Don’t poop in the pool; 20 sickened; Welsh pool reopens after cryptosporidiosis cases

Posted on October 14, 2012 by Doug Powell

A swimming pool in Newport, Wales, where the Powell name is vaguely recognized, has reopened after 20 people were infected with cryptosporidium last month.

Newport Centre swimming pool was closed by the city council after the cases of cryptosporidium were confirmed.

The council said it was “100% satisfied everything is in order” after the pool was drained and re-grouted.

Public Health Wales (PHW) has urged swimmers to adopt better hygiene after seeing a rise in cases of the bug, which can survive chlorine in pools.

Meanwhile the BBC also reported a restaurant chain has apologized for accidentally serving whiskey to a two-year-old.

Frankie and Benny’s said on Thursday it was extremely sorry for Saturday’s incident and is looking into what systems need to be put in place to ensure that it does not happen again.

2 children sickened; E .coli O157 outbreak linked to animals in Welsh petting farm

Posted on October 11, 2012 by Doug Powell

Investigations into an E. coli outbreak in Mid Wales which affected two children have linked the infection to animals at a local petting farm.

Public Health Wales and colleagues in three local authorities and the Health Protection Agency have been investigating the outbreak of E. coli O157 since September and found the type of infection in the patients matched examples from animals at Cantref Adventure Farm in Brecon.

Both children had visited the farm in the days before they became unwell, and both are recovering at home.

Three other people, who are family members of the infected children, have also tested positive for the same type of E.coli O157.

The farm has been advised to continue to stop direct contact between animals and members of the public while the exact source of infection is investigated.

A table of petting zoo outbreaks is available at http://bites.ksu.edu/petting-zoos-outbreaks.

Erdozain G, Kukanich K, Chapman B, Powell D. 2012. Observation of public health risk behaviours, risk communication and hand hygiene at Kansas and Missouri petting zoos – 2010-2011. Zoonoses Public Health. 2012 Jul 30. doi: 10.1111/j.1863-2378.2012.01531.x. [Epub ahead of print]

Outbreaks of human illness have been linked to visiting settings with animal contact throughout developed countries. This paper details an observational study of hand hygiene tool availability and recommendations; frequency of risky behavior; and, handwashing attempts by visitors in Kansas (9) and Missouri (4), U.S., petting zoos. Handwashing signs and hand hygiene stations were available at the exit of animal-contact areas in 10/13 and 8/13 petting zoos respectively. Risky behaviors were observed being performed at all petting zoos by at least one visitor. Frequently observed behaviors were: children (10/13 petting zoos) and adults (9/13 petting zoos) touching hands to face within animal-contact areas; animals licking children’s and adults’ hands (7/13 and 4/13 petting zoos, respectively); and children and adults drinking within animal-contact areas (5/13 petting zoos each). Of 574 visitors observed for hand hygiene when exiting animal-contact areas, 37% (n=214) of individuals attempted some type of hand hygiene, with male adults, female adults, and children attempting at similar rates (32%, 40%, and 37% respectively). Visitors were 4.8x more likely to wash their hands when a staff member was present within or at the exit to the animal-contact area (136/231, 59%) than when no staff member was present (78/343, 23%; p<0.001, OR=4.863, 95% C.I.=3.380-6.998). Visitors at zoos with a fence as a partial barrier to human-animal contact were 2.3x more likely to wash their hands (188/460, 40.9%) than visitors allowed to enter the animals’ yard for contact (26/114, 22.8%; p<0.001, OR= 2.339, 95% CI= 1.454-3.763). Inconsistencies existed in tool availability, signage, and supervision of animal-contact. Risk communication was poor, with few petting zoos outlining risks associated with animal-contact, or providing recommendations for precautions to be taken to reduce these risks.

2 kids sick; E. coli O157 linked to petting farm in Wales

Posted on September 21, 2012 by Doug Powell

These things keep happening, and we know why, but the worst is the way it affects kids and their families.

BBC News is reporting that two children from Kent who visited Cantref Adventure Farm have been sickened by E. coli O157 and are recovering at home.

Two family members of one of the infected children have also tested positive.

One is believed to have contracted the illness through contact with the child. The farm has been asked to comment.

A table of petting zoo outbreaks is available at http://bites.ksu.edu/petting-zoos-outbreaks.

