Category Archives: Illness

US Alert – Hepatitis A Restaurant Worker

Posted on August 17, 2012 by | Leave a comment

SIPH

Patrons of Tom’s Gyro, 150 N. 3rd Ave., in Pocatello may have been exposed to Hepatitis A during August 2nd-August 14th, as an employee there has been confirmed as having the disease. Currently, there is no evidence of a hepatitis A outbreak associated with Tom’s Gyros. While the risk to public health is low, the possibility exists that Tom’s Gyro patrons could have been exposed to hepatitis A. Tom’s Gyro has cooperated fully with the investigation into the situation. The employee is believed to have practiced good hand hygiene but could have inadvertently contaminated food and drinks at the restaurant. The risk of exposure is considered small, but not zero.

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Posted in Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Virus, Hepatitis A, Hygiene, Illness, Microbiology, Pathogen, Virus

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Ireland – Shellfish Posioning Warning

Posted on August 16, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Irish Times

About a dozen people have become ill with suspected food poisoning in recent weeks after gathering mussels and other shellfish from the shoreline in parts of the west and southwest coast.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) warned locals and holidaymakers visiting these areas of dangers of gathering and consuming wild shellfish growing on the seashore.

It said there had been over 10 reports of illness in Galway, Mayo and Sligo in the past number of weeks. It suspects the reports are linked to harmful algal blooms occurring naturally along these parts of the coast.

Bi-valve shellfish such as mussels, oysters, scallops, cockles and clams should only be purchased from reputable suppliers and not gathered in the wild, the authority said.

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Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, FSAI, Hygiene, Illness, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen

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Cruise Ship Virus Strikes Again – Norovirus

Posted on August 14, 2012 by | 1 comment

Cruise Law News

A puke fest is underway on the Carnival Glory cruise ship, with passengers taking to the message boards at Cruise Critic to comment that passengers are suffering from diarrhea and other norovirus-like symptoms,

The message board states that Carnival prepared a letter to passengers this weekend that passengers on the prior cruise experienced norovirus sickness. Several passengers are stating that the current cruise has been plagued by norovirus as well.  Some comments mention the strong smell of vomit in public areas of the cruise ship.  

One passenger comments that the Centers for Disease control (CDC) came onto the Glory on August 9th.

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Posted in Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Virus, Foodborne Illness, Hygiene, Illness, Pathogen, Virus

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Finland – Listeria Outbreak

Posted on August 13, 2012 by | Leave a comment

NewFood

Ten listeria cases were detected among patients with febrile diarrhoea in the Vaasa city hospital during the month of July. Two more cases were detected in Eastern Finland, one in Juva and one in Mikkeli. No deaths have occurred. The bacterial strains typed were identical which may imply a common source of infection.

Listeria is a food-borne infection. The exposure period in Vaasa is presumably between July 13th and 17th. The food items consumed by the patients have been identified and are now currently under investigation. The identification of the source of the infection for the cases in Eastern Finland has been initiated.

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Posted in Bacteria, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Hygiene, Illness, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen

Oysters Linked to Bacterial Outbreak – Vibrio parahaemolyticus

Posted on August 13, 2012 by | Leave a comment

KTVU.COM

Oysters from the Drakes Bay Oyster Co. in Marin County have been linked to an outbreak of bacterial illness that has affected three people so far, according to state health officials.

Consumers are being warned not to eat shucked and in-shell oysters from the Inverness company because they may be contaminated with Vibrio parahaemolyticus, a rod-shaped, curved bacterium that can cause serious illness, according to the California Department of Health.

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Posted in Bacteria, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Illness, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen, Recall, Vibrio, Vibrio parahaemolyticus

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Staphylococcus aureus in Turkey Dinner – Outbreak

Posted on August 9, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

The foodborne illness outbreak that sickened at least 60 recipients of a meal at the Denver Rescue Mission last month has been linked to turkey contaminated with Staphylococcus aureus bacteria, officials say.
 
