An outbreak of the Norovirus winter vomiting bug at a holiday village, which affected over 100 guests, has cost the company at least £250,000.
Potters Resort at Hopton-on-Sea near Great Yarmouth closed on Monday after a number of cases the previous week.
The resort has undergone midweek cleaning and reopened to 750 guests on Friday afternoon.
Potters said the costs were a combination of lost trade and the clean-up operation.
Any time there is an outbreak of Hepatitis A, it’s not just a lack of vaccination, not just about identifying those at risk and giving them a shot, it’s about poop.
Specifically, that person making your salad went #2 and failed to properly wash their hands.
The Trentonian reports that the month before a Rosa’s Restaurant employee was diagnosed with Hepatitis A — sending residents scrambling for vaccinations — the eatery was cited for numerous handwashing violations.
According to an Oct. 8 food inspection report obtained by The Trentonian through a public records request, the restaurant was listed as out of compliance for employees conducting handwashing in a timely manner, workers performing proper handwashing and the business providing paper towel for handwashing facilities.
Also marked as a violation, an employee was observed making sandwiches and handling rolls with his bare hands, while another worker was shredding and handling lettuce with his bare hands, the report states.
“Due to the number of critical violations, the person in charge is not demonstrating proper knowledge of food safety principles pertaining to this operation,” Hamilton Township food inspector Kelly A. Thomas wrote in her report, which gave the restaurant a conditionally satisfactory evaluation. “No proof of food handling certification was available on-site at time of inspection.”
In response to the October report and some of the continued handwashing violations throughout the years, restaurant owner Rosa Spera said in an email on Friday that her establishment has four handwashing sinks.
“On past inspections some of the signs reminding workers to wash their hands have been missing,” Spera stated. “Unfortunately, sometimes people remove the
After the first case of Hepatitis A was reported in late November, officials disclosed three other Hamilton area residents contracted the virus that had eaten at Rosa’s during the time period the worker was affected.
However, township officials previously stated that it does not know with any certainty that any of the three cases had any link to or is a direct result of the original incident.
Spera said in the email it’s “unfortunate” that one of her workers got sick in November.
“When he did, he reported immediately to a doctor, not to work,” Spera stated. “When I learned of it, I took immediate action to take every precaution. With the guidance of the Hamilton Health Department, we threw away all open food and had the township observe our deep cleaning of all food areas.”
Jeff Plunkett, the township’s health officer, said in an interview on Tuesday, that the restaurant was closed for approximately seven to eight hours on Dec. 1.
“They had to remove the entire staff, bring an entire staff new that hadn’t worked there during that period of communicability when the gentleman was sick,” Plunkett said. “The entire place was clean and sanitized and witnessed by an inspector who was there the entire time.”
But even as the health inspector stressed the importance of wearing gloves on Dec. 1, Thomas stated in her report that she observed an employee slicing and handling bread with his bare hands. Two days later, Thomas stated she observed employees doing prep work scramble to put on gloves as she walked through the doors, while another employee put on gloves without washing his hands first, inspection documents read.
Guelph, the town and the university, is like every other cow-town, eager to blow itself (it’s in Canada).
The Guelph Mercury says in an op-ed the Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health board received a review this week of the agency’s response to a public health scare arising from a local restaurant staffer being diagnosed with hepatitis A.
The board heard that the organization was quickly informed by the worker’s physician of the diagnosis and made prompt, effective and smart moves upon receipt of that information.
Among other correct and timely moves the board heard the agency made in this case was using a variety of media formats to spread the word of this situation and to communicate times and locations where concerned residents could obtain vaccinations at rapidly convened clinics.
(They contacted barfblog.com to get an estimation of reach; how the hell do I know, we just put stuff out there.)
The organization also adjusted quickly and resourcefully to meet higher than anticipated public demand for vaccines, the board heard.
By the account of the board, it was a case well-handled by health unit staff — and commendations were offered to that team following the briefing.
