Category Archives: yersinia enterocolitica

Sweden – Foodborne illness figures rise in Sweden in 2021

Food Safety News

The number of foodborne infections climbed in Sweden in 2021 compared to the year before but most are still below pre-Coronavirus pandemic levels.

The report by the National Veterinary Institute (SVA), Folkhälsomyndigheten (the Public Health Agency of Sweden), Livsmedelsverket (the Swedish Food Agency) and Jordbruksverket (Swedish Board of Agriculture) showed a rise for Campylobacter, Salmonella, Listeria, E. coli and Yersinia infections.

Disease surveillance relies on patients seeking care and fewer people have done this during the pandemic. This is believed to be related to patients with symptoms choosing to not seek care and a true reduction in disease incidence because of changes in general hygiene such as increased handwashing, physical distancing and reduced travel because of COVID-19-related recommendations, according to the agencies.

Finland – Finland on alert after Yersinia outbreak reports

Food Safety News

National public health officials in Finland are monitoring the situation following local reports of Yersinia outbreaks.

Two outbreaks of Yersinia enterocolitica serotype O:3 have been reported to the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) in recent weeks from the South Savo and Helsinki-Uusimaa regions.

Another suspected outbreak has been recorded in the Pirkanmaa region but patient samples have not been serotyped. People fell sick between early and mid-February.

A total of 39 cases were noted in all of Finland in February 2022, which is less than the 55 infections in February 2021.

In February 2022, five cases of Yersinia enterocolitica from South Savo were reported to the Infectious Diseases Register, which is run by THL, while from 2019 to 2021 there were no illnesses at the same time.

Slovakia – Report on zoonoses, foodborne diseases and waterborne diseases in the Slovak Republic in 2020

MPSR

 

The protection of human and animal health can only be achieved through the active cooperation of experts in the field of control and research in the human and veterinary field. The report on zoonoses, foodborne diseases and waterborne diseases in the Slovak Republic for 2020 contains data from official inspections carried out in the field of agriculture and health care, as well as from research institutes and universities. The preparation of the report was coordinated by the National Contact Point for Scientific and Technical Cooperation with the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA EFSA), which is established at the Department of Food Safety and Nutrition of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Slovak Republic (MPRV SR).

The report serves as a basis for the EFSA NCB and scientific experts to set priorities and own national food safety risk assessments. At the same time, the report serves as one of the bases for the Community risk assessment carried out by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Scientific risk assessment is the basis for risk management. The report describes the situation in  35 zoonotic agents, 5 foodborne diseases (ie foodborne diseases) without zoonotic potential and 4 waterborne pathogens. Of the 44 agents monitored, 23 are bacterial, 10 parasitic, 10 viral and prion.

It presents the summary results of examinations and tests performed in 2020 in the Slovak Republic and the evaluation of the national epidemiological situation in humans and animals with a focus on trends and sources of zoonotic and foodborne diseases.

The report presents the summary results of examinations and tests carried out in 2020 and an assessment of the national epidemiological situation in humans and animals , focusing on trends and sources of zoonotic and foodborne diseases . The number of monitored authors, cooperating organizations and experts is growing every year. A wide team of more than 70 experts from 24 scientific and control organizations in the Slovak Republic took part in its elaboration .

In 2020, 17,067 human diseases caused by the study agents were reported, with 29.1% related to campylobacteriosis, 20.9% to Clostridium dificille and 20.4% to salmonellosis. Rotavirus 11.6%, Norwalk virus 5.1%, Borrelia burgdorferi sl 5.6% and  Escherichia coli 1.2% also contributed to a higher percentage of diseases.

Seven of the study agents caused 380 human epidemics, of which 56.6% were salmonellosis, 23.2% were campylobacteriosis and 12.6% of epidemics were caused by rotavirus. Norwalk virus accounted for 5.5%, tick-borne encephalitis virus 1.3%, shigella and 0.5% and yersinia 0.3%.  

35,957 food samples were examined for the presence of 15 pathogens with a positive finding in 2.2% of samples. Higher percentages of positive findings were in  Yersinia spp. 48.1%, Enterococcus spp. 46.3% and  Vibrio spp. 31.8%.

The presence of 30 pathogens was monitored in 2,483,239 samples originating from livestock and wild animals, pets and zoos taken as part of official control, preventive monitoring, research, as well as from sick or dead animals. Positive findings accounted for 0.1% of samples. Higher percentages of positive findings were recorded for  Aeromonas spp. 59.3%, Clostridium spp. 55.4%, Francisella tularensis 50.4%, Babesia spp. 41.1%, Dirofilaria spp. 34.8%, Campylobacter spp. 18.3%, Yersinia spp. 18.3%, Staphylococcus aureus 18.1%, hepatitis E virus 14.1%, Listeria monocytogenes  11.8%, Toxocara spp. 10.5%.

Feed – 385 samples were examined for the presence of Salmonella spp. (1.5% positive samples), Escherichia coli (60.0% positive samples) and Clostridium spp.

(1.7% positive samples).

