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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Category Archives: water microbiology
Research – Montana Raw Water Campylobacter Outbreak Linked to Bird’s Nest
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
New Zealand – Dannevirke water supply on boil water notice due to E.coli
Tararua District Council has issued a boil water notice for residents on the Dannevirke water supply due to a detection of E.coli.
A council spokesperson said the boil water notice would continue for three days while further testing is under way.
The council is testing in partnership with Taumata Arowai to ensure testing is accurate and done as quickly as possible.
An update would be provided on April 27, the spokesperson said.
Research – Cryptosporidiosis threat under climate change in China: prediction and validation of habitat suitability and outbreak risk for human-derived Cryptosporidium based on ecological niche models
Cryptosporidiosis is a zoonotic intestinal infectious disease caused by Cryptosporidium spp., and its transmission is highly influenced by climate factors. In the present study, the potential spatial distribution of Cryptosporidium in China was predicted based on ecological niche models for cryptosporidiosis epidemic risk warning and prevention and control.
Traveling to Mexico? Here’s how to avoid food poisoning on vacation.
The inexpensive food and delicious smells often tempt travelers to purchase food from the numerous street vendors. Before indulging, however, it is recommended to be vigilant of how ingredients are stored and how the raw meats are handled. Food that is cooked in front of the customer, rather than appearing to be pre-cooked, is a much safer option. When food, even if cooked, is left at room temperature too long, the dangers of cross-contamination and bacterial growth are much higher.
An easy rule to follow is also simply trusting your instincts and avoiding vendors whose food carts are untidy or produce rotten odors. Look for hand-sinks, access to water, or refrigeration units.
Ceviche is also a very common dish in Mexico. Raw fish is exponentially more likely to be contaminated than cooked fish, especially if it is not stored correctly. Travelers should be especially wary of eating ceviche in an area that is farther away from the coast where the fish have to be stored for longer periods of time. In addition, all ceviche stands should have refrigeration units or copious amounts of ice.
Mexico also has a long history of unsafe drinking water – often the source of “traveler’s diarrhea.” It is generally recommended to not drink water straight from the tap or to use ice cubes made from tap water. Even if the water is purified at the source, the pipes that the water passes through may not be sanitary. Caution should also be exercised when purchasing fruit juices or horchata made with ap water. Recommendation? Stay hydrated by drinking bottled drinks.
Travelers to Mexico will have a more enjoyable trip if they make wise and informed choices regarding the food they consume. But don’t leave home without anti-diarrheal medicine!
Posted in Contaminated water, Decontamination Microbial, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Poisoning, Water, water microbiology, Water Safety
Ireland – Mayo’s Clare Island Hit with Cryptosporidium in Public Water Supply
Mayo’s Clare island has been hit with a “boil water” notice after the detection of cryptosporidium in the public water supply.
The “boil water” notice takes immediate effect, Uisce Éireann (Irish Water) and Mayo Council have said.
This follows consultation with the Health Service Executive (HSE) to protect the health of approximately 160 people on the island’s public water supply scheme.
The two bodies have said they are “working to implement solutions to lift the notice as quickly and as safely as possible in consultation with the HSE”.
Posted in Boil Water Notice, Contaminated water, Cryptosporidiosis, Cryptosporidium, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Protozoan, water microbiology, Water Safety
Research – Heterotrophic Plate Count Can Predict the Presence of Legionella spp. in Cooling Towers
Abstract
Legionella pneumophila (Lp) colonizes aquatic environments and is a potential pathogen to humans, causing outbreaks of Legionnaire’s disease. It is mainly associated with contaminated cooling towers (CTs). Several regulations, including Spanish legislation (Sl), have introduced the analysis of heterotrophic plate count (HPC) bacteria and Legionella spp. (Lsp) in management plans to prevent and control Legionella outbreaks from CTs. The 2003 Sl for CTs (RD 865/2003) considered that concentrations of HPC bacteria ≤10,000 cfu/mL and of Lsp ≤100 cfu/L are safe; therefore, no action is required, whereas management actions should be implemented above these standards. We have investigated to what extent the proposed standard for HPC bacteria is useful to predict the presence of Lsp in cooling waters. For this, we analyzed Lsp and HPC concentrations, water temperature, and the levels of chlorine in 1376 water samples from 17 CTs. The results showed that in the 1138 water samples negative for Legionella spp. (LN), the HPC geometric mean was significantly lower (83 cfu/mL, p < 0.05) than in the positive Lsp. samples (135 cfu/mL). Of the 238 (17.3%) LP samples, 88.4% (210/238) were associated with values of HPC ≤10,000 cfu/mL and most of them showed HPC concentrations ≤100 (53.7%). In addition, a relatively low percentage of LP (28/238, 11.6%) samples were associated with HPC bacteria concentrations >10,000 cfu/mL, indicating that this standard does not predict the colonization risk for Legionella in the CTs studied. The present study has demonstrated that a threshold concentration ≤100 cfu/mL of HPC bacteria could better predict the higher concentration of Legionella in CTs, which will aid in preventing possible outbreaks.