An earlier story declared the response to the Hepatitis A outbreak was public health’s finest hour.
When a family doctor alerted Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health that he had a patient with hepatitis A, the health protection and prevention agency leapt into action.
Dr. Nicola Mercer, the local medical officer of health, painted a picture of a responsive staff and an amicable public to the board of health Wednesday as she described the series of events that led to some 1,400 vaccinations being administered after a food handler at the popular Marj’s Kitchen in Alma was diagnosed with the hepatitis A virus.
Mercer said she received the call from the physician on Jan. 21.
“Normally you wouldn’t hear about a hepatitis A case,” Mercer said. “But in this case, the patient was a food handler who had worked the entire time of being infectious.”
After examining the lab work, staff determined the individual was infectious between Jan. 2 and Jan. 20 and that potentially 4,000 people had been exposed.
A number of things happened in tandem. Staff interviewed all staff at Marj’s Kitchen and administered vaccinations since these were the people most at risk of infection.
Lost in the platitudes is a simple message: make Hepatitis A vaccinations mandatory for everybody, especially food service workers.
A customer who bought a Big Mac meal in Japan was shocked to discover a human tooth in the fries – in the latest food safety scandal that has led to plummeting sales in the country this year.
Japanese officials apologized to the customer for the incident, which occurred in August last year, and said none of the employees at the branch in question had lost a tooth.
They added there were no signs the tooth had been fried – and said they are investigating how it came to be in the fries.
Senior executive Takehiko Aoki said: ‘To make such cases zero is our goal. We are doing our utmost to tackle them, one by one.’
He added: ‘I will eat McNuggets. I will feed McNuggets to my children. I have no doubts.’
McDonald’s is extremely popular in Japan with more than 3,000 restaurants.
But a series of recent scares, including customers finding fillings and plastic in chicken nuggets, has led to the company reporting its first annual operating loss in Japan.
Sales for January fell by a record 39%, and over the course of 2014, losses totaled 6.7billion yen – or $57 million. This is compared with an operating profit of 11.5billion yen a year earlier.
Staphylococcus aureus is a gram-positive bacterium that colonizes a variety of animal species [1]. S. aureus infections in animals are most commonly reported as a cause of mastitis in dairy-producing animals (including cattle and goats) and “bumblefoot” in chickens [2], as well as being identified as a pathogen of farmed rabbits [3]. Most reports characterizing animal-associated S. aureus have demonstrated that strains affecting animals are distinct from those infecting humans, suggesting that there are host-specific lineages which only rarely cross species boundaries [4].
Livestock-associated strains may evolve on farms because of the use of antibiotics in animal husbandry. These may be used as feed additives for growth promotion in industrial livestock and poultry [5], for prevention of disease within a herd, or for treatment of an existing disease outbreak. Agricultural-use antibiotics include many classes that are relevant for human health, including tetracyclines, macrolides, penicillins, and sulfonamides, among others. Antimicrobial resistance generated during animal husbandry may then be spread to the general human population in a number of different manners: contact with contaminated meat products (via handling or ingestion); occupational contact (farmers, meat packers, butchers, etc.) and potential secondary spread into the larger community from those who are occupationally exposed; entry into and transmission via hospitals or other health care facilities; or spread via environmental routes including air, water, or manure in areas in proximity to live animal farms or crop farms where manure has been used as a fertilizer.
While methicillin resistance has been the most commonly investigated phenomenon and will be the main topic of this review, resistance to any of these antibiotics can occur and can potentially be a threat to successful treatment of S. aureus infections and therefore to human health outcomes. As such, my research group and others have begun to look more broadly at any S. aureus present on farms, including those that may be susceptible to methicillin but resistant to other antibiotics.