Abstract below:

Observation of public health risk behaviors, risk communication and hand hygiene at Kansas and Missouri petting zoos – 2010-2011Outbreaks of human illness have been linked to visiting settings with animal contact throughout developed countries. This paper details an observational study of hand hygiene tool availability and recommendations; frequency of risky behavior; and, handwashing attempts by visitors in Kansas (9) and Missouri (4), U.S., petting zoos. Handwashing signs and hand hygiene stations were available at the exit of animal-contact areas in 10/13 and 8/13 petting zoos respectively. Risky behaviors were observed being performed at all petting zoos by at least one visitor. Frequently observed behaviors were: children (10/13 petting zoos) and adults (9/13 petting zoos) touching hands to face within animal-contact areas; animals licking children’s and adults’ hands (7/13 and 4/13 petting zoos, respectively); and children and adults drinking within animal-contact areas (5/13 petting zoos each). Of 574 visitors observed for hand hygiene when exiting animal-contact areas, 37% (n=214) of individuals attempted some type of hand hygiene, with male adults, female adults, and children attempting at similar rates (32%, 40%, and 37% respectively). Visitors were 4.8x more likely to wash their hands when a staff member was present within or at the exit to the animal-contact area (136/231, 59%) than when no staff member was present (78/343, 23%; p<0.001, OR=4.863, 95% C.I.=3.380-6.998). Visitors at zoos with a fence as a partial barrier to human-animal contact were 2.3x more likely to wash their hands (188/460, 40.9%) than visitors allowed to enter the animals’ yard for contact (26/114, 22.8%; p<0.001, OR= 2.339, 95% CI= 1.454-3.763). Inconsistencies existed in tool availability, signage, and supervision of animal-contact. Risk communication was poor, with few petting zoos outlining risks associated with animal-contact, or providing recommendations for precautions to be taken to reduce these risks.

10 sickened; crypto outbreak at UK farm ‘over’

Posted on June 3, 2012 by Doug Powell

The British media has a microbiology problem. Anything that causes illness is routinely labeled a virus or superbug. It happens daily.

Today’s winner is South Wales Argus, which called cryptosporidium a virus, while reporting that an outbreak linked to a Welsh farm that sickened 10 people appears to be over.

Tests showed those who were ill had the same strain of the parasite, cryptosporidium, as lambs and kid goats at Greenmeadow community farm, Cwmbran.

Dr. Lika Nehaul, consultant in communicable disease control, said Public Health Wales is confident the removal of the affected animals has removed the source, and the outbreak can be declared over.

"Nine of those who were unwell were staff or volunteers who had fed the animals by hand," he said.

"Only one case was in a visitor. In the time between the kid goats and lambs arriving at the farm and the last case being confirmed, there had been almost 7,000 visitors, which will reassure the public that the risk was extremely small.”

Crypto outbreak in Welsh school kids?

Posted on May 5, 2012 by Doug Powell

Public health officials are investigating several cases of stomach illnesses in sixth formers at a Cardiff school.

There has been one confirmed case of cryptospiriodis amongst sixth formers at The Bishop of Llandaf Church in Wales school.

Four other cases are also being looked at amongst pupils who went on a school trip over the Easter holidays.

Perhaps they went to a farm?

Four more cases of cryptosporidium on Welsh farm

Posted on April 26, 2012 by Doug Powell

itv News reports four more people have been diagnosed with cryptosporidiosis linked to the outbreak at Greenmeadow Community farm in Cwmbran, Wales.

It brings the total number of cases to eight. All were either members of staff or volunteers who bottle fed unwell animals. The animals have now been removed from the farm.

Public Health Wales say extra control measures are in place to ensure that risks to farm visitors and staff are kept to a minimum.

Outbreak of cryptosporidium associated with Welsh farm

Posted on April 21, 2012 by Doug Powell

Public Health Wales and Torfaen County Borough Council with the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency are investigating an outbreak of cryptosporidium associated with a farm in Cwmbran.

Four people who have worked at Greenmeadow Community Farm have tested positive for cryptosporidium, and a further 13 possible cases in staff and volunteers are under investigation.

The one adult and three teenagers who have tested positive had all bottle fed lambs and kid goats that had diarrhoea.

There have been no reported cases of illness among members of the general public who visited the farm.

Dr Lika Nehaul, Consultant in Communicable Disease Control for Public Health Wales, said:

“The farm director instigated and has fully co-operated with our investigations. Handwashing after coming into contact with farm animals is of the utmost importance in preventing infection with cryptosporidium. There is no reason for anyone to avoid visiting petting farms as long as they ensure that anyone who has touched animals thoroughly washes their hands with hot water and soap immediately afterwards.”

