As many as 47 student nurses and eight staff nurses have been hospitalised with acute food poisoning at the Benazir Bhutto Hospital during last 24 hours reportedly after eating food at the nursing hostel.
KSWFoodWorld
Category Archives: Microbiology
Risk Factors for Mortality in non-Pregnancy-Related Listeriosis
We examined non-pregnancy-related listeriosis cases in England and Wales reported to the Health Protection Agency between 1990 and 2009 (n=1864) using unconditional multivariate logistic regression analysis to identify factors independently associated with mortality. A subset analysis of cases between 2005 and 2009 (n=694) investigated the additional effect of antibiotic therapy on survival. In these cases particular malignancies, alcoholism, cardiovascular disease, increasing age, and treatment to reduce gastric acid secretion were positively associated with mortality. The absence of a concurrent condition and presence of autoimmune disease had a protective effect. The subset analysis identified illness in winter or spring as a risk factor and antibiotic therapy as a protective factor for mortality. The impact of antibiotic therapy, seasonality and reduced gastric acid status on survival should be further investigated. Policy-makers and clinicians need to more broadly advise those at risk of contracting this disease and dying as a consequence.
Canada – Further Charcuterie La Tour Eiffel – Recalled
On February 22, 2012 Charcuterie La Tour Eiffel recalled Parisian Cooked Ham because it may have been contaminated with what the recall said were “dangerous bacteria or parasites.”
Another recall was issued Wednesday for more products from the same company. This time, the recall was issued because the products may be contaminated with Clostridium perfingens. This bacteria can cause serious illness. The products were supplied to retailers, hotels, restaurants, and institutions in Quebec.
Laboratory Detection of ‘Toxic’ E.coli Increases
Enhanced laboratory detection of non-O157:H7 types of E. coli from stool samples of the sick is causing a surge in positive findings for toxic E. coli that is exponentially larger than the number of labs adopting the enhanced methods, a study by a Washington State Department of Health has found.
Washington State disease trackers looked at laboratories in Washington and examined the rate of non-O157 E. coli detection as more and more labs developed the tools to test for varied STECs. According to a summary of the research published this week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the number of laboratories in Washington State that tested for varied STECs increased from 2 (4 percent) in 2005 to 19 (33 percent) in 2010.
Four serogroups accounted for more than 80 percent of non-O157 STEC case findings. They were E. coli O26, E. coli O103, E. coli O121 and E. coli O111.
FSA – B&M Sausages Recall -Harmful Bacteria
B&M Sausages in Scotland is withdrawing a variety of meat products, produced up to and including 1 March 2012. Food contact surfaces were inadequately disinfected, resulting in possible contamination of the products with harmful bacteria. The Agency has issued a Product Withdrawal Information Notice.
The products being recalled are:
- Wiejka Sausage
- Szynka
- Poledwica
- Boczek Rdowany
- Zwyczajna
- Firmova
- Szynkowa
- Kabanos
- Schab Rolonkiny
- Krakowska
- Biala
- Przysmak Swietokrzyski
- Parowkova
- Pasztetowa
- Frankfurterki
- Salceson
- Zeberka Wedzone
- Boczek
- Kaszanka
- Blgosowka
- Rolada
- Pieczen
- Karczek Pieczony
- Boczek Pieczony
B&M is withdrawing all the affected products from the four delicatessens it supplies and customer notices will be displayed in stores, explaining why the products have been withdrawn.
CIFA – Canada – Beef Frankfurters- Recall – Listeria monocytogenes
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Glatt’s Kosher Meat Products are warning the public not to consume the Glatt’s brand Beef Frankfurters Jumbo BBQ described below because the product may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.
The affected product, Glatt’s brand Beef Frankfurters Jumbo BBQ, is sold in 375 g packages bearing UPC 0 55627 00203 6 and a Best Before date of 12AL21.
This product has been distributed in Ontario and Quebec.
There have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of this product.
Twitter and Food Safety Alerts – USDA
Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) launched a series of Twitter feeds that will provide state-specific, food safety alerts to consumers. Followers of these Twitter accounts will receive alerts about recalls of meat, poultry and processed egg products in their state, as well as information on how to protect their food supply during severe weather events.
Posted in Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Technology, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen, Recall, Twitter
India – 50 Children Ill with Food Poisoning
Over 50 children and a few adul
ts had suffered food poisoning suspected to been caused from taking ice-cream outside a shrine at Kiliyalam in Kinanur-Karindalam village near here.
It is suspected that the food poisoning could have been caused either after taking ice-cream from the make-shift stall outside the temple premises or due to the food taken from the temple as part of the festivities.
The Health Department officials here have taken the samples of ice-cream and the food prepared in the shrine sent for examination to ascertain the exact cause of the food poisoning, police said, adding that a case would be registered after obtaining the results of the food and ice-cream samples.
Gulf Region Rapid Food Safety Alert System
A rapid alert system to warn authorities about foodborne outbreaks, contamination and recalls related to food is being developed to provide regional communication for the Gulf States.
Posted in Food Inspections, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen, Recall
Tagged foodborne outbreaks
Hamburg EHEC E.coli O157 – Four More Cases
Four new EHEC illnesses have occurred in Hamburg. Enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) had been found in an 11 boy and a 3-year old kindergarten child. Also two women aged 68 and 88 in the borough Altona were diagnosed early last week with the same organism.
The two infected children are from Blankenese and were taken ill last week. The boy may have visited also the same school as a six-year girl who had died about two weeks ago.
EHEC serotype O157 was isolated from the girl that had died.
Posted in E.coli, E.coli O157, EHEC, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Testing, Microbiology, Pathogen
Tagged escherichia coli
