Detection of listeria monocytogenes in breaded poultry cutlets from France in Belgium
Information on outbreak with Listeria monocytogenes serotype IIa ST37 in Sweden, from vacuum-packed salmon
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Category Archives: outbreak
RASFF Alerts – Listeria monocytogenes – Breaded Poultry Cutlets – VP Salmon Outbreak
Posted in food bourne outbreak, food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Pathogen, Food Quality, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Testing, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Listeria, Listeria France, Listeria monocytogenes, outbreak, RASFF
Research – The study supports the view that shellfish outbreaks are under-reported
A pilot study in France has pointed to a significant under-reporting of shellfish-related foodborne outbreaks.
The objectives of the research were to quantify and describe the health impact of shellfish-related outbreaks as well as the circumstances of occurrence in Brittany, with the end goal of reducing their frequency.
An online questionnaire looked at shellfish consumption between November 2021 and April 2022, the practice of shore fishing, and the occurrence of shellfish outbreaks over the past five years.
A total of 438 responses were received between May and July 2022. Most respondents were women, the median age was 46, and 21 percent practiced shore fishing. From November 2021 to April 2022, 93 percent of participants reported having eaten shellfish. Almost two-thirds ate shellfish raw and cooked, while a quarter only ate cooked shellfish. Scallops and mussels were the most consumed, but oysters were the top raw type of shellfish eaten.
USA – 87 Year Old Dies After Acquiring E. coli Food Poisoning From Miguel’s Cocina in San Diego, California
According to local reports, the eldest person to fall ill in the Miguel’s Cocina Salmonella outbreak has died. This follow reports that the second eldest, an 84 year-old woman represented by Ron Simon & Associates, the national salmonella law firm that has filed all the lawsuits in this litigation so far, has finally been released from the hospital. Unfortunately, on the day of her release, her long-time husband also passed away. So far, several dozen victims have come forward, according to the Miguel’s Cocina E. Coli Lawyer Ron Simon, adding “my office is still receiving calls every day from Miguel Concina victims. We represent more than two dozen victims so far, and expect that number to grow. People who consume food at a restaurant have the right to expect that the food to be safe and wholesome. Obviously, it was not.”
Canada – Raw Pet Food Salmonella Outbreak in Canada Sickens 40
A raw pet food Salmonella outbreak in Canada has sickened at least 40 people. Public Health Canada describes the pathogen as “extensively drug-resistant,” which means it is much more difficult to treat illnesses caused by this bacteria. The outbreak is also linked to contact with cattle.
As of November 11, 2023 there are 40 confirmed cases of XDR (extensively drug resistant) Salmonella in Canada. The case count by provinces is: Manitoba (1), Ontario (14), Quebec (21), New Brunswick (1), Nova Scotia (2), and Prince Edward Island (1). Illness onset dates are between July 2020 and September 2023. Thirteen patients have been hospitalized. The patient age range is between 0 and 91 years of age. About 43% of the patients are children under the age of five
China – Norovirus sickens 74 students in Shandong
Seventy-four students infected with norovirus at a middle school in Anqiu, Shandong province, experienced nausea, vomiting and diarrhea on Saturday, the city’s bureau of education and sports said on Monday night.
Norovirus is highly contagious and often food-borne. It is sometimes incorrectly referred to as “stomach flu” but is not related to the flu virus.
Hongyi Middle School organized medical treatment for the affected students and sent 14 to the hospital for observation and treatment.
Ten students remain hospitalized, four have been discharged, and the rest, who returned to school, no longer show symptoms.
After collecting and analyzing samples, the city’s disease control and prevention center concluded that the norovirus infection, caused the illnesses.
The school in Anqiu cleaned and disinfected its facilities to reduce the risk of transmission.
Canada – Outbreak of extensively drug-resistant Salmonella infections linked to raw pet food and contact with cattle
The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) is collaborating with provincial public health partners, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Health Canada to investigate an outbreak of extensively drug-resistant (XDR) Salmonella infections in six provinces.
Many of the individuals who became sick are children 5 years of age or younger. Illnesses associated with this outbreak strain may be difficult to treat with commonly recommended antibiotics, if antibiotic treatment is needed.
The outbreak is ongoing, as recent illnesses continue to be reported to PHAC.