Livestock-Associated Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA): An Overview
In the early part of the 21st century, a novel pig-associated strain of MRSA was identified: sequence type 398 (ST398) and related strains (collectively grouped into clonal complex 398, or CC398, reviewed in [6]). CC398 was first identified in pigs and swine workers but has since been found in other animals (including cattle, poultry, and dogs as well as humans) in a number of countries in Europe, Asia, and North and South America, as well as Australia. The discovery of this strain led to the addition of livestock-associated MRSA (LA-MRSA) to the lexicon, to complement hospital-associated (HA) and community-associated (CA) strains.
In most European countries, CC398 remains the most commonly identified type of LA-MRSA [6–9], leading to a presumption that the terms LA-MRSA and CC398 are practically interchangeable. However, while CC398 strains have been found in livestock across the globe, the epidemiology of livestock-associated S. aureus has been found to differ in other geographic areas. Several Asian studies have demonstrated that a different strain of MRSA, ST9, appears to be the prominent type of LA-MRSA in several Asian countries [10–14]. Poultry may harbor CC398 strains [15–17] but also other types unrelated to CC398, including CC5 [15, 18] or other types [17]. In the United States, the diversity of livestock-associated S. aureus appears to be higher than that identified in Europe or Asia, with reports of both CC398 as well as a variety of “human” types of S. aureus in live animals, as described below.
The epidemiology of CC398 and other strains found in both animals and humans [12] has led to a reexamination of the idea of host specificity in S. aureus. CC398 appears to be frequently shared between animals and humans and is capable of causing active symptomatic infections in both species [19, 20]. Furthermore, both CC398 and a poultry-adapted S. aureus strains of CCT5 have been phylogenetically analyzed and appear to have originated in humans, who transmitted strains to animals, in which the strains subsequently spread and evolved a variety of host adaptations [21, 22]. As such, there exist both human-associated CC398 strains as well as true livestock strains, complicating studies of origin or host association based only on knowledge of sequence type.
Epidemiology of CC398 and Other Livestock-Associated S. aureus in the US
The epidemiology of LA-SA in the US appears to be notably different than in European countries, where the bulk of LA-SA research has been carried out. While early studies on farms and of meat-identified CC398 strains in animals, farm workers, and meat products, [23, 24], contemporaneous studies also documented CC398 in populations with no obvious livestock contact [25–27]. In one Texas publication carried out in a jail setting rather than on a farm, CC398 isolates made up a significant portion (13.2%) of all methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) identified within this population. Clearly, the association of CC398 exclusively with an agricultural reservoir did not appear to hold in the US.
While CC398 can have LA as well as human versions, other human strains of S. aureus have also been found in US livestock. Studies carried out on swine farms in the US have identified human strains within the noses of live animals [28–30] or as components of environmental samples of farm dust [31]. Several papers have found CC5 strains rather than CC398-associated types to be the dominant strain isolated from pig farms in both Iowa and Ohio [31, 32], while others have found CC398 to be the most common molecular type [23, 33]. Three studies in North Carolina examining workers on pig farms and in processing plants similarly found substantial diversity among S. aureus isolated from workers, including CC398, CC5, and CC8 strains, among others [34–36].
Transmission between Animals and Humans in the Farming Setting
Studies of individuals living in proximity to concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) support the idea that nonlivestock strains may be spreading within areas proximal to farms. Two independent studies carried out in Iowa and Pennsylvania that examined the relationship between animal farms and MRSA found an increased risk of MRSA colonization or infection in those living close to farms or in areas where manure was spread on fields [37, 38]. In both studies, however, no classic LA strains were found when molecular typing was carried out on isolates collected. This suggests that either strains other than LA isolates are evolving on farms (consistent with on-farm sampling described above) or that it may be the presence of antibiotic resistance genes and antibiotic residues on farms that are moving to the subjects’ own bacterial flora and causing a shift toward antibiotic-resistant strains in these populations, or perhaps a combination of both mechanisms. Firm conclusions are difficult to make in the absence of a concerted, national-level on-farm sampling effort, which is difficult to carry out in the US because of private/corporate ownership of many farms and laws in several states that are unfriendly to farm visitors.
