Category Archives: outbreak

USA – Listeria Outbreak linked to unknown food has sickened 18 in 15 states since 2018

Posted on April 26, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Food Poison Journal

Listeria Outbreak linked to unknown source has sickened 18 since 2018 – 17 have been hospitalized.

A total of 18 people infected with the outbreak strain of Listeria have been reported from 15 states – Arkansas 1, California 1, Colorado 1, Illinois 1, Louisiana 1, Michigan 2, Missouri 1, Nebraska 1, New York 1, North Carolina 2, Pennsylvania 1, South Dakota 1, Texas 1, Washington 1 and Wisconsin 2.

A specific food item has not yet been identified as the source of this outbreak.

CDC, public health and regulatory officials in several states, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are collecting different types of data to investigate a multistate outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes infections.

As of April 20, 2023, a total of 18 people infected with the outbreak strain of Listeria have been reported from 15 states – Arkansas 1, California 1, Colorado 1, Illinois 1, Louisiana 1, Michigan 2, Missouri 1, Nebraska 1, New York 1, North Carolina 2, Pennsylvania 1, South Dakota 1, Texas 1, Washington 1 and Wisconsin 2.

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Posted in CDC, FDA, food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, outbreak

USA – CDC Update – Multistate Outbreak of Hepatitis A Virus Infections Linked to Frozen Organic Strawberries

Posted on April 26, 2023 by | Leave a comment

cdc

  • Reported cases: 8
  • States: 2
  • Hospitalizations: 2
  • Deaths: 0
  • As of April 21, 2023, there are:
    • 8 outbreak-associated cases of hepatitis A reported from 2 states (California and Washington).
    • Illnesses started on dates ranging from November 24, 2022, to April 12, 2023.
    • 2 people have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.
  • Epidemiologic and traceback evidence indicate that frozen organic strawberries are the likely source of this outbreak.
    • In interviews, 8/8 (100%) people reported eating frozen organic strawberries.

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Posted in CDC, food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Hepatitis A, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, outbreak

UK Salmonella outbreaks from breaded chicken sickened thousands and cost millions

Posted on April 26, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

A series of Salmonella outbreaks in the United Kingdom caused by breaded chicken products from Poland could have affected up to 5,000 people, officials have revealed.

The UK-wide outbreaks resulted in more than 1,000 confirmed illnesses in 2020 and 2021 with potentially as many as 4,000 additional cases which were not confirmed or reported.

The incident also cost an estimated £7.7 million ($9.6 million), according to a document detailing the UK Government’s plans to introduce checks on imports from October 2023, under its Border Target Operating Model.

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Posted in food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, outbreak, Polish Chicken Salmonella, Salmonella, Salmonella in Chicken, Salmonella Poland

USA – Listeria Outbreak with Unknown Food Source – Update

Posted on April 26, 2023 by | Leave a comment

CDC

A specific food item has not yet been identified as the source of this outbreak. However, CDC is concerned that illnesses continue to be reported. Listeria illness is rare, but it can result in serious illness or death.

Listeria is especially harmful if you are pregnant, aged 65 or older, or have a weakened immune system. If you are in any of these groups and have Listeria symptoms, contact your healthcare provider right away.

Fast Facts
  • Illnesses: 18   (7 new)
  • Hospitalizations: 17   (7 new)
  • Deaths: 0
  • States: 15   (5 new)
  • Recall: No
  • Investigation status: Active   (first posted on February 15, 2023)
Source of the Outbreak

A specific food item has not yet been identified as the source of this outbreak.

Public health officials are interviewing people in this outbreak to find out what foods they ate before getting sick. Investigators are collecting as much information as they can to solve this outbreak.

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Posted in CDC, food bourne outbreak, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, outbreak

Kenya – Salmonella and E. coli suspected in large, deadly outbreak in Kenya

Posted on April 20, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

Four people have died and more than 600 were sickened at two schools in Kenya recently.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) is investigating a suspected gastroenteritis outbreak at Mukumu Girls and Butere Boys high schools in Kakamega County.

The illness appears to have started on March 1 and as of April 14, 627 patients are sick with 19 students admitted to seven health facilities across the country. Symptoms include fever, abdominal pain, cramps, vomiting, and diarrhea. One teacher and three students have died.