Based on the investigation findings to date, two sources have been identified:
- Exposure to raw meat prepared for pets (raw pet food) has been identified as a likely source for some of the illnesses reported in this outbreak. Some of the individuals who became sick reported exposure to raw pet food, or to dogs fed raw pet food, before their illnesses occurred. A single common supplier of raw pet food has not been identified.
- Contact with cattle, particularly calves, has also been identified as a likely source for some of the illnesses reported in the outbreak.
The outbreak investigation is ongoing and it’s possible that additional sources may be identified.
The outbreak is a reminder that Salmonella bacteria can be found in raw pet food and in many species of animals, including dogs and cattle. Always use safe food handling practices when preparing, cooking, or storing raw pet food to prevent illness. Practice good hand hygiene and frequent handwashing after contact with dogs fed raw pet food, cattle, and their environments.
The outbreak strain of Salmonella that made people sick has been found in raw pet food from the home of an ill individual. If contaminated, raw pet food can also make your pets sick. Infected pets can also spread bacteria, like Salmonella, to individuals they are in contact with, even if they do not show any signs of illness. This outbreak strain of Salmonella has also been found in sick dogs and cattle, and some of these animals have died. This public health notice will be updated as the investigation evolves.
USA – Victor Dog Food Salmonella Outbreak Sickens Infants
The Victor Dog Food Salmonella Kiambu outbreak has sickened at least seven people, mostly infants, in seven states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Several brands and types of dog and pet food have been recalled in association with this outbreak. The recalling firm is Mid America Pet Food.
Research – Monophasic Variant of Salmonella Typhimurium 4,[5],12:i:- (ACSSuGmTmpSxt Type) Outbreak in Central Italy Linked to the Consumption of a Roasted Pork Product (Porchetta)
Abstract
The monophasic variant of S. Typhimurium 4,[5],12:i:- (MVST) is the third most commonly reported Salmonella serovar involved in human infections (8.8%) in the EU and ranks after S. Enteritidis (54.6%) and S. Typhimurium (11.4%). In Italy, in contrast, the MVST has achieved peculiar epidemiological and ecological success which has allowed it to be, since 2011, the serovar most frequently isolated from humans. In the summer of 2022, a foodborne outbreak of the MVST involving 63 people occurred in the Marche Region (Central Italy). A common food exposure source among some human cases was a roasted, ready-to-eat (RTE) pork product, porchetta, which is a typical product of Central Italy. This paper describes the results of investigations conducted to clarify this outbreak. The porchetta was produced by a local manufacturing plant and distributed to at least two local retail stores, one of which was the retail outlet for the manufacturing plant. The MVST was isolated from surface samples collected at the porchetta manufacturing plant and at both local retail stores via bacterial analysis, and the porchetta sampled at one store contained the MVST. These data confirm this type of RTE pork product can be a source of Salmonella infection in humans.
Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Dry Dog Food
People in this outbreak got sick from touching recalled dog food, touching things like dog bowls that contained the dog food, or touching the poop or saliva of dogs that were fed the dog food. Most of the sick people in this outbreak are infants. Take steps to handle dog food safely every day.
Research – From field to plate: How do bacterial enteric pathogens interact with ready-to-eat fruit and vegetables, causing disease outbreaks?
Abstract
Ready-to-eat fruit and vegetables are a convenient source of nutrients and fibre for consumers, and are generally safe to eat, but are vulnerable to contamination with human enteric bacterial pathogens. Over the last decade, Salmonella spp., pathogenic Escherichia coli, and Listeria monocytogenes have been linked to most of the bacterial outbreaks of foodborne illness associated with fresh produce. The origins of these outbreaks have been traced to multiple sources of contamination from pre-harvest (soil, seeds, irrigation water, domestic and wild animal faecal matter) or post-harvest operations (storage, preparation and packaging). These pathogens have developed multiple processes for successful attachment, survival and colonization conferring them the ability to adapt to multiple environments. However, these processes differ across bacterial strains from the same species, and across different plant species or cultivars. In a competitive environment, additional risk factors are the plant microbiome phyllosphere and the plant responses; both factors directly modulate the survival of the pathogens on the leaf’s surface. Understanding the mechanisms involved in bacterial attachment to, colonization of, and proliferation, on fresh produce and the role of the plant in resisting bacterial contamination is therefore crucial to reducing future outbreaks.
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