Category Archives: Parasite

USA – CDC: Domestically acquired Cyclospora spikes to 580 ill

Posted on July 29, 2019 by | Leave a comment

Food Poison Journal

What’s the connection?  Some clusters linked to restaurants and some clusters linked to basil.

The number of reported cases of domestically acquired cyclosporiasis has increased from the previous month and remains elevated in the United States since May 1, 2019.

As of July 23, 2019, 580 laboratory-confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis were reported to CDC by 30 states, District of Columbia and New York City in people who became ill since May 1, 2019 and who had no history of international travel during the 14-day period before illness onset.The median illness onset date was June 24, 2019 (range: May 3—July 13, 2019).

At least 38 people were hospitalized; no deaths were reported.

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Posted in Cyclospora, food contamination, food handler, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Pathogen, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Parasite, Uncategorized

USA – Minnesota Cyclospora Outbreak: Three Restaurants Named by MDH

Posted on July 29, 2019 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin

The Minnesota Department of Health has identified 35 lab-confirmed cases of cyclospora that are associated with three Minnesota restaurants in different areas of the state. Basil is implicated in these illnesses, according to Doug Schultz, Information Officer for the DOH. This Minnesota cyclospora outbreak may be linked to the multistate cyclospora outbreak announced by the FDA yesterday, but we don’t know for sure. In the multi-state outbreak, 132 people in 11 states are sick.

This parasite is endemic to tropical and sub-tropical regions around the globe. People usually get sick when they visit those areas. But the parasite has made its way to the U.S. through contaminated produce. Previous outbreaks have been linked to raspberries, mesclun, cilantro, and basil.

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Posted in Cyclospora, food contamination, food handler, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Pathogen, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Parasite, Uncategorized

USA – Maryland reports 37 cyclospora cases in past two weeks

Posted on July 26, 2019 by | Leave a comment

Outbreak News Today cyclo

Maryland state health officials report investigating an increase in Cyclospora cases in recent weeks from areas across the state.  Thirty-seven of the 42 lab-confirmed cases reported between Jan.1 and July 20 have been reported over the last two weeks, part of an overall recent rise in reported cyclosporiasis cases in other parts of the U.S.

The Maryland Department of Health (MDH) is working with local, state and federal health officials to investigate the increase. No specific source for these cases has been identified.

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Posted in Cyclospora, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Pathogen, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Parasite, Uncategorized

USA – Cyclospora Outbreak in Boston Sickens More Than 80 People

Posted on July 22, 2019 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin cyclo

A cyclospora outbreak in the Boston area has sickened more than 80 people since May 2019, according to news reports. Dr. Larry Maddoff, medical director for the Bureau of Infectious Diseases and Laboratory Sciences at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health told Boston 25 News about this outbreak.

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Posted in Cyclospora, food bourne outbreak, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Pathogen, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Parasite, Protozoan, Uncategorized

USA – Another State with Cyclospora?

Posted on July 17, 2019 by | Leave a comment

Food Poison Journal Cyclospora_LifeCycle201

Northern Virginia Area Investigating an Increase in Intestinal Illness Associated with Cyclospora

Health Districts in the Region Seeking the Cause of Cyclosporiasis Increase

The health districts in northern Virginia are notifying the public that there has been a significant increase in the number of reported cyclosporiasis cases since mid-June 2019. To date there are 15 cyclosporiasis cases reported in the Northern Region of Virginia, up from eight at this time last year. Additionally, more than 40 people from two large businesses in the area have reported gastrointestinal illness, and are under investigation for suspected cyclosporiasis. A food or water source of this outbreak has not yet been identified, and the investigation is ongoing.

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Posted in Cyclospora, food contamination, food handler, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Pathogen, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Parasite, Uncategorized

Information – Annual snapshot of foodborne illnesses shows Cyclospora spike

Posted on April 29, 2019 by | Leave a comment

CIDRAP Cyclospora_LifeCycle201

In its annual report summing up the latest trends with pathogens that are common sources of foodborne illness, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said today that the incidence of most illnesses increased in 2018, especially Cyclospora infections.

A team from the CDC and partners in 10 states that are part of the FoodNet surveillance network looked at levels for 2018 and compared them with levels for 2015 through 2017. The pathogens they tracked included Campylobacter, Cryptosporidium, Cyclospora, Listeria, Salmonella, Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC), Shigella, Vibrio, and Yersinia. They published their findings today in the latest edition of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

In preliminary findings for 2018, the FoodNet system flagged 25,606 infections, 5,893 hospitalizations, and 120 deaths. They note that the incidence for most infections is rising, including Campylobacter and Salmonella. However, they added an important caveat that some of the increase might be partly due to the increased use of culture-independent diagnostic tests (CIDTs), which can identify pathogens not regularly found by other testing methods — complicating data interpretation.

