Category Archives: outbreak
Research – Foods implicated in U.S. outbreaks differ from the types most commonly consumed
Foodborne disease outbreak investigations identify foods responsible for illnesses. However, it is not known the degree to which foods implicated in outbreaks reflect the distribution of food consumption in the U.S. population or the risk associated with their consumption. To examine this, we compared the distribution of foods in 24 categories implicated in outbreaks to the distribution of foods consumed by the U.S. population. Beef, chicken, eggs, fish, herbs, mollusks, pork, sprouts, seeded vegetables, and turkey were implicated in outbreaks significantly more often than expected based on the frequency of their consumption in the general population, suggesting a higher risk of contamination or mishandling from foods in these categories than in others. In contrast, pasteurized dairy, fruits, grains-beans, oils and sugars, and root/underground vegetables were less frequently implicated in outbreaks than they were consumed in the general population, suggesting a lower risk for these food categories.
Posted in food bourne outbreak, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, microbial contamination, Microbiology, outbreak
RASFF Alert – Foodborne Outbreak -Salmonella – Salami
foodborne outbreak suspected to be caused by Salmonella (presence /25g) in salami from Italy in Italy
Posted in food bourne outbreak, food contamination, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, outbreak, RASFF, Salmonella
USA – FDA CORE Response Team Update
A new Salmonella Miami outbreak has been announced by the FDA in their CORE Table. The only information given is that 48 people are sick.
Posted in FDA, food bourne outbreak, food contamination, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, microbial contamination, Microbiology, outbreak, Salmonella
Saudi Arabia – 5 cases of food poisoning per day across Kingdom
Abu Dhabi: Nearly 830 cases of food poisoning were reported across Saudi Arabia between July 1 and December 31 last year, or five exposures a day, according to the National Center for Disease Prevention and Control (Weqaya).
Statistics also showed the total outbreaks of food-borne diseases were 61, of which 34 were from public sources, at a rate of 55.7 per cent, and 27 outbreaks from household sources, at a rate of 44.3 per cent.
The number of infected cases from household outbreaks was 104, or 12.5 per cent, while the number of incidences of food poisoning among Saudis reached 740, compared to 89 among non-Saudis.
Posted in food bourne outbreak, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Poisoning, Food Poisoning Death, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, microbial contamination, Microbiology, outbreak, Poisoning, Research
USA – Legionnaires' disease outbreak in Portland: 1 dead; 4 hospitalised
Outbreak News Today
A bacterial pneumonia outbreak, known as Legionnaires' disease has hit a Portland-based senior housing complex, leaving 1 dead and 4 hospitalized as more than 100 residents were evacuated from the housing complex.
A report released by the Multnomah County Health Department said that the outbreak is caused by contaminated water that has entered the Rosemont Court senior living complex. Health authorities further say that people that have increased risk, including senior members of the community, have a greater risk for Legionnaires disease, albeit being not contagious in nature.
Posted in Contaminated water, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Legionella, Legionnaires' disease, microbial contamination, Microbiology, outbreak, Water, water microbiology, Water Safety
USA – Sushi related outbreak stumps health officials; more than 150 sickened
Public health officials in North Carolina have concluded their investigation of a foodborne illness outbreak linked to sushi, saying they were unable to determine the specific cause behind the illnesses of more than 150 people.
Only a handful of ill people who ate the suspect sushi sold at two Harris Teeter grocery stores agreed to provide samples for pathogen testing, according to the Cabarrus Health Alliance environmental health director. Officials also tested one sample of sushi.
All patient samples and the product specimen were tested for a broad range of pathogens in an attempt to identify the agent responsible for the illnesses.
Posted in food bourne outbreak, food contamination, food handler, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Temperature Abuse, Food Testing, Food Toxin, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, outbreak, Research
USA – Investigations of Foodborne Illness Outbreaks
The following is a list of outbreak investigations being managed by FDA's CORE Response Teams. The investigations are in a variety of stages, meaning that some outbreaks have limited information, and others may be near completion.
Posted in E.coli O157, E.coli O157:H7, food bourne outbreak, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, outbreak, Salmonella
Jamaica – Dozens of guests at Jamaica resort sickened by likely Salmonella outbreak
An apparent salmonella outbreak at a resort in Jamaica has ruined vacations for potentially dozens of holiday travelers — and now some sickened guests are considering legal action, The Post has learned.
"It was a nightmare," Chantel Ele of Lincoln, Nebraska, told The Post of her experience at the Grand Palladium Resort and Spa, which was echoed by other people online. "I don't know how many people go on an all-inclusive vacation and lose weight."
Iwaspoisoned.com, a platform that tracks food-borne illnesses, has tallied the number of guests who have allegedly become ill at the resort in December at close to 100, said the site's founder Patrick Quade, who based the tally on reports to websites like TripAdvisor, Orbitz, Booking.com and the resort's Facebook page.
"We have never seen an outbreak this size in the past for Jamaica," he said.
Posted in food bourne outbreak, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, outbreak, Salmonella
Norway – Yersinia outbreak in Norway linked to salad
A Yersinia outbreak in Norway has been solved and declared over just days after it was announced.
Folkehelseinstituttet (the Norwegian Institute of Public Health) said the national outbreak of Yersinia enterocolitica O3 was likely caused by a pre-mixed salad product.
Less than a week earlier, the agency had announced an investigation into a recent rise in Yersinia infections.
The outbreak started in mid-November and involved 10 confirmed patients. All of them are women aged 11 to 59 years old who became ill in mid to late November with the last case on Nov. 26. Three people live in Viken, two each in Oslo, Innlandet, and Vestland, and one in Telemark and Vestfold.
Posted in food bourne outbreak, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Toxin, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, outbreak, Yersinia, yersinia enterocolitica
USA – New Salmonella Potsdam Outbreak Announced by FDA
FDA's CORE Response Teams have published information about food poisoning outbreaks for the last month or so on their CORE Investigation Table. This table lists recent outbreaks caused by E. coli, Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, Campylobacter, and other pathogens. This table sometimes links to actionable steps for consumers to take, but may not. At this time, there is no information about the potential food source for the new Salmonella Potsdam outbreak.
Posted in food bourne outbreak, food contamination, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, outbreak, Salmonella