Category Archives: Illness

CDC 2011 Foodborne Disease Figures

Posted on July 30, 2012 by | Leave a comment

CDC

The Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet) conducts active population-based surveillance in ten areas (Connecticut, Georgia, Maryland, Minnesota, New Mexico, Oregon, Tennessee, and selected counties in California, Colorado, and New York) for laboratory-confirmed cases of infection caused by Campylobacter, Cryptosporidium, Cyclospora, Listeria, Salmonella, Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC, including STEC O157 and STEC non-O157), Shigella, Vibrio, and Yersinia.

FoodNet also conducts surveillance for postdiarrheal hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a complication of STEC infection characterized by renal failure and microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, through a network of pediatric nephrologists and infection-control practitioners. Hospital discharge data are reviewed to validate HUS diagnoses and verify the presence of diarrhea in the 21 days before HUS onset. This report contains preliminary postdiarrheal HUS data for 2010, rather than for 2011, because additional time is needed to review hospital records.

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Posted in Bacteria, CDC, Cryptosporidium, E.coli, Eurofins Laboratories, FDA, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Hygiene, Illness, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, Pathogen, Research, Salmonella, Shigella, STEC

Canada – Advisory Alert Shellfish Vibro parahaemolyticus

Posted on July 27, 2012 by | 1 comment

CDC BC 

The BC Centre for Disease Control is reminding the public there’s a risk of illness associated with eating raw or undercooked bivalve shellfish such as oysters, clams, mussels, scallops, and cockles.

 Shellfish may accumulate bacteria(Vibrio parahaemolyticus), viruses (norovirus, hepatitis A), and toxins (paralytic shellfish poisoning, diarrhetic shellfish poisoning) or other impurities present in the water. Thorough cooking destroys bacteria and viruses, but does not destroy toxins.

 To date in 2012, five cases of locally-acquired Vibrio parahaemolyticus infection have been reported. In 2011, 42 cases of vibrio were reported. These illnesses have been linked to raw shellfish served in restaurants, bought at retail, or self-harvested in communities throughout the province including, Gibsons, Sechelt, Powell River, Ladysmith, Qualicum, Ucluelet, Gabriola Island, Cortes Island and Parksville.

In addition to individual cases, BC has also experienced outbreaks associated with shellfish. In 2010, an outbreak of norovirus from raw oysters affected over 30 people and in 2011 more than 60 people became ill after consuming cooked mussels contaminated with diarrhetic shellfish poisoning.

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Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Virus, Foodborne Illness, Hepatitis A, Hygiene, Illness, Microbiology, Norovirus, outbreak, Pathogen, Shellfish, Toxin, Vibrio, Vibrio parahaemolyticus

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Chinese Infant Formula Recall – Aflatoxin

Posted on July 27, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Reuters

China’s Hunan Ava Dairy Co Ltd said on Monday it will recall baby formula sold under its Nanshan Bywise brand after a cancer-causing agent was found in test samples, the latest blow to the country’s scandal-ridden milk industry struggling to restore consumer confidence.

Five batches of Nanshan Bywise infant milk powder produced between July and December last year failed sample tests for aflatoxin, a toxin produced by a fungus that is widespread in nature

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Posted in Aflatoxin, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Illness, Microbiology, Moulds, Pathogen

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UK – Legionnaires Outbreak – Stoke on Trent

Posted on July 26, 2012 by | Leave a comment

BBC

Seven people are being treated for Legionnaires’ disease in an outbreak in Stoke-on-Trent.

Those affected are six men and a woman, aged between their late 40s and 75, health officials said. wo men in their 70s are described as “stable” and the other patients are said to be “improving”.