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Posted in Cyclospora, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Pathogen, Food Safety, Food Testing, Parasite, Protozoan, Uncategorized

Research – Molecular detection and genotype identification of Toxoplasma gondii in domestic and industrial eggs

Posted on October 13, 2018 by | Leave a comment

Wiley Online 

 

Abstract

Birds are important intermediated hosts of Toxoplasma gondii. Consumption of chicken meat and its infected products is one of the main sources of human infection with T. gondii. However, little information is available about T. gondii infection in egg. In this study, the contamination of industrial and local eggs with Toxoplasma was investigated by PCR method targeting the RE gene in two tropical cities of Iran. Genotypes of T. gondii were determined by PCR‐RFLP method targeting the SAG3 gene. T. gondii DNA was detected in 11% (22/200) of the eggs. Genotyping of 14 T. gondii isolates revealed that all of the isolates were belonged to genotype III of T. gondii. Sequencing of the isolates by the SAG3 gene showed 95%–100% similarity with the T. gondii isolates in GenBank.

Practical applications

The findings of this study suggested that consumption of raw or undercooked eggs might play a role in human infection with Toxoplasma. Hence, consumption of adequately cooked eggs should be considered for prevention of human toxoplasmosis.

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Posted in food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Safety, Food Testing, Parasite, Research, Toxoplasma gondii, Toxoplasmosis, Uncategorized

RASFF Alerts – Salmonella – Enterobateriaceae – Chilled Lamb Products – Liquid Egg – White Seasame Seeds

Posted on September 21, 2018 by | Leave a comment

RASFF-Logo

RASFF-Salmonella (presence /25g) in chilled lamb products from Ireland in Ireland

RASFF-Salmonella (present /25g), high count of Enterobacteriaceae (9500 MPN/g) and high aerobic plate count (6700 CFU/g) in liquid egg white from France in the UK

RASFF-Salmonella (in 1 out of 5 samples /25g) in white sesame seeds from Nigeria in Poland

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Posted in Enterobacteriaceae, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Pathogen, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Parasite, Salmonella, Uncategorized

USA – FDA documents first Cyclospora contamination of U.S. fresh produce

Posted on September 5, 2018 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News 220px-Cyclospora_cayetanensis_stained

A special FDA testing program on fresh herbs has documented the first confirmed evidence of the Cyclospora parasite in U.S. produce.

The Food and Drug Administration found the microscopic parasite on fresh cilantro at a U.S. distribution facility in July. In a follow-up investigation, the FDA found Cyclospora on fresh cilantro at a farm. The federal agency worked with state and local officials to embargo the cilantro. Staff from FDA have been working with the farmer on “corrective actions geared toward common routes of contamination,” according to a constituent update from the agency. 

“Although this is the first confirmed evidence of the presence of Cyclospora in domestic produce, FDA is currently unaware of illnesses associated with the product, and traceforward efforts do not indicate there are any connections between this domestic finding of contaminated cilantro and multistate outbreaks of Cyclospora illnesses investigated this spring and summer,” the agency reported.

Those Cyclospora outbreaks were linked to Del Monte vegetable-dip trays and salads made with Fresh Express chopped lettuce and carrots that were served at McDonald’s restaurants.

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Posted in Cyclospora, food bourne outbreak, food contamination, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, outbreak, Parasite, Uncategorized

USA – Update – FDA Investigates Multistate Outbreak of Cyclospora Illnesses Linked to Fresh Express Salad Mix Served at McDonald’s

Posted on August 24, 2018 by | Leave a comment

FDA 220px-Cyclospora_cayetanensis_stained

The FDA, CDC, along with state and local officials are investigating a multi-state outbreak of cyclosporiasis illnesses likely linked to salads from McDonald’s restaurants.

Update – August 23, 2018

As of August 23, 2018, a total of 507 laboratory-confirmed cases of Cyclospora infection were reported in people who consumed salads from McDonald’s restaurants; the cases were reported by 15 states and New York City. The investigation is ongoing and the FDA is currently reviewing distribution and supplier information for romaine and carrots.

Recommendations

Consumers who have symptoms of cyclosporiasis should contact their health care provider to report their symptoms and receive care.

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Posted in Cyclospora, FDA, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Pathogen, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Parasite, Protozoan, Uncategorized