Category Archives: outbreak

Staffordshire School Closed for Another Week – E.coli O157

Posted on March 12, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Staffordshire

 A school at the centre of an E.coli outbreakis unlikely to open until the middle of next week at the earliest.

Officers from the Health Protection Agency (HPA) were at Friarswood Primary School, in Newcastle, today to collect samples from pupils and staff.

All students and workers are being tested for the potentially deadly bacteria after three cases of E.coli were confirmed this week.

A further 10 possible cases have already been identified, although no new cases of the infection, which causes sickness and diarrhoea – and in extreme cases can lead to serious, or even fatal, kidney and blood complications – have been discovered in the last 24 hours.

The HPA, which is overseeing a deep-clean of the 153-pupil school, said there is no date set for when youngsters can return to classes.

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Posted in Bacteria, E.coli, E.coli O157, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen

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CDC Report – Firemen – Cow Barn Fire – Cryptosporidium

Posted on March 9, 2012 by | Leave a comment

CDC

On June 20, 2011, the Indiana Department of Homeland Security notified the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) of an Indiana fire station that reported gastrointestinal illness among a substantial percentage of their workers, causing missed workdays and one hospitalization as a result of cryptosporidiosis. All ill firefighters had responded to a barn fire in Michigan, 15 miles from the Michigan-Indiana border on June 6.

On June 6, 2011, a fire occurred in a barn housing approximately 240 week-old calves. A total of 34 firefighters responded from three Michigan fire stations and one Indiana fire station. Local hydrant water and on site swimming pond water were used to extinguish the fire. Investigators hypothesized that exposures to calves or contaminated drinking water were potential infection sources.

The incident was investigated with the following findings, the following public health recommendations were issued: 1) discontinue swimming in the pond, 2) practice thorough hygiene to reduce fecal contamination and fecal-oral exposures, and 3) decontaminate firefighting equipment properly. No additional primary or secondary cases associated with this exposure have been reported. The findings highlight a novel work-related disease exposure for firefighters and the need for public education regarding cryptosporidiosis prevention.

 

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Posted in CDC, Cryptosporidium, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen, Water

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French Cattle Not a Reservoir For E.coli O104

Posted on March 7, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Science Direct

After the 2011 outbreak of E.coli O104 :H4 in Europe this study investigated the theory that cattle could be the reservoir for the organism but non of the cattle tested showed positive for the markers they searched for.

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Posted in Bacteria, E.coli, E.coli O104, EHEC, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Safety, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen, STEC

Sundried Tomato’s – Hep A Virus UK

Posted on March 5, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Food Production Daily

Contamination during sun-dried tomato processing is a possible “root cause” of an outbreak of hepatitis A in the UK, according to the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA).

BBC

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Posted in Eurofins Laboratories, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Standards Agency, Food Virus, Hepatitis A, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen

India – 150 Food Poisoining at Wedding Feast

Posted on March 5, 2012 by | Leave a comment

IBN Live

More than 150 people fell ill due to food poisoning after consuming meals at a marriage function in Taufapur village of the district, police said today. The incident took place last night when more than 300 people ate food at the marriage party .

District health officials visited the site and food samples were sent for the testing.

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Posted in Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen

Japanese Food Poisoning Statistics – Higher than Government Statistics

Posted on March 5, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Mainichi Daily News

The actual number of bacteria-related foodborne illness incidents in Japan could be hundreds of times more than what official government statistics show, a recent report indicates.

The report, compiled by a Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare study group comprised of researchers, estimates that the actual number of bacteria-related food poisoning incidents between 2005 and 2009 ranged from 36 to 715 times more than those described in official government statistics.

The study group estimates that in 2006, for example, there were a total of 1,641,396 “Campylobacter” bacteria-related food poisoning incidents — some 715 times more than the 2,297 cases reported by the health ministry for the same year. Furthermore, in all studied time periods, the actual cases of food poisoning related to the same bacteria type — which is usually found in raw meat — are estimated at over 400 times more than those described in official governmental statistics.

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

Pakistan – 50 Nurses Hospitalised – Food Poisoning

Posted on March 5, 2012 by | Leave a comment

The News

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.

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

Canada – Further Charcuterie La Tour Eiffel – Recalled

Posted on March 4, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin

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.

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Posted in Bacteria, Clostridium perfringens, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Microbiology, outbreak, Parasite, Pathogen, Recall

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Twitter and Food Safety Alerts – USDA

Posted on March 2, 2012 by | Leave a comment

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.

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Posted in Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Technology, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen, Recall, Twitter

India – 50 Children Ill with Food Poisoning

Posted on March 2, 2012 by | Leave a comment

The Hindu

Over 50 children and a few adults 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.

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Posted in Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Testing, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen

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