RASFF – Norovirus (GG I and II /25g) in frozen cooked whole white clams (Meretrix lyrata) from Vietnam in Spain
RASFF – Norovirus in frozen hard clams from Vietnam in Spain
RASFF – Hepatitis A virus (148.3 copies) in frozen strawberries from Morocco, via Spain in Germany
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Tagged frozen strawberries, hepatitis a virus, norovirus, rasff, Vietnam, white clams
RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 11.4; Tot. = 14.5 µg/kg – ppb) in pistachio nuts without shell from Turkey in Germany
RASFF -aflatoxins (B1 = 23.2; Tot. = 25.9 µg/kg – ppb) in roasted and salted pistachio nuts from Turkey in Germany
RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 14.4; Tot. = 16 µg/kg – ppb) in pistachio kernels from Iran in Italy
RASFF -aflatoxins (B1 = 2.7 / B1 = 4.4; Tot. = 4.7 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnut kernels from Brazil in Bulgaria
RASFF -aflatoxins (B1 = 21.5; Tot. = 22.4 µg/kg – ppb) in whole chilli peppers from India in the UK
RASFF -aflatoxins (B1 = 19; Tot. = 40 µg/kg – ppb) in boiled dried figs from Turkey in Denmark
An outbreak of the very contagious viral disease, norovirus, spread through the Royal Hawaiian hotel in Waikiki last Saturday, according to a KITV 4 report. The outbreak of the gastrointestinal bug has infected both guests and employees of the luxury resort.
Royal Hawaiian general manager, Kelly Hoen, apologized for the unpleasant situation, “We at the Royal Hawaiian are very sorry for having many of our guests and several of our associates that have gotten ill with the norovirus.”
Health officials say the outbreak is now under control. For more infectious disease news and information, visit and “like” the Infectious Disease News Facebook page
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Tagged contagious viral disease, norovirus, outbreak, Royal Hawaiian
The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service says stores in at least 12 states may have received beef contaminated with E. coli O157:H7.
The service announced this week that 1.8 million pounds of ground beef products were being recalled because they could be contaminated. The federal agency has since named businesses that may have received the tainted products.
Indigenously acquired hepatitis E infections have increased substantially in England and Wales since 2010. Epidemiological investigations were undertaken to determine risk factors for the acquisition of infection. A case-control study (25 cases, 75 controls) was used to test the hypothesis that hepatitis E infection was related to consumption of pork products. In a multivariable model, consumption of pork pie [odds ratio (OR) 6·33, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1·41–28·48, P = 0·009] and consumption of ham and sausages purchased from a major UK supermarket chain (OR 10·12, 95% CI 1·68–60·81, P = 0·023) were significantly associated with indigenous infection. The consumption of sausages and ham purchased from the supermarket was highly correlated; however. separate models showed that each variable was significantly associated with infection (OR 7·59, 95% CI 1·81–31·84, P = 0·004 and OR 10·98, 95% CI 1·84–65·35, P = 0·003, respectively). Although contamination of sausages with HEV has previously been shown this study also raises concerns about other processed pork products and whether current practice in preparing these products is sufficient to prevent transmission of HEV.
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Tagged Epidemiological investigations, hepatitis E infection, pork products
A citywide boil notice was issued for Portland, Oregon, after state health officials detected E. coli in the water supply.
The Portland Water Bureau said Friday that residents should boil all tap water used for drinking, food preparation, tooth brushing and ice for at least one minute. Ice or any beverages prepared with un-boiled tap water on or after Tuesday should be dumped.
The notice, which also covers some suburban cities, affects about 670,000 people. It will remain in effect until tests show the water system is clean.
The samples that tested positive for bacteria were collected this week from two uncovered reservoirs at Mount Tabor. The Water Bureau said it collects about 240 bacterial samples per month throughout the system, and the test to determine the presence of bacteria takes 18 hours.
The Water Bureau is investigating the cause of the contamination. The city said contamination can occur when there is a loss of water pressure, a pipe breaks or when conditions expose drinking water to outside elements.
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Tagged Oregon, Portland, Portland Water Bureau, tap water, Water Bureau
Peterborough Telegraph
A young Peterborough girl suffered acute kidney failure when she became a victim of an E.coli infection.
Eight-year-old Daisy Blakemore-Creedon, of St James’ Avenue, New England, underwent surgery and needed blood transfusion and dialysis after contracting a strain of the E.coli bacteria.
She was rushed to Peterborough City Hospital after being violently sick and suffering with bloody diarrhoea and fever.
Mum Hannah and dad Craig say their daughter spent four days in hospital and had seemed to get better.
She was released but no sooner had she left hospital when the sickness and stomach pains returned.
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Tagged acute kidney failure, blood transfusion, e coli infection, Peterborough
It is Past Time to Vaccinate Restaurant Workers Against Hepatitis A.
In reaction to the news that a sick worker at a Springfield Red Robin may have exposed more than 5,000 people to Hepatitis A, Bill Marler, a Seattle-based attorney who specializes in food safety issues, is questioning why restaurant workers aren’t required to be vaccinated for the disease.
“It’s ridiculous that states, counties, and the restaurant industry haven’t come together to eliminate this threat. Hepatitis A is a serious disease, but it’s also the only food-borne illness that is vaccine-preventable. There is no reason not to vaccinate all restaurant workers; it is the right and moral thing to do,” said Marler. The Centers for Disease Control has repeatedly pointed out that the consumption of worker-contaminated food is a major cause of foodborne illness in the U.S.
