Category Archives: STEC

Research – Sporadic Occurrence of Enteroaggregative Shiga Toxin–Producing Escherichia coli O104:H4 Similar to 2011 Outbreak Strain

Posted on September 3, 2022 by | Leave a comment

CDC

Abstract
We describe the recent detection of 3 Shiga toxin–producing enteroaggregative Escherichia coli O104:H4 isolates from patients and 1 from pork in the Netherlands that were genetically highly similar to isolates from the 2011 large-scale outbreak in Europe. Our findings stress the importance of safeguarding food supply production chains to prevent future outbreaks.

Shiga toxin–producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is a zoonotic pathogen that causes illness ranging from mild diarrhea to haemolytic uremic syndrome and death. During 2011, an exceptionally large outbreak caused by serotype O104:H4 STEC occurred in Europe, mainly in Germany and France, that was associated with sprouts grown from imported fenugreek seeds (1). Besides the ability to produce Shiga toxin, specifically stx2a, the strain had the genetic characteristics and phylogenetic backbone of an enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC) pathotype (2) but lacked other classical STEC virulence markers eae and hlyA (3). In addition, the outbreak strain carried plasmid-borne blaCTX-M-15 and blaTEM-1 genes. The epidemiologic investigation revealed that a contaminated batch of fenugreek seeds imported into the European Union from Egypt was the most probable source of the pathogen causing the outbreak (4).

After the 2011 outbreak in Germany and France, only a few sporadic cases of infection with Shiga toxin–producing EAEC O104:H4 were reported, most related to travel to Turkey or North Africa (5–8). We describe the sporadic occurrence of Shiga toxin–producing EAEC O104:H4 isolates in the Netherlands, originating from 2 clinical cases from 2019 and 2020 and 1 food isolate from 2017. In addition, we report a clinical case from Austria in 2021.

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Posted in Decontamination Microbial, E.coli O104, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Haemolytic Uremic Syndrome, HUS, microbial contamination, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Pathogen, pathogenic, Research, STEC, STEC E.coli, Zoonosis

USA – More people sick as outbreak linked to Wendy’s spreads to 2 more states

Posted on September 2, 2022 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

Facts About Wendy's That Might Surprise You

Another 13 people have been confirmed sick in an outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 infections linked to lettuce on sandwiches from Wendy’s restaurants. Two states have been added to the outbreak.

Half of the 97 outbreak patients have been so sick that they had to be admitted to hospitals. Of the 43 hospitalized people, 10 have developed a kind of kidney failure known as hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Among the 67 people with detailed food histories, 81 percent reported eating at Wendy’s restaurants. Of 54 people with further information about what they ate at Wendy’s, 37 reported eating romaine lettuce served on burgers and other sandwiches.

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Posted in 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, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, outbreak, STEC, STEC E.coli

RASFF Alerts – STEC E.coli – Spinach and Arugula – Salami with Truffles – Bovine Carcass – Bovine Meat

Posted on September 2, 2022 by | Leave a comment

RASFF

STEC in Spinach and arugula from the Netherlands in Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Germany, Kuwait, Netherlands, Portugal, USA, UK, Qatar and Spain

RASFF

Suspicion of enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli in salami with truffles from Italy in Germany

RASFF

STEC (stx+;eae+) in bovine carcass from Belgium in the Netherlands

RASFF

Presence of E.coli STEC in bovine meat (sirloin) from Uruguay in Spain

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Posted in Enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli, food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Testing, Food Toxin, RASFF, STEC, STEC E.coli

Netherlands – Safety warning Jumbo Spinach Washed 600 grams from Jumbo (attention) -STEC E.coli

Posted on September 1, 2022 by | Leave a comment

NVWA

Safety warning Jumbo Spinach Washed 600 grams from Jumbo

This is an addition to the previous Safety Warning Jumbo Spinach Unwashed 450 grams. Jumbo now also warns for Jumbo Spinach Crops 600 grams. The warning on the Jumbo and our website has been adjusted. Below is the modified text with addition.  