According to the Denver Department of Environmental Health, a stool sample from one of the outbreak victims tested positive for Staph, pointing to that bacteria as the cause of illness. This discovery matches up with the fact that victims became ill within an hour after eating. Symptoms of most foodborne illnesses do not appear until several hours or even days or weeks after contact with the pathogen, while the vomiting induced by a Staph infection begins almost immediately.

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Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Illness, Microbiology, Pathogen, Staphylococcus aureus, Toxin

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Tiny Turtles – 6 Linked Salmonella Outbreaks

Posted on August 9, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

A series of 6 Salmonella outbreaks linked to contact with small turtles is now affecting 168 people from 30 states. That’s up from the 149 illnesses reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in its last update July 3. 

The 19 new cases have been connected with 4 of the 6 outbreak strains tied to these reptiles, including Salmonella Sandiego, strain A; Salmonella Pomona; Salmonella Poona, strain A and Salmonella Pomona, strain B. No new cases of Salmonella Sandiego, strain B or Salmonella Poona, strain B have been detected according to the CDC update issued Wednesday.
 
A total of 34 people have been hospitalized.

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Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Hygiene, Illness, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen, Salmonella

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US – Home Made Prison Alcohol – Botulism

Posted on August 7, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Botulisim Blog

The Arizona Republic reports that four state prison inmates were hospitalized with suspected botulism poisoning Friday after apparently drinking homemade prison alcohol, authorities said.

This is not the first time that prison inmates have been diagnosed with botulism following what is suspected to be an attempt at making homemade alcohol.

In 2011, 12 inmates at the Utah State Prison in Draper developed botulism after drinking a concoction made from fruit, potatoes, bread, water and sugar.

In 2004, four California inmates were hospitalized after contracting botulism from a two-gallon batch of prison-made alcohol.

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Posted in Bacteria, Clostridium botulinum, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Illness, Microbiology, Pathogen

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ECDC – Salmonella Stanley Outbreak

Posted on July 31, 2012 by | Leave a comment

ECDC

Following an increase in the number of reported human infections with Salmonella entrica serovar Stanley in some European countries, ECDC issued a rapid risk assessment.

Up to 26 July 2012, 60 Salmonella Stanley cases (32 from Hungary, 20 from Belgium, eight from Germany) were reported from EU/EEA countries.

Although most Salmonella Stanley cases are related to travel to south-east Asia, the increase of infections reported in three EU countries in 2012 is not related to international travel. The occurrence of one single PFGE pattern of strains isolated from different countries suggests in fact a common source, which has not yet been identified; potential vehicles might be food, feed, or contact. Investigations are ongoing and it is likely that more cases will be identified. However, the impact on public health across the EU is considered to be limited.

Member States are encouraged to perform PFGE testing on all recent isolates of Salmonella Stanley to increase the possibility of identifying potential vehicles of infection. ECDC will continue to closely monitor this event and will update the risk assessment as soon as new relevant information becomes available.

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Posted in Bacteria, ECDC, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Hygiene, Illness, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen, Salmonella

UK – Legionella Update from the HPA

Posted on July 31, 2012 by | Leave a comment

HPA

Public and environmental health experts investigating the Legionnaires’ disease outbreak at Stoke-on-Trent believe they have identified a probable source.

The probable source is a hot tub based at JTF Warehouse, City Road, Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent. We would like to emphasise that investigations are still ongoing. Environmental Health specialists from the Health and Safety Executive and Stoke-on-Trent City Council have taken and continue to take samples from sites across Stoke.

A spokesperson from the Health and Safety Executive said: “HSE continues to inspect premises where we are the enforcing authority and will do so until we have eliminated those sites from our investigations and are sufficiently assured there are no other possible sources.”

If people are displaying symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease, such as: aching muscles, fever, tiredness, headaches and a dry cough, they should see their doctor or contact NHS Direct on 0845 46 47

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Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Illness, Legionella, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen

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