Category Archives: Microbiology

South Africa – Cholera Outbreak Claims 10 Lives In South Africa As 1 Billion Remain At Risk Globally

Posted on May 22, 2023 by KSW | Leave a comment

KEY POINTS

10 people, including a 3-year-old child, died in Gauteng Province
Cholera can be mild in some patients, but deadly in others
UN last week said about one billion people in 43 countries are at risk of cholera

A cholera outbreak in South Africa has claimed the lives of 10 people. The infection is not endemic to the region and it has seen a surge in cases globally in recent years.

The announcement from officials in Gauteng Province comes after samples of 19 people with symptoms at a hospital were confirmed for cholera, the Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH) noted in a statement Sunday.

At least 95 people have shown similar symptoms like diarrhea, stomach cramps and nausea since May 15. Thirty-seven people remain at the hospital, while 10 have died, which includes nine adults and a 3-year-old.

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Posted in Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology Blog, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Vibrio, Vibrio cholera, vibrio cholerae

USA – Missoula County Health Officials issue warning about raw milk following possible Coxiella burnetii exposure

Posted on May 22, 2023 by KSW | Leave a comment

Food Poison Journal

Following potential exposure to bacteria from unpasteurized milk sold at a farmers’ market in Missoula County, the Missoula City-County Health Department is warning residents of the dangers of consuming unpasteurized, or “raw,” milk.

Milk that was recently sold at a local farmers market came from a herd where two cows tested positive for Coxiella burnetii, which is the bacteria that causes Q fever. While one of those cows had not yet produced milk, the other produced about 10% of the farmer’s yield.

“We don’t know if the cow was shedding the bacteria at the time it was milked, or if that cow’s milk was sold at the farmers market,” said Environmental Health Director Shannon Therriault. “So, we can’t say for sure whether anyone was exposed. However, what we do know is that unpasteurized milk can contain harmful bacteria that can make you and your loved ones sick.”

Unpasteurized milk products have been linked to outbreaks of E. coli, campylobacter, salmonella, brucella, listeria and cryptosporidium. In the case of Q fever, symptoms can take two or three weeks to present following exposure. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, symptoms of Q fever include fever, chills, fatigue, headache, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, chest pain, stomach pain, weight loss and a non-productive cough.

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Posted in Brucella melitensis, Campylobacter, Coxiella burnetii, Cryptosporidium, Decontamination Microbial, E.coli, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Listeria, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Raw Milk

USA – Boston Restaurant, Los Amigos Taqueria, Linked to Salmonella Outbreak

Posted on May 22, 2023 by KSW | Leave a comment

Outbreak News Today

kswfoodworld salmonella

According to the local media, a local restaurant chain has been shut down by the local health department due to “a slew of health violations” and “unsanitary working conditions that appear to be linked to a Salmonella outbreak in the area.”

The health department recommends that customers of the “Los Amigos Taqueria Brighton location between May 12 and May 18 to monitor themselves for symptoms of Salmonella infection, including fever, diarrhea, and abdominal pain, and to contact a healthcare provider for an evaluation and testing if appropriate.”

Health agents’ report said that “multiple rodent droppings” were also found on pineapple cans, bags of pinto beans, single-use beverage holders, and storage tables.

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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 outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, outbreak, Salmonella

Research – U.S. heads up Codex ciguatera efforts

Posted on May 21, 2023 by KSW | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

The United States is to lead work on a document covering the prevention or reduction of ciguatera poisoning.

The plan was given the go-ahead at a recent Codex Committee on Contaminants in Foods meeting.

An electronic working group, chaired by the U.S. and co-chaired by France, Spain, and Panama, will work on a proposed code of practice or guidelines for consideration at the next meeting of the committee in 2024.

In 2022, the committee established a working group chaired by the U.S. and co-chaired by the European Union to prepare a discussion paper on the topic.

Generally, codes of practice provide practical guidance or measures to reduce or prevent a hazard in food, while a guideline gives higher-level principles and approaches to addressing a particular issue.