Both schools have been closed by the Ministry of Education and Kakamega County government while investigations are ongoing.

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Posted in Decontamination Microbial, ETEC E.coli, food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, outbreak, Salmonella

Research – Nestlé strikes settlement deal over France E. coli scandal

Posted on April 20, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Just Food

Nestlé has agreed to a settlement with victims of a fatal E. coli outbreak last year.

Dozens of children fell sick after eating contaminated food – and two died. In April last year, the Paris prosecutor’s office opened an investigation into alleged involuntary manslaughter. Health officials ordered production at the Caudry factory to cease five days later.

The company told Just Food today (18 April) it had settled with “the vast majority of claimants”, who are represented by lawyer Pierre Debuisson

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Posted in Death, E.coli, food bourne outbreak, food death, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning Death, Foodborne Illness, Foodborne Illness Death, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, outbreak, STEC, STEC E.coli

USA- FDA Core Outbreak Table Update – Investigations of Foodborne Illness Outbreaks

Posted on April 20, 2023 by | Leave a comment

FDA

What’s New

  • For the outbreak of Salmonella Infantis (ref #1141), an onsite inspection and sample collection and analysis has been initiated.
  • For the outbreak of Salmonella Hartford (ref #1144), the case count has increased from 53 to 54 cases. This outbreak has ended and the investigation has closed, with no vehicle identified.
  • For the outbreak of hepatitis A virus (ref #1143), an onsite inspection has been initiated.
Date
Posted		 Ref Pathogen
or
Cause of
Illness		 Product(s)
Linked to
Illnesses
(if any)		 Total
Case
Count
Status
3/29/2023 1141 Salmonella Infantis Raw Flour See
CDC
Investigation
Notice		 Active
3/1/2023 1143 Hepatitis A Virus Frozen Organic
Strawberries		 See
Outbreak
Advisory		 Active
2/15/2023 1123 Listeria
monocytogenes		 Not Yet
Identified		 See
CDC
Investigation
Notice		 Active

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Posted in FDA, food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Hepatitis A, Illness, Listeria monocytogenes, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, outbreak, Salmonella

USA – FDA begins onsite inspection of unnamed location in relation to flour outbreak – Salmonella

Posted on April 20, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

The Food and Drug Administration has expanded its investigation into an outbreak of infections caused by Salmonella Infantis that has been linked to flour.

As of the most recent update, on March 30, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the outbreak has sickened at least a dozen people across 11 states. Three of the patients have required hospitalization. No deaths have been reported.

Although a specific brand of flour has not been revealed by federal officials, the FDA reports that it has begun onsite inspection of an unnamed location and sample collection.

Illnesses started on dates ranging from Dec. 6, 2022, to Feb. 13, 2023, but there are likely more sick people who have not yet been confirmed because of the time it takes for testing and reporting.

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Posted in FDA, food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, outbreak, Salmonella

Nigeria – 79 died from 1,336 cases of cholera: NCDC

Posted on April 18, 2023 by | Leave a comment

GAZETTENGR

The Nigeria Centre for Disease and Prevention Control (NCDC) has registered 79 deaths and a total of 1,336 suspected cases of cholera in the country so far in 2023.

The NCDC, via its official website, said this in its latest cholera situation epidemiological report.

Cholera is an acute diarrheal illness caused by infection of the intestine with Vibrio cholera bacteria.

People can get sick when they swallow food or water contaminated with cholera bacteria. The infection is often mild or without symptoms but can sometimes be severe and life-threatening.

The agency said 12 states across 43 local government areas reported the suspected cases, with a case fatality ratio of 5.9 per cent.

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Posted in Contaminated water, Decontamination Microbial, food bourne outbreak, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, outbreak, Vibrio, Vibrio cholera, vibrio cholerae, Water, water microbiology, Water Safety

Research – Montana Raw Water Campylobacter Outbreak Linked to Bird’s Nest

Posted on April 18, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin

A Montana raw water Campylobacter outbreak in 2022 has been linked to a bird’s nest in a concrete cache from Kennedy Creek, according to ARS Technica. Nineteen people were sickened in that outbreak, and one person was hospitalized.

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Posted in Campylobacter, Contaminated water, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, outbreak, Water, water microbiology, Water Safety