Category Archives: foodbourne outbreak

Cruise ship outbreaks down in 2019

Outbreak News Today

As we near the end of August, it is quite noticeable that the number of cruise ship outbreaks investigated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) is less than recent previous years.

Thus far in 2019, CDC-VSP officials investigated five outbreaks- all before early April, nothing since. The most recent outbreak being Oceania Cruises, Oceania Marina 3/18 to 4/5 voyage.

While the year is not over, it is a slower season.

This compares to 11 outbreaks investigated in all of 2018, 11 in 2017 and 13 in 2016.

Of the 40 outbreaks reported by VSP, 27 were due to norovirus, 2 were Enterotoxigenic E. coli(ETEC), one each of Clostridium perfringens, rotavirus, norovirus and Campylobacter and norovirus and ETEC.

RASFF Alert – Foodborne Outbreak suspected (Salmonella)

RASFF-Logo

RASFF –   to be caused by and Salmonella (present /25g) in eggs from Spain in the Netherlands

Contagion Live – Outbreak Monitor – Listeria monocytogenes

Contagion Live111111

 

USA- Canada – Has the USDA Found a Link in the Chicken Listeria Outbreak?

Outbreak News Today

The United States Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced a recall of fully cooked poultry products that may be contaminated with Listeria.

This recall comes very soon after the announcement of a Canadian Chicken Listeria Outbreak as well as a lingering question of whether this outbreak and the mystery source of the Listeria cases in the US are one in the same. Has the USDA confirmed the US link in the Listeria Outbreak? There is some compelling information that has recently come to light.

According to the USDA’s announcement, “The problem was discovered on August 17, 2019, when the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) notified FSIS that a sample of product produced by Tip Top Poultry, Inc. confirmed positive for the presence of Listeria monocytogenes. Canadian public health and food safety partners, including the Public Health Agency of Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, have been investigating an outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes. A ready-to-eat diced chicken product collected as part of the investigation tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes. The investigation is ongoing.”

USA – More than 70 cases of foodborne illness reported in Hidalgo County

The Monitor cyclo

EDINBURG — Hidalgo County health officials are warning residents about the growing number of parasites found in leafy vegetables that could cause medical concerns for vulnerable populations.

More than 70 cases of cyclosporiasis have been reported to the Hidalgo County Health and Human Services office, chief administrative officer Eddie Olivarez said Monday.

“It’s a public health concern we not only have in the Rio Grande Valley, but in the state of Texas, and even throughout the nation,” Olivarez said. “We’ve had over 70 cases in Hidalgo County; over 300 cases in the state of Texas and there’s over 1,200 cases in the United States. So much so, that the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) is concerned about it and putting out alerts in reference to this particular parasite.”

 

Spain – Listeria outbreak hits Spain, Most in Andalusia – Pork Meatloaf

Outbreak News Today Products from La Mechá that have been taken off the market.

An outbreak of listeriosis in Spain has sickened about 155 people to date, killing one, according to the health authorities. The Spanish Health Ministry said it was looking into another 523 suspected cases.

The outbreak has primarily affected Andalusia in the Seville region; however, cases have also been recorded in Asturias, Extremadura, Madrid, Catalonia and Aragon.

Unfortunately, a 90-year-old Andalusia woman has become the first fatal victim.

The Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (AESAN) has already warned about a roasted meat product of the brand “La Mechá” made by Magrudis SL not to consume it.

El Pais

An outbreak of listeriosis in Spain caused by meat produced by a firm in the southern Spanish province of Seville is now having international repercussions. The country’s Health Ministry has activated alert and communication systems with the European authorities and the World Health Organization (WHO) “given the possibility that cases might be detected in other countries.” The move, according to ministerial sources, is a precaution in case any tourists visiting the country may have contracted the infection after consuming contaminated products in Spain. So far there have been no registered cases outside of the country.

The current outbreak of the bacterial infection has its source in pork meatloaf – known in Spanish as ‘carne mechada’

The current outbreak of the bacterial infection has its source in pork meatloaf – known in Spanish as carne mechada – sold under the brand name La Mechá, and produced by the Seville-based company Magrudis S.L.

A total of 53 people – including 23 pregnant women – are currently hospitalized in Andalusia due to the bacterial infection, three of whom are in intensive care. So far, one person has died from the outbreak: a 90-year-old woman who passed away in the early hours of Monday in a Seville hospital.

USA – Nearly 600 sickened by Cyclospora since May – over 200 by Mexican Basil

Food Poison Journal

The number of reported cases of domestically acquired illnesses caused by cyclospora has increased from the previous month and remains elevated in the United States since May 1, 2019.

As of July 23, 2019, 580 laboratory-confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis were reported to CDC by 30 states, District of Columbia and New York City in people who became ill since May 1, 2019 and who had no history of international travel during the 14-day period before illness onset.

At this time, multiple clusters of cases associated with different restaurants or events are being investigated by state public health authorities, CDC, and FDA.

One multistate outbreak of Cyclospora infections has been linked to fresh basil imported from Siga Logistics de RL de CV of Morelos, Mexico . It is unknown at this time if other reported cases of Cyclospora infection in the United States this season are linked to fresh basil.

USA – Basil Cyclospora Outbreak Has Sickened 205 in 11 States

Food Poisoning Bulletin Cyclospora_LifeCycle201

The FDA has updated the basil cyclospora outbreak that has now sickened at least 205 people in 11 states. That’s an increase of 73 patients since the last update which was posted on July 25, 2019. Five people have been hospitalized because they are so sick. The basil in question is imported from Mexico by Siga Logistics de RL de CV from Morelos. That facility recalled basil on July 24, 2019.

Research – Moving Away from Population-Based Case-Control Studies during Outbreak Investigations

Journal of Food Protection

ABSTRACT

Population-based case-control studies are a time- and labor-intensive component of foodborne outbreak investigations. One alternative is a binomial trial that asks the question “if the likelihood of each case’s having eaten a given food is no different from that of the average person in the population, how often would we find, by chance alone, that x of n (or more) cases would have eaten this food?” Calculating a binomial trial requires background exposure data. We conducted case-control studies and binomial trials in two foodborne outbreaks and compared results. In both outbreaks, using binomial trials we found much less than a 5% probability that the number of cases eating the suspected food vehicle would have occurred by chance. These results were comparable with results of the case-control studies, but with considerably less effort. When background exposure data are available, binomial trials are an efficient way to explore hypotheses that can be further tested by traceback efforts to identify a common source.

HIGHLIGHTS
  • Population-based case-control studies are time- and labor-intensive.

  • Binomial trials of case exposures produce similar results with less effort.

  • Calculating a binomial trial requires background exposure data.

  • Binomial associations require product tracebacks to identify a common source.

USA – 580 Cyclospora cases in United States – Over 2000 in 2018

Food Poison Journal

On July 25, the FDA announced an investigation into a Cyclospora outbreak linked to imported fresh basil by Siga Logistics from Mexico. Siga

The FDA is recommending consumers not to buy, eat, or serve any fresh basil exported by Siga Logistics and not to consume or serve uncooked items such as pesto or salad that may contain basil from Mexico.

Cyclospora is a parasite composed of one cell, too small to be seen without a microscope.