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) said all seven patients were being treated at the University Hospital of North Staffordshire

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

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CDC – Another Live Chicks Salmonella Outbreak

Posted on July 24, 2012 by | Leave a comment

CDC

  • A total of 37 persons infected with the outbreak strain of SalmonellaHadar have been reported from 11 states.
    • The number of ill persons identified in each state is as follows: Arizona (2), California (1), Colorado (3), Idaho (5), Illinois (2), Oregon (5), Tennessee (2), Texas (1), Utah (5), Washington (9), and Wyoming (2).
    • Eight ill persons have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.
    • 37% of ill persons are children 10 years of age or younger.
  • Epidemiologic, laboratory and traceback findings have linked this outbreak of human Salmonella infections to contact with live poultry from Hatchery B in Idaho.

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Posted in Bacteria, CDC, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Hygiene, Illness, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen, Pet Food, Recall, Salmonella

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NZ – Two Dead – Hospital Food – Listeria

Posted on July 19, 2012 by | Leave a comment

NZHerald

Two people have died and three others have become ill in a listeria outbreak believed to have originated in hospital food in two different regions.The affected products have also been recalled from shops as they may contain the bacteria causing the disease.The two elderly women died after contracting listeria, a food-transmitted illness found in meat supplied to the Hawkes Bay Hospital.Two other people contracted the disease but recovered.

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

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RASFF – PSP, Listeria,Salmonella, Histamine

Posted on July 14, 2012 by | Leave a comment

RASFF – PSP Mussels from France

RASFF – STEC E.coli Roqufort Cheese France

RASFF – Salmonella Pasteurised Eggs in Denmark sourced in Poland

RASFF – Listeria in Chilled Smoked Salmon in Italy sourced in Spain

RASFF – Salmonella Frozen Chicken Thighs in France sourced in the Netherlands

RASFF – Salmonella Frozen Turkey Meat in Italy

Danish Alert – Histamine in Fresh Tuna

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Posted in Allergic Reaction, Bacteria, E.coli, EHEC, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Hygiene, Illness, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, Pathogen, PSP, RASFF, Recall, Salmonella, Shellfish

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US Picnic 36 Sick – E.coli O157

Posted on July 11, 2012 by | Leave a comment

E.coli Blog

As a result of eating food at a picnic at Neff’s Lawn Care in Germantown, at least 36 individuals have become ill. Of those, 9 have been hospitalized. Public Health – Dayton & Montgomery County is continuing an investigation into the cause of the foodborne outbreak. Estimates are that as many as 200-300 people may have attended an annual customer appreciation picnic.

Public Health is continuing to gather information through interviews with those who became ill and those who prepared the food. Investigators are also looking at food sources, food handling and storage practices, food temperature controls, and the potential of cross contamination of the food.

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Posted in Bacteria, E.coli, E.coli O157, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Hygiene, Illness, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen

FSA – Bag it Up – Food Safety

Posted on July 6, 2012 by | Leave a comment

FSA

The Food Standards Agency in Wales is reminding consumers how they can protect their shopping when packing raw and ready-to-eat food products to reduce the risk of cross-contamination.

Information published today by the Welsh Government shows there has been a 96% reduction in the use of carrier bags in some retail sectors since charges for plastic bags were introduced in Wales in October 2011.

With more and more consumers reusing carrier bags, either for sustainability or as a result of charging, there are some important tips to help prevent bacteria spreading to ready-to-eat food.

  • Keep raw meat and fish separate from ready-to eat-foods, in separate bags.
  • If your bags are re-useable, keep one or two just for use with raw meat and fish. Don’t use them for ready-to-eat foods.
  • Re-useable bags (and single use carrier bags) should be disposed of if there’s been any spillage of raw meat juices.

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Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Standards Agency, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Hygiene, Illness, Microbiology, Research

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US – Botulism Outbreak

Posted on July 4, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

Three Oregonians were hospitalized with boutlism after eating at a private barbecue, according to state health officials. 

The Clostridium botulinum bacteria that infected these individuals is thought to have come from home-canned foods served at the event, held in Deschutes County. All three victims were residents of the county, located in central Oregon.     
 
The public should see this outbreak as an example of the dangers of improper home canning, warns the agency.

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

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