Category Archives: HUS

Research – Sporadic Shiga Toxin–Producing Escherichia coli–Associated Pediatric Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome, France, 2012–2021

Posted on September 30, 2023 by | Leave a comment

CDC

Abstract

Shiga toxin–producing Escherichia coli–associated pediatric hemolytic uremic syndrome (STEC-HUS) remains an important public health risk in France. Cases are primarily sporadic, and geographic heterogeneity has been observed in crude incidence rates. We conducted a retrospective study of 1,255 sporadic pediatric STEC-HUS cases reported during 2012–2021 to describe spatiotemporal dynamics and geographic patterns of higher STEC-HUS risk. Annual case notifications ranged from 109 to 163. Most cases (n = 780 [62%]) were in children ❤ years of age. STEC serogroups O26, O80, and O157 accounted for 78% (559/717) of cases with serogroup data. We identified 13 significant space-time clusters and 3 major geographic zones of interest; areas of southeastern France were included in >5 annual space-time clusters. The results of this study have numerous implications for outbreak detection and investigation and research perspectives to improve knowledge of environmental risk factors associated with geographic disparities in STEC-HUS in France.

Leave a comment

Posted in E.coli O157, E.coli O157:H7, E.coli O26, E.coli O26 :H11, Food Microbiology Research, Haemolytic Uremic Syndrome, HUS, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology Risk, O80, Research, STEC, STEC E.coli

USA – An E. coli Tragedy – 190 sick, 34 in hospital and 20 with hemolytic uremic syndrome

Posted on September 11, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Food Poison Journal

According to CTV News, the number of lab-confirmed cases of E. coli climbed again Sunday, rising to 190, stemming from a shared kitchen that 11 Calgary Fueling Brains daycares use but four daycares have reported no E. coli cases at all.

An Alberta Health Services (AHS) spokesperson sent updated figures to CTV News, showing that there are currently 27 patients receiving care in hospital. Seven others have been discharged since the beginning of the outbreak.

The number of patients confirmed to have severe hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) rose to 20 from 19 on Saturday.

“Based on the epidemiology of the cases we’ve seen to date, it is highly likely the source of this outbreak is food that was distributed from the central kitchen,” AHS said. “At this point, AHS has not been able to identify a food item that was the source. We continue to investigate.”

Leave a comment

Posted in E.coli O157, E.coli O157:H7, food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Haemolytic Uremic Syndrome, HUS, Illness, STEC, STEC E.coli

One dead and six in hospital after mystery E.coli outbreak in UK

Posted on August 8, 2023 by | Leave a comment

GB News

An E.Coli outbreak in the UK has killed one and hospitalised six others, with health officials left puzzled at the source.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is reportedly working with the Food Standards Agency (FSA) to determine what started the outbreak, which is believed to have begun in May.

24 cases of the illness have been reported since May, including 19 in England and 4 in Northern Ireland, according to Food Safety News.

“The outbreak’s source has not yet been identified, but we are working with partners, including the Food Standards Agency, to investigate,” she added.

The strain circulating currently, is the O183, a very rare strain of E.Coli, with only 15 reported cases in the UK since 2016.

Leave a comment

Posted in E.coli O183, food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Foodborne Illness, Foodborne Illness Death, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, fsa, HUS, Illness, outbreak, STEC, STEC E.coli, UKHSA

Norway – Outbreak of E. coli (EHEC infection)

Posted on August 8, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Matportalen

This outbreak is caused by a different EHEC bacterium than the outbreak reported in June. FHI has started an outbreak investigation together with relevant municipal chief medical officers, the Norwegian Food Safety Authority and the Veterinary Institute. All the infected fell ill in July and none of them have traveled abroad.

The infected are aged < 5 to 45 years, and live in Trøndelag (4), Viken and Vestfold and Telemark. Two of them have developed the serious complication haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS). In addition, a further HUS case has been notified where EHEC has been detected, but we are awaiting more analyzes before we can say whether the person is infected with the same strain of bacteria as the other cases. It is not yet known what the source of infection is, but it is common for gastrointestinal bacteria to become infected through food.

– At the present time, we cannot say whether this is a limited outbreak or whether there may be new cases, says Silje Bruland Lavoll, senior physician in the section for infection from food, water and animals at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. Investigative work can be complicated and take time, and in many cases we are unable to find the source of infection or to clarify whether it is a common source.