Jumbo warns about the Jumbo Spinach Unwashed 450 grams and the Jumbo Spinach Washed 600 grams and is recalling the products. The products may contain the STEC bacteria. Do not eat the products! Eating the products can pose a health hazard, especially in pregnant women, young children, the elderly and people with a weakened immune system.

See Jumbo’s website

Which products are involved?

  • Jumbo Spinach Unwashed 450 grams
  • Barcode: 8711715882363
  • Jumbo Spinach Washed 600 grams
  • Barcode: 8718452309870
  • Best before: 06-09-2022

Sincerely

The Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority

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Posted in food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Testing, Food Toxin, NVWA, STEC, STEC E.coli

Netherlands – Safety warning Jumbo Spinach Unwashed 450 grams from Jumbo (attention) – STEC E.coli

Posted on September 1, 2022 by | Leave a comment

NVWA

Safety warning Jumbo Spinach Unwashed 450 grams from Jumbo

Jumbo warns about Jumbo Spinach Unwashed 450 grams. The product may contain the STEC bacteria. Do not eat the product! Eating the product may pose a health hazard, especially in pregnant women, young children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems.

See Jumbo’s website

Which product is it?

  • Jumbo Spinach Unwashed 450 grams
  • Barcode: 8711715882363

Sincerely

The Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority

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Posted in E.coli, food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Testing, Food Toxin, STEC, STEC E.coli

Belgium – Unwashed spinach (450g) and washed spinach (600g) from the Jumbo brand -STEC E.coli

Posted on September 1, 2022 by | Leave a comment

AFSCA

Recall of Jumbo
Products: Unwashed spinach (450g) and washed spinach (600g) from the Jumbo brand.
Problem: Possible presence of STEC bacteria (E. Coli).
In agreement with the FASFC, Jumbo withdraws the products “unwashed spinach” (450g) and “washed spinach” (600g) from the Jumbo brand and recalls them from consumers due to the possible presence of STEC bacteria (E. Coli ).

Jumbo asks its customers not to consume these products and to bring them back to the point of sale where they were purchased, where they will be reimbursed.

Description of the products Product

name: Spinazie Ongewassen (Unwashed spinach)
Brand: Jumbo
EAN on the label: 8711715882363
Batch number: SPIN MI 8×450 FP KKZ624 BPR NA JU 4P 8NL
Sale period: from 2022-08-25 to 30 -08-2022
Nature of packaging: Plastic packaging
Weight: 450g

Product name: Spinazie Gewassen (Washed spinach)
Brand: Jumbo
EAN on the label: 8718452309870
Sale period: 31-08-2022 between 7 a.m. and 8:15 a.m.
Nature of packaging: Plastic packaging Best before
date (BOD): 06 -09-2022
Weight: 600g

The products were sold through Jumbo’s subsidiaries in Belgium.

For more information , customers can contact customer services on 0800 – 98998 or Jumbo.com. Our apologies for the inconvenience caused.

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Posted in afsca, food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Testing, Food Toxin, STEC, STEC E.coli

USA – What you need to know about E. coli O157:H7 and its complications during an Outbreak

Posted on August 31, 2022 by | Leave a comment

Food Poison Journal

E. coli O157:H7 is one of thousands of serotypes of Escherichia coli.

E. coli O157:H7 was first recognized as a pathogen in 1982 during an investigation into an outbreak of haemorrhagic colitis associated with consumption of hamburgers from a fast-food chain restaurant. Retrospective examination of more than three thousand E. coli cultures obtained between 1973 and 1982 found only one isolate with serotype O157:H7, and that was a case in 1975. In the ten years that followed, there were approximately thirty outbreaks recorded in the United States. This number is likely misleading, however, because E. coli O157:H7 infections did not become a reportable disease in any state until 1987, when Washington became the first state to mandate its reporting to public health authorities. Consequently, an outbreak would not be detected if it was not large enough to prompt investigation.