35,746 water samples were examined for the presence of 9 agents, of which 7.4% were positive, of which Legionella spp. 47.1% and Vibrio spp. 39.5%.

44,633 samples from the environment were examined for the presence of 8 pathogens, of which 2.3% were positive, of which Legionella spp. 36.0%, Vibrio spp. 6.8%,  E.coli 3.6% and  Enterococcus spp. 2.6%.

The report also includes the results of examinations for the resistance of microorganisms to antimicrobials, which has a growing trend worldwide and poses a real danger in the treatment of infections. Microbial resistance was monitored in Salmonella spp., E. coli , Campylobacter spp., Staphylococcus aureus and  Enterococcus spp.

The comprehensive report, which will be published as a publication, has a length of more than 130 pages, will be published in printed form, as a publication with an assigned ISBN. Summaries of individual chapters will be translated into English and published in an electronic version as a publication with an assigned ISBN.

See the appendices for more information.

Attachments (downloadable documents)

 

Russia – Yersinia enterocolitica outbreak reported in Norilsk

Outbreak News Today

Yersinia p

Norilsk is is a city in Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia, located above the Arctic Circle. Earlier this week, the head of the Rospotrebnadzor department for the Krasnoyarsk Territory Dmitry Goryaev reported an  Yersinia enterocolitica outbreak affecting 44 workers of Velesstroy LLC in Norilsk.

“As part of the sanitary and epidemiological investigation, according to the results of laboratory tests, the pathogen that causes intestinal yersiniosis, Yersinia enterocolitica, was identified in the patients,” he noted.

Earlier, the regional Rospotrebnadzor reported on the identification of violations of the requirements of sanitary legislation in the company canteen.

Research – Antimicrobial Efficacy and Spectrum of Phosphorous-Fluorine Co-Doped TiO2 Nanoparticles on the Foodborne Pathogenic Bacteria Campylobacter jejuni, Salmonella Typhimurium, Enterohaemorrhagic E. coli, Yersinia enterocolitica, Shewanella putrefaciens, Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus

MDPI

Contamination of meats and meat products with foodborne pathogenic bacteria raises serious safety issues in the food industry. The antibacterial activities of phosphorous-fluorine co-doped TiO2 nanoparticles (PF-TiO2) were investigated against seven foodborne pathogenic bacteria: Campylobacter jejuniSalmonella Typhimurium, Enterohaemorrhagic E. coliYersinia enterocoliticaShewanella putrefaciensListeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus. PF-TiO2 NPs were synthesized hydrothermally at 250 °C for 1, 3, 6 or 12 h, and then tested at three different concentrations (500 μg/mL, 100 μg/mL, 20 μg/mL) for the inactivation of foodborne bacteria under UVA irradiation, daylight exposure or dark conditions. The antibacterial efficacies were compared after 30 min of exposure to light. Distinct differences in the antibacterial activities of the PF-TiO2 NPs, and the susceptibilities of tested foodborne pathogenic bacterium species were found. PF-TiO2/3 h and PF-TiO2/6 h showed the highest antibacterial activity by decreasing the living bacterial cell number from ~106 by ~5 log (L. monocytogenes), ~4 log (EHEC), ~3 log (Y. enterolcolitcaS. putrefaciens) and ~2.5 log (S. aureus), along with complete eradication of C. jejuni and S. Typhimurium. Efficacy of PF-TiO2/1 h and PF-TiO2/12 h NPs was lower, typically causing a ~2–4 log decrease in colony forming units depending on the tested bacterium while the effect of PF-TiO2/0 h was comparable to P25 TiO2, a commercial TiO2 with high photocatalytic activity. Our results show that PF-co-doping of TiO2 NPs enhanced the antibacterial action against foodborne pathogenic bacteria and are potential candidates for use in the food industry as active surface components, potentially contributing to the production of meats that are safe for consumption. View Full-Text

Research – Antimicrobial Efficacy and Spectrum of Phosphorous-Fluorine Co-Doped TiO2 Nanoparticles on the Foodborne Pathogenic Bacteria Campylobacter jejuni, Salmonella Typhimurium, Enterohaemorrhagic E. coli, Yersinia enterocolitica, Shewanella putrefaciens, Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus

MDPI

Yersinia p

Contamination of meats and meat products with foodborne pathogenic bacteria raises serious safety issues in the food industry. The antibacterial activities of phosphorous-fluorine co-doped TiO2 nanoparticles (PF-TiO2) were investigated against seven foodborne pathogenic bacteria: Campylobacter jejuniSalmonella Typhimurium, Enterohaemorrhagic E. coliYersinia enterocoliticaShewanella putrefaciens, Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus. PF-TiO2 NPs were synthesized hydrothermally at 250 °C for 1, 3, 6 or 12 h, and then tested at three different concentrations (500 μg/mL, 100 μg/mL, 20 μg/mL) for the inactivation of foodborne bacteria under UVA irradiation, daylight exposure or dark conditions. The antibacterial efficacies were compared after 30 min of exposure to light. Distinct differences in the antibacterial activities of the PF-TiO2 NPs, and the susceptibilities of tested foodborne pathogenic bacterium species were found. PF-TiO2/3 h and PF-TiO2/6 h showed the highest antibacterial activity by decreasing the living bacterial cell number from ~106 by ~5 log (L. monocytogenes), ~4 log (EHEC), ~3 log (Y. enterolcolitca, S. putrefaciens) and ~2.5 log (S. aureus), along with complete eradication of C. jejuni and S. Typhimurium. Efficacy of PF-TiO2/1 h and PF-TiO2/12 h NPs was lower, typically causing a ~2–4 log decrease in colony forming units depending on the tested bacterium while the effect of PF-TiO2/0 h was comparable to P25 TiO2, a commercial TiO2 with high photocatalytic activity. Our results show that PF-co-doping of TiO2 NPs enhanced the antibacterial action against foodborne pathogenic bacteria and are potential candidates for use in the food industry as active surface components, potentially contributing to the production of meats that are safe for consumption.