Human Infections with Livestock-Associated S. aureus Strains
A number of human infections with CC398 strains have been reported. Most of these have been documented in Europe [39–41]; however, CC398 infections from the US [26, 42, 43] and Canada [44] have been reported as well. Because many infection reports were published prior to the recognition of distinct lineages of CC398, it is not always clear, particularly for individuals lacking exposure to livestock, whether the CC398 strains identified are ancestral human strains, or derived livestock types. This has significance for prevention and treatment, as human-origin strains appear to be more virulent than true livestock strains but may also be less likely to be multidrug resistant (and as such, more easily treatable) [22]. Nonetheless, the majority of reported infections with CC398 strains appear to be similar in scope to community-associated S. aureus strains, causing skin and soft tissue infections and, more rarely, serious invasive infections and death.
Potential for Meat Products as a Source of LA-SA in the Community
Just as a variety of human and livestock strains have been found in live animals on farms, so have they been found in meat products sampled in the US [18, 24, 45–49]. CC398 strains have been found in pork and chicken products in the US and appear to be the dominant contaminating strains in raw turkey meat. S. aureus may be transmitted to humans from meat products by handling of contaminated products or by the cross contamination of household surfaces (such as countertops and sinks), which are then touched by family members. While antibiotic use on farms may drive selection of antibiotic-resistant strains of S. aureus that eventually end up in meat products, eliminating consumer exposure to such bacteria is not as straightforward as simply purchasing products raised in an antibiotic-free environment. In a study examining conventional versus antibiotic-free pork products, no difference was found in prevalence of MRSA between these types of samples [46]. This was a different result obtained from sampling results on conventional versus antibiotic-free farms [33], suggesting the potential for either contamination of pigs with MRSA in the lairage area prior to slaughter or contamination of meat products during processing or packaging, either via humans in the plants who may spread MRSA to meat products or from bacterial residues present from conventional products. It is currently not known what the risk is to consumers from S. aureus–contaminated meat products.
Conclusions, Significance, and Future Studies
Livestock-associated S. aureus is an emerging category of S. aureus throughout the world. Currently, the research carried out has focused more closely on carriage than on transmission and infection, but these strains appear to be less likely to cause human infections and to spread person-to-person than typical human strains [50]. However, these conclusions should be noted with caution, as few well-designed prospective studies have been conducted to answer these questions to date.
Recent research suggests that bidirectional transmission of strains of S. aureus between humans and livestock is not a rare occurrence. In addition to the movement of CC398 between animals and humans, studies have suggested that a human pandemic clone, CC97, had its origin in cattle [51]. Additionally, antibiotic resistance genes, including mecA [52, 53] and mecC [54, 55], have been suggested to have an animal origin.
Currently, we are limited in the ways we can distinguish whether any particular strain of S. aureus is a human or livestock-adapted isolate. We can use the presence of marker genes, including the loss scn and presence of tet(M), both of which are genotypes associated with livestock adaptation of CC398 lineages [22, 56] or examine the presence of a single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) that has also been identified in this clade [56]. However, large-scale studies validating these markers in other lineages (CC5, CC8, and more) are lacking. Additional large-scale studies in both human and animal populations are necessary in order to gather isolates that are epidemiologically well characterized. These isolates can then be analyzed in order to validate current genomic markers, as well as to identify novel ones in lineages besides CC398.
Livestock-associated Staphylococcus aureus: the United States experience
PLoS Pathog 11(2): e1004564
Tara C. Smith
http://journals.plos.org/plospathogens/article?id=10.1371/journal.ppat.1004564
Some organic milk producers have stopped production after Victoria took action to stop people drinking raw milk.
The death of a three-year-old boy in December last year, linked to the consumption of unpasteurised bath milk, as well as three other cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome in children under 5-years-old, prompted changes to dairy licences.