E. coli O157:H7’s ability to induce injury in humans is a result of its ability to produce numerous virulence factors, most notably Shiga toxin (Stx), which is one of the most potent toxins known to man. Shiga toxin has multiple variants (e.g., Stx1, Stx2, Stx2c), and acts like the plant toxin ricin by inhibiting protein synthesis in endothelial and other cells. Endothelial cells line the interior surface of blood vessels and are known to be extremely sensitive to E. coli O157:H7, which is cytotoxigenic to these cells.

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Posted in Bacterial Toxin, Cytotoxic, E.coli O157, E.coli O157:H7, food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Food Toxin, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, outbreak, STEC, STEC E.coli, STX 1, STX 2, Toxin

USA – Wendy’s E. coli outbreak in Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania has sickened between 84 to 160 people

Posted on August 31, 2022 by | Leave a comment

Food Poison Journal

Last week the CDC reported 84 E. coli cases – 53 in Michigan, 23 in Ohio, 6 in Indiana and 2 in Pennsylvania.  However, Michigan reports at least 115 and Wood County in Ohio reports at least 23 which would bring Ohio case numbers to 37.

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Posted in E.coli O157, E.coli O157:H7, food bourne outbreak, food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Testing, Food Toxin, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, outbreak, STEC, STEC E.coli

USA – Over 100 Cases Reported so Far in the Wendy’s E coli Outbreak

Posted on August 30, 2022 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning News

In the latest update posted by the CDC on August 19th, 37 cases of E. coli O157:H7 infections were reported in the states of Ohio (19), Michigan (15), Indiana (1), and Pennsylvania (2). However, experts believe the actual number of infections to be much higher than 100, with estimates of at least 200 cases. Most notably, despite the CDC reporting 15 of the 37 cases occurring in Michigan, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has reported 43 confirmed E. coli O157 infections. In total, the MDHHS received 98 reports of E. coli infections in August from Michigan residents. For reference, Michigan officials only received 20 reports of E. coli infections during the same time period in 2021. The 43 Michigan E. coli O157 infections have been confirmed to match the same strain of E. coli as the Wendy’s outbreak strain and all cases match the illness onset date of late July through early August. Michigan health officials are currently testing at least 55 additional E. coli infections to determine if they are also connected to the Wendy’s outbreak.

In Ohio, officials in Wood Country are testing samples from 22 residents with E. coli infections and have so far confirmed 9 of the cases to have stemmed from the same strain of E. coli bacteria. Experts believe that the true number of cases involved in the Wendy’s outbreak is much higher than reported and expect to see an increase of reported cases in the days to come.

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Posted in E.coli O157, E.coli O157:H7, 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, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, outbreak, STEC, STEC E.coli

Research -Strategies to Reduce Clostridium botulinum Risk in Fresh-Cut Produce

Posted on August 26, 2022 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety Magazine

kswfoodworld

The risks associated with Clostridium botulinum and low-acid canned foods, meats, seafood, and temperature-abused foods are generally well-established. However, there has been increasing consideration toward C. botulinum and its potential as a pathogen of concern for fresh-cut vegetables, fruits, and mushrooms.

For an industry segment beleaguered by recent outbreaks of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica, and Listeria monocytogenes, consideration of a bacterial pathogen with vastly different growth characteristics—one that is less traditionally associated with fresh produce—may seem burdensome. However, recent incidences of C. botulinum in packaged mushrooms,1 increased characterization of the growth conditions required by nonproteolytic C. botulinum, widespread industry adoption of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP), and even increasing fuel costs may necessitate a second look at this pathogen’s association with fresh produce.

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Posted in Clostridium, Clostridium botulinum, Decontamination Microbial, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, microbial contamination, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Research, Salmonella, STEC, STEC E.coli