One person has died in the UK and 30 cases of illness confirmed following an outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O145 identified through the analysis of whole genome sequencing (WGS) data.
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Category Archives: Illness
USA – Brusseto Brand Charcuterie linked to Salmonella Case
Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) officials are warning Minnesota consumers not to eat Busseto brand Charcuterie Sampler containing prosciutto, sweet sopressata, and dry coppa and purchased at Sam’s Club or other retailers.
One Minnesotan reported becoming ill in December after consuming a Busseto brand Charcuterie Sampler purchased at Sam’s Club. The person was not hospitalized. MDA staff collected and tested an unopened package of Busseto brand Charcuterie Sampler from the person’s home. The product tested positive for Salmonella.
Posted in Food Illness, food recall, Foodborne Illness, Illness, product recall, Recall, Salmonella
USA – FDA – Investigations of Foodborne Illness Outbreaks
| Date Posted |
Ref | Pathogen or Cause of Illness |
Product(s) Linked to Illnesses (if any) |
Total Case Count |
Status |
| 12/6/
2023 |
1205 | Listeria monocytogenes |
Not Yet Identified |
3 | Active |
| 11/22/
2023 |
1201 | Salmonella Newport |
Not Yet Identified |
44 | Active |
| 11/22/
2023 |
1203 | Salmonella Sundsvall and Oranienburg |
Cantaloupe | See | Active |
| 11/15/
2023 |
989 | Listeria monocytogenes |
Peaches, Plums, and Nectarines |
See | Active |
| 11/8/
2023 |
1198 | Elevated Lead Levels |
Apple Cinnamon Puree |
See | Active |
Research – Prolonged multi‐country cluster of Listeria monocytogenes ST155 infections linked to ready‐to‐eat fish products
Abstract
A genomic cluster of Listeria monocytogenes sequence type (ST) 155, serogroup IIa, infections has been identified in the European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA) and the United Kingdom (UK). Based on genomic similarity, the cluster can be divided into three sub‐clusters, of which only cases due to sub‐cluster 1 continue to be reported. Sub‐cluster 1 is therefore the focus of this assessment, with 64 cases reported in five EU/EEA countries between 2016 and 2023, of which 17 were in 2022 and 2023 (one in Austria, one in Belgium, eight in Italy, six in Germany, and one in the Netherlands). It includes 10 fatal cases between 2019 and 2023. Sub‐clusters 2 and 3 are historical, with 30 cases reported between 2011 and 2021. Based on case interviews, ready‐to‐eat (RTE) fish products have been implicated as vehicles of infection.
National food investigations, traceability, and genomic data identified 34 L. monocytogenes isolates from 12 fish products and one isolate from a fish processing environment within sub‐cluster 1. Sequencing analysis identified a link with two processing plants in Lithuania. In 2022–2023, contaminated fish products from these plants had reached retail markets in Germany and Italy, but there was no information on the product distribution in the other three countries reporting cases. The recurrent detection of the sub‐cluster 1 strain from marketed sealed RTE fish products revealed the persistence of the strain in one processing plant over eight years.
Further targeted investigation in the RTE fish production chain is needed to identify the point(s) of contamination. The interruption of the production of RTE fish products in one of the processing plants is likely to reduce infections, but until all sources and sites of contaminations are properly controlled new cases are expected to occur, particularly among vulnerable people (the immunosuppressed and those aged over 75 years).
UK – Girl, 17, fighting for life in hospital after catching deadly E-coli from a Christmas market food stall which caused her kidneys to fail and forced doctors to remove part of her bowel
A girl has been left fighting for her life after she caught a deadly strain of E.coli from food bought at a Christmas market.
Antonia Hay, 17, from Buckinghamshire, has spent the past two weeks in intensive care after likely catching STEC-HUS, caused by E-coli O157.
Posted in E.coli O157, E.coli O157:H7, Food Illness, Foodborne Illness, Illness, STEC, STEC E.coli
UK – STEC O145 E. coli tainted cheese sickens 30 in the UK
There have been at least 30 confirmed cases of this specific outbreak strain of STEC in the UK.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA), Food Standards Scotland, (FSS) and UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) are warning the public not to eat four Mrs. Kirkham’s Lancashire Cheese which has been recalled because they may be contaminated with a specific type of E. coli bacteria called Shiga toxin producing E. coli, also known as STEC or VTEC or E. coli O145.
