Category Archives: outbreak

Ireland – Shellfish Posioning Warning

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.

HPA – Update Legionella in Stoke on Trent

HPA

Update 13 August: Legionnaires’ disease in Stoke-on-Trent

13 August 2012

A further case of Legionnaires’ disease has been confirmed in the Stoke-on-Trent outbreak bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 21. The case, a man in his seventies, is recovering in hospital.

This new case is not unexpected. It can take up to two weeks following exposure for people to develop symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease and a further few days before they might see their GP.

A spokesperson for University Hospital of North Staffordshire said: “Three patients remain in hospital and all are in a stable or improving condition.”

Media enquiries: Contact the Health Protection Agency West Midlands press office on 0121 232 9223

CIFA Recall Smoked Salmon – Clostridium

CIFA

Reference Number: 7321
Recalling Firm: STELLAR SMOKED SALMON
Date of Recall: 8/7/2012
Recall Classification: 3
Distribution : Ontario
Extent of the Product Distribution : Retail

Product List

Brand Name Common Name Size Codes(s) on Product UPC Reason for Recall:
STELLAR SMOKE SALMON SLICED SMOKED SALMON 125 g All codes None / Aucun Microbiological – Clostridium botulinum

Finland – Listeria Outbreak

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.

Oysters Linked to Bacterial Outbreak – Vibrio parahaemolyticus

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.

Tiny Turtles – 6 Linked Salmonella Outbreaks

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.

Another US Prison Food Borne Illness?

Food Safety News

Health department officials Tuesday were all over the maximum security Arkansas prison now known simply as the “Tucker Unit” as almost half its inmates are down with mystery gastrointestinal illnesses.
 
What’s causing the illnesses at the Tucker Unit, with a capacity of 796 prisoners, still was not known with suspect list including both foodborne illnesses and viruses. State health officials have stepped up their work to find the source.
 
“The number of inmates who have displayed symptoms is at 357, which is about what it was yesterday afternoon,” Shea Wilson, spokesman for the Arkansas Department of Corrections said. “We hope to hear a determination of what the cause is from the Health Department soon.”
 
About 15 officials from the Arkansas Department of Health were at the prison on Tuesday, interviewing staff and inmates and taking stool samples. Samples of all food served in the prison during the last five days are also being tested.

India – 2 Dead and 400 Hospitalised Food Poisoning

News Track India

Kolkata, July 31 (IANS) Two children died of food poisoning and over 400 people have been hospitalised after consuming food at an Iftar party in West Bengal, an official said Tuesday.

The party was held in Dum Dum in Nort 24-Parganas district Sunday night.

“A six-year-old girl and an 11-year-old boy died today while more than 400 people have been hospitalised after consuming food at an Iftar party,” said Shyama Prasad Mitra, superintendent of the Infectious Diseases Hospital in Beliaghata where the sick are admitted.

He said a team of 15 more doctors had been requisitioned to meet the contingency.

He said patients had been flowing in since Sunday and the two children who died were admitted early Tuesday morning.

Product Recalls Because of Gills Onions – Listeria monocytogenes

FDA – Publix Publix Super Markets is issuing a voluntary recall for custom sub sandwiches that contain onions because they may be adulterated with Listeria monocytogenes. Publix received notification from their supplier, who receives sliced onions from Gills Onions LLC. This recall involves any custom made sub sandwich with onions sold from the Publix Deli department between July 7, 2012 through July 26, 2012 in Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, and South Carolina. Publix stores in Florida are not involved with this recall.

FDA – Kens Foods The manufacturer of Golden Corral Tartar Sauce, Dickey’s BBQ Bean Sauce, Lee’s Cole Slaw Dressing, Fatz Tartar Sauce, Ken’s Tartar Sauce.  These items contain onions from Gills Onions, which may have been contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people and others with weakened immune systems.

FDA – Garden Fresh Foods Garden-Fresh Foods is initiating a voluntary recall on various ready-to-eat salads, slaw, salsa, bean and dip products sold under various brands and code dates (see attachment). The products may contain onions from Gills Onions, which may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, an organism that can cause serious and sometimes-fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

ECDC – Salmonella Stanley Outbreak

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.