– We follow the situation closely and work closely with the municipal health service, the Norwegian Food Safety Authority and the Veterinary Institute, she adds.

– The Norwegian Food Safety Authority assists the Norwegian Institute of Public Health and municipal chief physicians in obtaining information from the sick persons and their relatives. Interviews are conducted about what the people have eaten and what they have been in contact with, says senior advisor Turid Berglund in the biological food safety section of the Norwegian Food Safety Authority.

Preliminary analyzes show that it is the bacterium EHEC O26:H11, which has been detected in all those infected. FHI is now working on further analyzes (whole genome sequencing) to confirm this.

Leave a comment

Posted in E.coli, EHEC, 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, HUS, Illness, Matportalen, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, outbreak, STEC, STEC E.coli

Research – Cheese link in Italian HUS case

Posted on August 4, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

Italian authorities have issued a warning after a young girl developed a serious condition after suffering an E. coli infection.

The Ministry of Health (Ministero della Salute) published a notice to consumers following a case of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) which has affected a child in Trentino. HUS is a severe complication associated with E. coli infections that causes kidney failure.

Local health authorities have taken steps to try and verify the source of infection. They identified a probable link to the consumption of cheese produced in a malga, which is an alpine hut, in Coredo. In late July, local officials said the girl was hospitalized.

A related Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) report shows Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) O26 was detected in the cheese.

To protect public health, it was advised that anyone who had purchased dairy products from the implicated site, before July 14, should not consume them. Officials also added that raw milk products should not be given to children under 5 years of age or the elderly.

Leave a comment

Posted in E.coli, 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, Haemolytic Uremic Syndrome, HUS, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, outbreak, STEC, STEC E.coli

Germany sounds E. coli and HUS alert after travel to Egypt

Posted on July 17, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

German public health officials have warned of a spike in cases of E. coli among travelers to Egypt.

Experts from the Robert Koch Institut (RKI) said they had also seen a rise in connected cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). HUS is a severe complication associated with E. coli infections that causes kidney failure.

Since the beginning of 2023, 31 cases of E. coli and 10 of HUS in people who were likely infected while on holiday in Egypt have been reported.

A large proportion of patients – 12 E. coli cases and six HUS cases – were recorded in May and June. They had stayed in different hotels, mainly in Hurghada, which is also the most frequent travel spot in the country.

Leave a comment

Posted in Decontamination Microbial, E.coli, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology Blog, Haemolytic Uremic Syndrome, HUS, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, STEC, STEC E.coli

USA – Researchers say raw milk infected people in Tennessee; one baby developed kidney failure

Posted on May 2, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

A new report describes how raw, unpasteurized milk in Tennessee likely caused infections in people, including infants, one of whom developed kidney failure.

The report from the Center for Infectious Disease Research & Policy (CIDRAP) discusses two babies who developed E. Coli infections after being fed raw milk from a cow-sharing arrangement in Tennessee.

Often called “herd-shares,” such arrangements get around bans on raw milk sales by legally allowing people to buy part of a herd or of a single animal so that they can consume unpasteurized milk. Participants in herd-share operations pay a farmer to care for and milk the animals.

The babies discussed in the new CIDRAP report developed diarrhea between July 25 and Aug. 1, 2022. Testing revealed Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC). Both households received raw milk from participants in the same cow share. The baby who developed kidney failure (hemolytic uremic syndrome) was hospitalized for 27 days.

Leave a comment

Posted in Bacterial Toxin, Decontamination Microbial, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Foodborne Illness, HUS, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Raw Milk, STEC, STEC E.coli

Research – Italy sees most HUS cases for decades – STEC E.coli

Posted on March 6, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

Italy has reported the highest annual total of Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS) cases since records began.

From January to December 2022, 91 cases were recorded. This is the most observed in a single year since the start of surveillance in 1988. HUS is a severe complication associated with E. coli infection that causes kidney failure and can result in lifelong, serious health problems and death.

The number is still lower than in France, which recorded 128 HUS cases in 2021. This was the lowest figure since 2017 and was down from 167 in 2020. Data for 2022 is not yet available but a rise is expected due to an outbreak linked to Nestlé Buitoni Fraîch’Up brand frozen pizzas.