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Posted in Ciguatera, Ciguatera Poisoning, Decontamination Microbial, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk

Research – Whole-Genome Sequencing of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli for Characterization and Outbreak Investigation

Posted on May 21, 2023 by KSW | Leave a comment

MDPI

Abstract

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) causes high frequencies of foodborne infections worldwide and has been linked to numerous outbreaks each year. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) has been the gold standard for surveillance until the recent transition to whole-genome sequencing (WGS). To further understand the genetic diversity and relatedness of outbreak isolates, a retrospective analysis of 510 clinical STEC isolates was conducted. Among the 34 STEC serogroups represented, most (59.6%) belonged to the predominant six non-O157 serogroups. Core genome single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis differentiated clusters of isolates with similar PFGE patterns and multilocus sequence types (STs). One serogroup O26 outbreak strain and another non-typeable (NT) strain, for instance, were identical by PFGE and clustered together by MLST; however, both were distantly related in the SNP analysis. In contrast, six outbreak-associated serogroup O5 strains clustered with five ST-175 serogroup O5 isolates, which were not part of the same outbreak as determined by PFGE. The use of high-quality SNP analyses enhanced the discrimination of these O5 outbreak strains into a single cluster. In all, this study demonstrates how public health laboratories can more rapidly use WGS and phylogenetics to identify related strains during outbreak investigations while simultaneously uncovering important genetic attributes that can inform treatment practices.

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Posted in Decontamination Microbial, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, MLST, PFGE, Shigatoxin, STEC, STEC E.coli, WGS

Research – Natural Antimicrobials for Listeria monocytogenes in Ready-to-Eat Meats: Current Challenges and Future Prospects

Posted on May 20, 2023 by KSW | Leave a comment

MDPI

Abstract

Listeria monocytogenes, an intra-cellular, Gram-positive, pathogenic bacterium, is one of the leading agents of foodborne illnesses. The morbidity of human listeriosis is low, but it has a high mortality rate of approximately 20% to 30%. L. monocytogenes is a psychotropic organism, making it a significant threat to ready-to-eat (RTE) meat product food safety. Listeria contamination is associated with the food processing environment or post-cooking cross-contamination events. The potential use of antimicrobials in packaging can reduce foodborne disease risk and spoilage. Novel antimicrobials can be advantageous for limiting Listeria and improving the shelf life of RTE meat. This review will discuss the Listeria occurrence in RTE meat products and potential natural antimicrobial additives for controlling Listeria.

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Posted in Decontamination Microbial, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk

Research – Multistate Outbreak of Salmonella Thompson Infections Linked to Seafood Exposure — United States, 2021

Posted on May 20, 2023 by KSW | Leave a comment

CDC

In July 2021, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) laboratory identified a cluster of five Salmonella enterica serotype Thompson isolates related to one another within one allele difference, using whole genome multilocus sequence typing (wgMLST). These five isolates, submitted to the public health laboratory as is routine process for confirmatory testing of Salmonella, were highly related to those identified in a 2020 multistate investigation, during which traceback was conducted for sushi-grade tuna and salmon; a common supplier was not identified. The 2021 investigation commenced on August 5, 2021, with five patients living in Colorado, and one each in Missouri, Washington, and Wisconsin. During August–December 2021, CDC, CDPHE, public health and regulatory officials in several states, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) conducted epidemiologic, environmental, and laboratory investigations of this multistate outbreak of Salmonella Thompson. Isolates were genetically related to one another and to 2020 isolates within zero to one allele difference. Implicated seafood products were traced to a single seafood distributor, in which the outbreak strain was identified through environmental sampling, and in which inspection identified inadequate sanitization and opportunities for cross-contamination of raw fish. The distributor issued a voluntary recall of 16 seafood items with high potential for contamination and completed remediation actions. This outbreak illustrated the importance of effective cleaning and sanitizing procedures and implementation of controls. When multiple products are recalled during an outbreak investigation, collaboration between public health agencies and implicated facilities can help provide food safety information to restaurants, retailers, and consumers, and to ensure disposal of all recalled products.

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USA – Dave’s Sushi to reopen after sickening 50 with 2 dead – Morel Mushrooms suspect

Posted on May 19, 2023 by KSW | Leave a comment

Food Poison Journal

Gallatin City-County Health Department Rescinds Closure Order and Institutes New Health Officer Order with Corrective Actions Required Prior to Dave’s Sushi Reopening

Since being ordered to close on April 20, 2023, food samples – including salmon and morel mushrooms – from Dave’s Sushi have been collected and analyzed. To date, all samples have come back negative for a series of pathogens and toxins. A thorough investigation led by the Gallatin City-County Health Department, with support from the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS), the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), is still ongoing and it is known that this investigation may not be able to identify a specific pathogen/toxin as a source of the outbreak that impacted 50 people. Three individuals had severe outcomes, including hospitalizations, and the deaths of two individuals are being investigated after eating at the restaurant. The manner and cause of death for these two individuals will remain pending until autopsy and toxicology results are available.