Improvements made, but Wales still struggling with food safety

Posted on March 28, 2012 by Doug Powell

The Welsh government has been criticized by a consumer group for failing to publish a key food safety review, more than a year after it was due.

Madeleine Brindly reports that Consumer Focus Wales called on First Minister Carwyn Jones to make public the findings of a report he commissioned in 2010 into how best to enforce food hygiene regulations in Wales. The Food Standards Agency report should have been published in February 2011.

Overall the consumer body said good progress has been made implementing the 24 recommendations made by official inquiry that followed the 2005 deadly E.coli O157 outbreak that claimed the life of five-year-old Mason Jones in the South Wales Valleys.

Consumer Focus Wales has praised a proposed new law to force restaurants and takeaways to display their food hygiene rating scores.

Liz Withers, head of policy at Consumer Focus Wales, said, “There have been great strides in food safety, with the Welsh Government promising to make it law for the mandatory display of food hygiene ratings on food business premises.

“But we are disappointed a year on from our last report, the Food Standards Agency food law enforcement review, commissioned by the Welsh Government, has yet to be published. It is 12 months overdue – this simply isn’t good enough for consumers in Wales.”

Professor Hugh Pennington led the inquiry into the 2005 E. coli O157 outbreak in the South Wales valleys, which was caused by rogue butcher William John Tudor and killed five-year-old Deri schoolboy Mason Jones.

The Consumer Focus Wales report, the third of its kind, said many of the Pennington recommendations have not been implemented.

Increase in Salmonella Poona in England and Wales

Posted on March 26, 2012 by Doug Powell

There’s an apparent and on-going outbreak of Salmonella Poona that’s primarily affecting the elderly in the UK.

The Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Pathogens (LGP) has reported 49 non-travel associated, fully sensitive cases of Salmonella Poona with specimen dates on or after 24 October 2011 to 19 March 2012. This compares with 21 and 33 cases reported during the whole of 2009 and 2010 respectively. Those affected range from four months to 88 years of age with 65% of all cases aged over 60 years and a median age of 69.5 years; men and women are similarly affected.

Cases have been found across England and Wales, with most cases occurring in the South West (28%), South East (16%) and Wales (14%) regions. So far, no cases have been reported in London and the East Midlands and 14 cases have received treatment in hospital.

The Salmonella Poona isolates from 41 of the cases have been further typed by pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and all but one has the same PFGE profile XB.0003. This strain is indistinguishable from a strain seen in an outbreak in Sweden in 2010; however, a source was not been confirmed for that outbreak.

I did a little digging, but couldn’t find much about the 2010 Sweden outbreak. Anyone know? Suspect foods?

Scores on doors should be mandatory; can’t just choose to ignore a bad inspection grade; Wales will lead in UK

Posted on December 14, 2011 by Doug Powell

Restaurants and takeaways in Wales could be required by law to publicly display food hygiene ratings on their premises.

It would be the first compulsory "scores-on-the-doors" scheme in the UK, the Welsh government says.

Ministers want customers to get more details about where they eat or buy food and say this will raise standards.

The proposals follow E. coli outbreaks in Wales which led to calls for a tougher stance.

Karen Morrisroe (right), who became seriously ill after an E. coli outbreak linked to a fish and chip shop at Llay, Wrexham two years ago, told BBC Wales, "I’m all in favour of a mandatory system. I know it could put some people out of business but if this is done properly it will provide customers with better protection."

During the outbreak it emerged that the fish bar had been given a 0 out of 5 rating by council officials after an earlier food hygiene inspection.

Under the scheme, businesses will be rated with a score of between zero to five based on standards on how the food is prepared, cooked, cooled and stored, as well as the condition of the premises.

All food businesses, including supermarkets, will be required to display their score in a prominent position or face fines of up to £1,000. Ratings will also be available online.

A statement from the Welsh government said a mandatory scheme has been backed by Prof Hugh Pennington who chaired a public inquiry into the 2005 E.coli outbreak in south Wales.

About 30,000 businesses in Wales would be covered by the scheme which could be in operation by 2014.

Currently, more than 13,500 have been rated under a voluntary scheme operated by the Food Standards Agency (FSA), although it is estimated that only one in three display their rating.

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