clean and sanitize the bins before refilling.
  • Retailers, distributors, and consumers should 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 these products to reduce the risk of cross-contamination.
  • Contact your healthcare provider if you think you may have symptoms of an E. coli infection after eating organic carrots.

Current Update

November 17, 2024

The FDA and CDC, in collaboration with state and local partners, are investigating illnesses in a multistate outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O121:H9 infections linked to organic whole and baby carrots supplied by Grimmway Farms of Bakersfield, California.

State and local public health officials are interviewing people about the foods they ate in the week before they got sick. Of the 27 people interviewed, 26 (96%) reported eating carrots.

FDA’s traceback investigation identified Grimmway Farms as the common supplier of organic whole and baby carrots in this outbreak. On November 16, 2024, Grimmway Farms initiated a voluntary recall of multiple quantities and brands of bagged organic whole and baby carrots and contacted their distributing customers. The retail-packaged organic whole carrots were in stores for purchase from August 14 through October 23, 2024. The organic baby carrots have different best-if-used-by-dates ranging from September 11 through November 12, 2024. A full list of recalled products is below.

Although product is likely no longer on the market, carrots can last a long time when refrigerated or frozen. Consumers should check their refrigerators and freezers and discard these recalled products. Distributors and retailers that may have received recalled bagged organic whole and baby carrots should follow the recommendations above and contact their customers.

FDA is working with the firm to determine the source of contamination and whether additional products are affected. This advisory will be updated as information becomes available.

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Posted in E.coli O121, FDA, food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, outbreak, STEC, STEC E.coli, STEC E.coli O121

Canada – Four-year typhoid fever outbreak in Canada linked to chronic carrier3 dead, 12 ill due to suspected food poisoning at state-run shelter home in Patna

Posted on November 16, 2024 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

In a rare occurrence of locally acquired typhoid fever in Canada, health officials in Ottawa recently traced an outbreak back to a chronic Salmonella Typhi carrier working as a food handler. The outbreak involved seven confirmed cases from Oct. 2018 to May 2022 and was linked to the asymptomatic carrier through whole genome sequencing (WGS) and social network analysis.

Typically, cases of typhoid fever in Canada are linked to international travel, making this localized outbreak unusual. The investigation led by Ottawa Public Health underscores the potential for chronic carriers, who may shed bacteria without symptoms and unintentionally transmit the disease over an extended period. All eight outbreak-related isolates matched genetically, confirming the cluster.

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