Posted in E.coli, E.coli O145, food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Quality, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Safety Regulations, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, fsa, Illness, STEC, STEC E.coli
USA -Canada – As many as 17,941 with Salmonella linked to Cantaloupe in U.S. and Canada
Canada:164 lab confirmed cases with 61 hospitalized with 7 deaths. (as of December 22)
United States: 302 lab confirmed cases with 129 hospitalized with 4 deaths. (as of December 14)
According to health officials, only a small proportion of all Salmonella infections are diagnosed and reported to health departments. It is estimated that for every reported case, there are approximately 38.6 undiagnosed infections.[1] The CDC estimates that 1.4 million cases, 15,000 hospitalizations, and 400 deaths are caused by Salmonella infections in the U.S. every year.[2]
France – Over 700 Airbus Employees Suffer Severe Suspected Food Poisoning Following Christmas Dinner
Over 700 employees of Airbus Atlantic have fallen sick with severe gastrointestinal symptoms after a Christmas dinner laid on at the company’s dining facilities in Montoir-de-Bretagne in northwest France.
French health authorities say they are now investigating the cause of the mass sickness, which started at the end of last week.
Employees enjoyed the Christmas dinner just before the weekend of 16th and 17th December, but in the following days, hundreds of workers had fallen ill with vomiting and diarrhoea.
Posted in Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Foodborne Illness, Illness
USA – Final Report Released of September E. Coli Outbreak at Huntley High School
This is a very detailed 15 page report.
The most likely mode of transmission of STEC in the HHS cafeteria was through an
infected food handler. At the time of the investigation a HHS food handler, that worked at both the cold sandwich station, providing garnishes (lettuce and cheese) to the sandwiches, and at the cookie station was confirmed by PCR, to have been intermittently shedding STEC, Shiga toxin 2.
The laboratory was unable to perform a culture of the stool specimen, which is indicative of an insufficient amount of the pathogen present at the time of testing to culture. The food handler denied illness. However, since most infections are self-limiting and most individuals do not seek health care and/or are not tested, and since it has been documented that STEC can be shed for up to 62 days, it is likely that the food handler was previously mildly ill and did not associate that illness with this outbreak investigation. Since shedding of the pathogen declines over time it is not unexpected that a culture could not be performed
USA- FDA – Investigations of Foodborne Illness Outbreaks – Core Outbreak Table
What’s New
- For the outbreak of Salmonella Sundsvall and Oranienburg (ref #1203) linked to cantaloupe, the recall was expanded to include additional retailers and wholesalers who received the recalled melons. See the Outbreak Advisory for additional information.
- For the outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes (ref #989) linked to peaches, plums, and nectarines, the advisory was updated to include the full list of retailers who received the recalled product.
- For the investigation of elevated lead levels in Cinnamon Applesauce Pouches (ref # 1198) the advisory was updated to include additional adverse event reports and Investigation updates.
- For the outbreak of Salmonella Thompson (ref #1190) in onions, the investigation is complete and the outbreak has ended. See the Outbreak Advisory for additional information.
- For the outbreak of E. coli O121 (ref #1195) in a not identified food, the investigation is complete and the outbreak has ended.
| Date |
Ref | Pathogen or Cause of Illness |
Product(s) Linked to Illnesses (if any) |
Total Case Count |
Status |
| 12/6/
2023 |
1205 | Listeria monocytogenes |
Not Yet Identified |
3 | Active |
| 11/22/
2023 |
1201 | Salmonella Newport |
Not Yet Identified |
44 | Active |
| 11/22/
2023 |
1203 | Salmonella Sundsvall and Oranienburg |
Cantaloupe | See | Active |
| 11/15/
2023 |
989 | Listeria monocytogenes |
Peaches, Plums, and Nectarines |
See | Active |
| 11/8/
2023 |
1198 | Elevated Lead Levels |
Apple Cinnamon Puree |
See | Active |
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