Category Archives: outbreak

NZ – Campylobacter 200 Cases

Posted on March 21, 2012 by | Leave a comment

The Press NZ

Cases of campylobacter have been on the rise since December, hitting a peak last month, with almost 200 reported cases in Canterbury and the West Coast.

In some weeks, the number of reported cases has been double that of weeks in previous years.

Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB) medical officer of health Ramon Pink said campylobacter rates in Canterbury used to be “right up there with global rates”.

“Over the last few years a lot of work has gone into reducing those rates and we had definitely seen a decline but, for some reason, this year numbers have increased again,” he said.

“This rise could be due to a number of things – maybe because of the earthquakes and subsequent damage to infrastructure, but I am just speculating.”

The bacterial disease is transmitted from contaminated food or water and can infect the gastrointestinal tract and cause diarrhoea, fever and cramps.

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Posted in Bacteria, Campylobacter, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen

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Ottawa Salmonella Outbreak – Now 33 Cases

Posted on March 20, 2012 by | Leave a comment
There now are 37 Salmonella infections in Ottawa, most linked to a catering company that served meals to schools and day care centers, the city’s public health department reported Monday.
 
The outbreak total includes 33 children, ranging in age from 15 months to 18 years old. Three required hospitalization but have since been released. The children all attended one of seven schools or a single day care center.
 
Two of four ill adults appear to be part of the outbreak; two cases may be unrelated, the health department said in a news release.
 
Still no official word on what caused the outbreak of Salmonella poisoning, although the owner of The Lunch Lady catering company, implicated as the source, said earlier that investigators were looking at ground beef used to tacos and lasagna.
 

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Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen, Salmonella

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UK – Staffordshire Closed Till Easter – 18 Cases E.coli O157

Posted on March 20, 2012 by | Leave a comment

BBC News 

A Staffordshire primary school which was closed because of an E. coli outbreak is expected to remain shut until after Easter.

The closure followed 18 confirmed cases of E. coli O157 at Friarswood Primary School in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

Year 4, 5 and 6 pupils will be taught in a nearby college while a thorough deep cleaning is carried out.

The Health Protection Agency is still trying to find the source of the bacteria, which often causes diarrhoea.

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Posted in Bacteria, E.coli, E.coli O157, EHEC, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Standards Agency, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, HPA, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen

100 Sick from Norovirus US Hockey Game.

Posted on March 20, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Detroit Free Press

Wayne County health officials confirmed today that the outbreak of vomiting and diarrhea that sent nearly 100 people to area hospitals Sunday from a hockey tournament at the Taylor Sportsplex was caused by a fast-spreading Norovirus.

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Posted in Eurofins Laboratories, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Food Virus, Microbiology, Norovirus, outbreak, Pathogen

Russia – 37 Sick – E.coli in Butter

Posted on March 19, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Moscow Times

The Moscow Times reports that E. coli bacteria has been found in butter at four kindergartens in the city of Samara, following the hospitalization this week of almost 30 children in the neighboring city of Tolyatti from food poisoning, Itar-Tass reported Friday.
The bacteria was discovered during a food safety check initiated after a raft of food-poisoning cases in Tolyatti, which were apparently caused by dairy products, including tvorog and kefir. In total, 37 children under the age of two fell ill, with 28 of them being hospitalized.
A criminal investigation has been opened in connection with the Tolyatti poisonings, with the charge of failing to meet safety standards in work with young children.

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Posted in Bacteria, E.coli, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen, Recall

US- Jimmy Johns – Sprout Outbreak- Stands at 25 Ill – Ecoli O26

Posted on March 19, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Journal

A total of 25 people have been sickened in the Jimmy Johns sprouts E. coli O26 outbreak.  They reside in 8 states (Michigan, Alabama, Ohio, Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Arkansas, and Alabama).  Michigan residents have been hit hardest in the Jimmy Johns outbreak, with 9 illnesses total.  Among these 24 ill persons, illness onset dates ranged from December 25, 2011 to February 15, 2012. Ill persons range in age from 9 years to 53 years old, with a median age of 26 years. Eighty-eight percent of ill persons are female. Among the 24 ill persons, 6 (25%) were hospitalized. None have developed HUS, and no deaths have been reported. Illnesses that occurred after February 19, 2012, might not be reported yet due to the time it takes between when a person becomes ill and when the illness is reported.

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Posted in Bacteria, E.coli, E.coli O26, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen, Recall

Media Foodborne Illness Outbreak Communication Needs Work.

Posted on March 16, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Food Navigator USA

Effective media communication can be crucial to prevent the spread of foodborne illness outbreaks and to avoid misinformation, global government officials said at a meeting to discuss lessons learned from recent outbreaks.

 

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Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, FDA, Food Illness, Food Safety, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen, Recall

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UK- Staffordshire School – 8 Cases E.coli O157 Confirmed

Posted on March 14, 2012 by | Leave a comment

This Is Staffordshire

MORE children at a school forced to close following an outbreak of E.coli have tested positive for the illness.

Tests have revealed eight youngsters from Newcastle’s Friarswood Primary School are infected with E.coli 0157.

Samples taken from all 153 pupils at the school are still being processed.

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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, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen

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Canada – Salmonella Outbreak – 16 Children Affected

Posted on March 14, 2012 by | Leave a comment

CBC 

Ottawa Public Health is investigating a lunch catering service they believe caused a salmonella outbreak among children.

Ottawa’s chief medical officer of health Dr. Isra Levy sent a letter to local physicians Tuesday warning them of 16 reports of lab-confirmed cases of salmonella and the number is expected to grow.

The reports have come in during the last three days, the letter reads, and CBC News has confirmed it involves children between the ages of 15 months and 14 years old at three schools and one daycare.

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Posted in Bacteria, CIFA, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen, Salmonella

China – Stricter Food Safety Rules

Posted on March 13, 2012 by | 1 comment

CRI English

A Chinese billionaire beverage tycoon said Monday that besides severe punishment, strict management and unified standards are necessary in ensuring food safety in China.

Zong Qinghou, chairman of beverage giant the Wahaha Group and China’s richest person according to the Hurun Global Rich List 2012, said severe punishment is “necessary”, but measures should be taken to prevent food contamination at “the very beginning” by curbing agricultural pollution.

“With polluted water and soil, pesticide and herbicide-tainted farm produces, antibiotics abuse and illegal uses of feed additives, there will be no food safety,” said Zong, a deputy to the National People’s Congress, the country’s top legislature.

Zong said the lack of unified food-safety standards has undermined China’s food safety efforts, and too many governments or departments are setting different, or even conflicting standards in food production and circulation.

Chinese courts convicted 320 people in 278 cases related to producing and distributing toxic and harmful food and additives, said another report from the Supreme People’s Court.

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