Category Archives: outbreak

UK – Legionella Update from the HPA

Posted on July 31, 2012 by | Leave a comment

HPA

Public and environmental health experts investigating the Legionnaires’ disease outbreak at Stoke-on-Trent believe they have identified a probable source.

The probable source is a hot tub based at JTF Warehouse, City Road, Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent. We would like to emphasise that investigations are still ongoing. Environmental Health specialists from the Health and Safety Executive and Stoke-on-Trent City Council have taken and continue to take samples from sites across Stoke.

A spokesperson from the Health and Safety Executive said: “HSE continues to inspect premises where we are the enforcing authority and will do so until we have eliminated those sites from our investigations and are sufficiently assured there are no other possible sources.”

If people are displaying symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease, such as: aching muscles, fever, tiredness, headaches and a dry cough, they should see their doctor or contact NHS Direct on 0845 46 47

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

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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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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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Oyster Bay Shellfish – Vibrio parahaemolyticus Outbreak

Posted on July 16, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin

The New York Department of Environmental conservation is advising food establishments to avoid using or selling shellfish harvested from areas in the town of Oyster Bay, N.Y. According to the Rhode Island Department of Health, harvesting is no longer allowed in that area because of an illness outbreak caused by Vibrio parahaemolyticus, a naturally occurring marine bacteria.

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

ECDC -Vibrio cholerae Outbreak Cuba

Posted on July 12, 2012 by | Leave a comment

ECDC

On 3 July the Cuban Ministry of Health confirmed an outbreak of cholera in the south-western city of Manzanillo. It is the first time in almost 150 years that an outbreak of cholera is reported in the island. The heavy rains and the high temperatures during the previous weeks have likely influenced the occurrence of the disease. As of 3 July, 53 cases of Vibrio cholerae, including three deaths, have been officially confirmed.  

Since 7 July, several media sources report a higher number of cases and the disease has spread to other cities including the capital, Havana.

At this stage there is no information available about the outbreak strain, nor of the origin of the outbreak.

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Posted in Bacteria, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Safety, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen, Vibrio, Vibrio cholera, Water

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

US – Vibrio Outbreak – Raw Undercooked Shellfish

Posted on July 2, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin 

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) has announced there is an outbreak of Vibriosis in eastern Missouri. The illnesses are caused by Vibrio parahaemolyticus, which is usually associated with eating raw or undercooked shellfish, particularly oysters.

Three cases of the illnesses have been identified June 27 and 28, 2012. Risk factors for acquiring this disease include eating raw or undercooked oysters, clams, mussels, or crabs; or cross-contamination of other foods or surfaces with raw seafood. The bacteria lives in brackish water and grows easily in warm water during the summer months.

 

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Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Illness, Microbiology, outbreak, Parasite, Vibrio, Vibrio parahaemolyticus

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US Norovirus Outbreaks

Posted on July 2, 2012 by | Leave a comment

CDC – Outbreak Earlier this year. Basketball Tournament

WZZM – Cheerleaders suffer Norovirus outbreak.

About 35-40 high school girls were affected by the outbreak, which began late Tuesday or early Wednesday.  They suffered diarrhea, vomiting and stomach cramps, according to Kent County Health Department spokeswoman Lisa LaPlante, though none of the victims required medical treatment or hospitalisation.

WDRB – Notre Dame Norovirus Outbreak

The University of Notre Dame says Indiana State Department of Health lab tests confirm a norovirus cause of an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness that affected more than 100 youths taking part in sports camps.

The university said Saturday it received that news from St. Joseph County Health Officer Dr. Thomas Felger.

Notre Dame says a norovirus is very contagious and the most common “stomach bug” in the United States. It says the specific reason for the outbreak at Notre Dame remains unknown.

 

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Posted in Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Virus, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, Norovirus, outbreak, Pathogen