Posted in Cooling Towers, Decontamination Microbial, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Legionella, Legionnaires’ disease, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Water, water microbiology, Water Safety
Research – Surveillance of Vibrio parahaemolyticus pathogens recovered from ready-to-eat foods
This study examined the occurrence of V. parahaemolyticus from ready-to-eat (RTE) food in Delta State, Nigeria. It also characterized antibiotic resistance and virulence gene profile patterns to determine the associated health risk hazard. Food samples total of 380 were collected randomly and assessed for V. parahaemolyticus. V. parahaemolyticus isolates were characterized for their virulence and antibiogram potentials using a phenotypic and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) approach. A total of 42 (11.1%) samples were contaminated with V. parahaemolyticus. In 17/42 (40.5%) of the V. parahaemolyticus-positive samples, the densities were < 10 MPN/g. However, 19/42 (45.2%) and 6/42 (14.3%) of the samples had densities of 10 – 102 and > 102 MPN/g, respectively. A total of 67 V. parahaemolyticus isolates were identified using PCR; 54(80.6%) isolates were multidrug resistant. A total of 22 (32.8%), 39 (58.2%), and 67 (100%) of the V. parahaemolyticus harbored the tdh, trh, and tlh toxin genes, respectively. The T3SS1 gene (vcrD1) was detected in 67 (100%) of the isolates. The T3SS2α genes which were vcrD2, vopB2, and vopT were detected in 21 (31.3%), 11 (16.4%) and 30 (44.8%) of the isolates respectively. Some of the V. parahaemolytics strains harbored the orf8 gene 20 (29.9%), and a combination of orf8 + tdh genes 12 (17.9%), categorized as pandemic strains. The antibiotic resistance genes detected in this study include blaTEM 33 (49.3), tetM 19 (28.4), cmlA 32(47.8) and sul1 14 (20.9). The concentration levels and prevalence of V. parahaemolyticus in RTE foods indicate contamination of ready-to-eat foods, particularly street foods consumed in the Delta State of Nigeria, threatening public health and consumer safety.
Posted in Decontamination Microbial, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Vibrio, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Water, water microbiology, Water Safety
Research – Solar water disinfection effective for E. coli at high, low altitudes
Solar water disinfection (SODIS) may be just as effective at decontamination E. coli-infected water at high altitudes as it is at low altitutdes, according to a press release by Elsevier.
The results of a new study appearing in the Wilderness Medical Society’s official journal Wilderness & Environmental Medicine, published by Elsevier, shows promise this method of disinfection..
Water can be successfully disinfected through several methods: heat, filtration, chemical treatment, and ultraviolet (UV) light. The use of natural sunlight for solar disinfection of contaminated water effectively inactivates many microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and fungi.
A team of researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus conducted an experimental study to determine the effect of SODIS on water purification at high altitude (above 2,500 meters) compared to low altitude (below 2,500 meters) among different types of water containers.
“No other published research examining the effectiveness of SODIS at high altitude is available to our knowledge,” said William Mundo, lead investigator of the study. “Adequate access to water, sanitation, and hygiene is a crucial component of human health during emergency situations such as natural disasters and extreme weather events, which are becoming prevalent with climate change.”
A study design previously described in the literature was modified, most notably to evaluate the concentration of E. coli colony-forming units (CFUs) at multiple time points throughout the required six hours of direct sunlight, as recommended by the World Health Organization.
Compared to control containers with no sunlight exposure, the researchers found that all bacteria were inactivated by six hours. At two hours, bacterial inactivation at high altitude was 1.7-fold greater than at lower altitude, however, at the end of six hours, there were no significant differences between high and low altitude samples.
Posted in Decontamination Microbial, E.coli, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Water, water microbiology, Water Safety
Research – Exploring the Link Between Legionnaires’ Disease and Pneumonia
Most of us have heard of Legionnaires’ disease and we are all likely to be aware of pneumonia too, but did you know there is a link between the two?
There are many illnesses and conditions that can affect the lungs. Legionnaires’ disease presents as a serious type of pneumonia. This is an inflammation of the lungs. Below, we’ll go into more detail about the link between Legionnaires’ disease and pneumonia. Both can be fatal, particularly among those who are more susceptible to this type of infection than others.
A version of this story exploring the link between Legionnaires’ disease and pneumonia appeared in Legionella Control International’s newsletter. To get it in your inbox, sign up for free at the link above
Posted in Contaminated water, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Legionella, Legionnaires’ disease, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Uncategorized, Water, water microbiology, Water Safety
Research – Catalan Food Safety Agency – Quality criteria for drinking water used in the food industry
On January 12, 2023 , Royal Decree 3/2023 came into force, establishing the technical-sanitary criteria for the quality of drinking water , its control and supply .
This new Royal Decree represents a new, broad and complex regulatory framework to protect human health from any contamination of drinking water. Establishes the technical-sanitary criteria and the quality control of drinking water throughout the supply chain, from catchment water bodies to the user’s tap, with the aim of guaranteeing that drinking water is healthy and clean.
It also specifically establishes the quality criteria for drinking water used in the food industry (CHAPTER VI Water quality in the food company) :
- It establishes the quality criteria, as well as the parameters and parametric values of the water used for the manufacture, preparation or treatment of food, as well as for washing materials intended for contact with food.
- The food company will be responsible for the quality of the water from the point of delivery to the connection or in the case of supply in tanks or mobile tanks, of all the phases that it carries out and that, as such, are described in the self-control systems based on in the principles of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP).
- The operator of the food company must ensure the quality of the drinking water used, through a sampling plan, different types of analysis and controls, which will be included in their self-control systems based on the HACCP principles.
This regulation partially transposes Directive (EU) 2020/2184 in Spain , relating to the quality of water intended for human consumption and repeals Royal Decree 140/2003, which establishes the sanitary criteria for the quality of drinking water .
Posted in Decontamination Microbial, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Water, water microbiology, Water Safety
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