Leave a comment

Posted in Bacterial Toxin, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Toxin, Haemolytic Uremic Syndrome, HUS, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, STEC, STEC E.coli

Posted on December 22, 2022 by | Leave a comment

BFR

Flour is a natural product and a valuable foodstuff.

However, Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) were detected in multiple flour samples (wheat, spelt and rye) during routine food monitoring in Germany in 2018. Escherichia (E.) coli are bacteria that occur naturally in the intestines of animals and humans and the detection of E. coli in food is a strong indicator of a faecal contamination.

Bacteria from the faeces or stool can be shed into the environment and subsequently contaminate various animal- and plant-based foods. Direct transmission between animals and humans and from humans to humans are also possible. Certain toxin producing variants of E. coli can cause serious diseases in animals and humans.

E. coli variants that can form Shiga toxins are of particular importance for humans. These are abbreviated as STEC. STEC, which cause diseases in humans, are referred to as entero-hemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC). The symptoms of an infection with STEC are initially gastrointestinal.

The possible severity of the disease ranges from watery to bloody diarrhea. In adults, the course of the disease can also proceed without symptoms. A particularly severe complication is the hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS). HUS is a disease that manifests in acute kidney failure, blood coagulation disorders and destruction of the red blood cells and can lead to death in individual cases. This form of the disease affects particularly sensitive groups of people, such as young chil-dren.

Leave a comment

Posted in E.coli, EHEC, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Haemolytic Uremic Syndrome, HUS, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Shigatoxin, STEC, STEC E.coli

Research – The European Scientific Conference on Applied Infectious Disease Epidemiology (ESCAIDE)

Posted on December 6, 2022 by | Leave a comment

Escaide

Abstracts

Page 71 – An Easter Surprise: Salmonella Typhimurium outbreak linked to chocolate products in the United Kingdom, 2022; a case control study

Page 72  – International outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium linked to a chocolate factory in 2022: Belgian findings

Page 73 – Whole Genome Sequencing identified a prolonged Salmonella Poona nursery outbreak (2016-2021) in North West England, UK

Page 74 – Climate Warming and increasing Vibrio vulnificus infections in North America

Page 106 – Timely and reliable outbreak investigation using a non-probabilistic online panel as a source of controls – two parallel case-control studies investigating a Salmonella Braenderup outbreak in Germany

Page 107 – An outbreak of Escherichia coli-associated haemolytic uremic syndrome linked to consumption of an unexpected food vehicle, France 2022

Page 108 – Outbreak investigation of cholera in a peri-urban village of Panchkula district, Haryana, India, 2021

Page 109 – Cholera Outbreak Investigation, Ballo Adda Mohalla, Lucknow District, Uttar Pradesh 2021

Page 110 – Norovirus GII.3[P12] outbreak associated with the drinking-water supply in a rural area in Galicia, Spain, 2021

Page 111 – Impact of COVID-19 restrictions on the epidemiology of Cryptosporidium spp. in England and Wales

Page 149 – Monophasic Salmonella Typhimurium outbreak linked to chocolate products, Ireland, 2022

Page 151 – Successful containment of a Listeria monocytogenes outbreak caused by shredded vegetables, Hesse/Germany, 2021-2022

Page 152 – Outbreak of monophasic Salmonella Typhimurium linked to fresh small tomatoes, Sweden, 2021

Page 194 – Cholera Outbreak Investigation, Kamarhati-Municipality, North-24-Parganas District, West Bengal, India 2021

Page 195 – Botulism outbreak and response in Dangara District Tajikistan, October 2020

Page 196 – Outbreak of suspected Clostridium perfringens associated with consumption of roast beef in a restaurant, January 2022 South West England

Page 198 – Doughnuts for weight loss? A norovirus outbreak in the Australian Capital Territory, November 2021

Page 212 – Outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease linked to unregistered cooling towers, West Midlands, England, July-September 2020

 

 

Leave a comment

Posted in Decontamination Microbial, food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Foodborne Illness, Foodborne Illness Death, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, HUS, Illness, Legionella, Legionnaires’ disease, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Norovirus, outbreak, Salmonella, Vibrio, Vibrio cholera, vibrio cholerae, Vibrio vulnificans, Vibrio vulnificus, Whole Genomic Sequencing