Research – Yersinia enterocolitica Outbreak Associated with Pasteurized Milk

Mary Ann Liebert

In July 2019, we investigated a cluster of Yersinia enterocolitica cases affecting a youth summer camp and nearby community in northeastern Pennsylvania. After initial telephone interviews with camp owners and community members, we identified pasteurized milk from a small dairy conducting on-site pasteurization, Dairy A, as a shared exposure. We conducted site visits at the camp and Dairy A where we collected milk and other samples. Samples were cultured for Y. enterocolitica. Clinical and nonclinical isolates were compared using molecular subtyping. We performed case finding, conducted telephone interviews for community cases, and conducted a cohort study among adult camp staff by administering an online questionnaire. In total, we identified 109 Y. enterocolitica cases. Consumption of Dairy A milk was known for 37 (34%); of these, Dairy A milk was consumed by 31 (84%). Dairy A had shipped 214 gallons of pasteurized milk in 5 weekly shipments to the camp by mid-July. Dairy A milk was the only shared exposure identified between the camp and community. Y. enterocolitica was isolated from Dairy A unpasteurized milk samples. Five clinical isolates from camp members, two clinical isolates from community members, and nine isolates from unpasteurized milk were indistinguishable by whole-genome sequencing. The risk for yersinosis among camp staff who drank Dairy A milk was 5.3 times the risk for those who did not (95% confidence interval: 1.6–17.3). Because Dairy A only sold pasteurized milk, pasteurized milk was considered the outbreak source. We recommend governmental agencies and small dairies conducting on-site pasteurization collaborate to develop outbreak prevention strategies.

Korea – Food poisoning bacteria found in 15 kimchi products from China

Korean Times

Yersinia p

Food poisoning bacteria were detected in 15 out of 289 kimchi products imported from China, according to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, Tuesday.

Two out of four Chinese salt-cured cabbage products were also found to have used preservatives that are not permitted in Korea.


It examined the 289 products from 55 Chinese companies imported here, and detected Yersinia enterocolitica, a type of food poisoning bacteria, in 15 of them.

Norwegian – Disease-causing Yersinia enterocolitica in pork products – 2019

Mattilsynet

Yersinia p

On behalf of the Norwegian Food Safety Authority, the Norwegian Veterinary Institute has analyzed a total of 152 samples of minced pork and pork dough for Yersinia enterocolitica, a bacterium in which some varieties are capable of causing disease in humans. Pigs are considered to be the main reservoir for pathogenic Y. enterocolitica, and pork is considered an important source of infection.

What we investigated: A total of 152 samples of minced pork and pork dough were analyzed.
Period: 2019
What we were looking for: Yersinia enterocolitica
What we found:
  • The results indicate that the incidence of pathogenic Y. enterocolitica in Norwegian pork products is low, but that they may occur.
  • It is therefore important to fry pork products well and not to taste raw products such as pork dough, bacon and the like. Also remember good kitchen hygiene when handling raw meat.
  • Since it has been a long time since the previous survey took place and the surveys are not directly comparable, this survey provides updated knowledge for the benefit of both industry, authorities and knowledge institutions.

Sweden – Yersinia enterocolitica outbreak over, Iceberg lettuce is the suspected source

Outbreak News Today

kswfoodworld.com

The Swedish Public Health Agency says the outbreak of Yersinia enterocolitica is over.

During the period January and up to the beginning of February, twice as many people fell ill with Yersinia infection as during the same period in a normal year. Of a total of 53 cases of Yersinia enterocolitica, 33 were resident in the regions of Stockholm, Västra Götaland and Halland.

Isolates from 24 of these cases were typed by whole genome sequencing, ie analysis of the bacterium’s genome, and 16 outbreak cases with clustered isolates could be identified.

The Swedish Public Health Agency and the infection control units have collaborated on interviews with sick people and compilation of questionnaire responses about what and where they ate before the illness. A so-called case-case study where questionnaire responses from outbreak cases were compared with questionnaire responses from disease cases with Yersinia infection that did not belong to the outbreak, it emerged that the outbreak cases had to a greater extent visited one and the same restaurant chain.

A contaminated batch of iceberg lettuce distributed to a restaurant chain is the suspected source of infection.