Victoria is the first state to force producers selling milk for cosmetic purposes, labelled as bath milk, to add a bittering agent to give the milk a distasteful flavour.
Manager of the Miranda Dale Dairy in south-east Victoria, Reg Matthews, said he had lost 70 per cent of his business over night because of the new licence arrangement.
“We’ll bring out a low temperature pasteurised product. Whether that can sustain us enough to keep the business going remains to be seen,” he said.
“Really what happens this afternoon, my son is waiting for me, we’ll sit down and start looking at the animals and make some decisions as to what if anything we are going to sell off and get a few dollars in the door.”
Nine Irish restaurants and take-aways were closed due to food safety breaches in January.
An Eddie Rockets diner and a Spar store were among two of the businesses told to close their doors last month by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland.
While revealing the closure orders, Professor Alan Reilly, Chief Executive of FSAI warned standards cannot slip to a level that consumer health is put at risk.
He said: ” It is not acceptable for any food business to potentially put their customers’ health at risk. Every food business should be striving to meet the high food safety and hygiene standards that the majority of food businesses achieve on a daily basis.
“We’re urging food businesses to make sure that they have a food safety management system in place and that it is consulted on a regular basis and updated, where necessary, to ensure non-compliance issues and breaches of food safety legislation don’t occur.”
Supermarket and residential market food safety inspection results will be open to the public in 2015, Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long said on Wednesday.
The names of food providers that violated food safety regulations and those that adhered to them would be made public to ensure customers’ right to access to safe food, Long said.
In another effort to make food safer in 2015, the Ministry of Health planned a pilot programme, under which ward and commune inspection teams would be placed in Ha Noi and HCM City to examine food suppliers and deal with regulation violators.
“Those sub-district inspection teams will be granted the ability to impose direct fines on the violators,” Long said. “This is a radical idea we are rushing to implement as soon as possible.”
That’s Victoria, the Australian state, where 25 per cent of the name and shame offences in food service directly related to a lack of training.
Grace Smith writes for the Australian Institute of Food Safety that once an eatery has been discovered to breach Standard 3.2.2 Clause 3(1) (b) of the Food Act S16 (1), their details are added to the register for twelve months where the public can access details about their misconduct. The clause demands that all food-based establishments are responsible for ensuring that the people who are supervising or undertaking food handling operations must have “knowledge of food safety and food hygiene matters”.
Some of the establishments that were charged with failing to comply with food safety training laws include:
Milk Torquay Pty Ltd: Fined $6000.00 as part of their aggregate order, with $10,000 costs.
High Street Bakers and Confectioners of Thornbury: Fined $40,700.00 as part of their aggregate order with $1,300.00 costs.
Dream Cakes Café of Oakleigh: Fined $5,000.00 as part of their aggregate order with $6009.35 costs, and $10,000 in another aggregate order with $6009 costs.
While it’s safe to say that these convicted vendors were found guilty of various breaches, including handwashing and cleanliness problems, it’s shocking to imagine that in 2014, restaurants, cafes, and eateries are still staffed by individuals ignorant of food safety matters.
The federal legislation in Australia currently states that all people who are responsible for handling food must undertake food safety training appropriate to their position. The law also requires that businesses comply with the Food Standards Code – a collection of individual food standards that was jointly developed by professionals in Australia and New Zealand. Providing people with food that does not meet this code is a criminal offence.
Furthermore, the state legislation in Victoria outlines that every business dealing with food must have a Food Safety Supervisor on staff who is reasonably contactable at all times. The Food Safety Supervisor must have completed a mandatory training course and is responsible for preventing, monitoring and dealing with food safety issues as they arise, as well as being responsible for the ensuring all food handlers are trained appropriately in food safety.
(Something may be lost in translation, but thanks for the contribution)
In Romerike in Norway food inspectors celebrated the finish of a meeting with sandwiches. It ended up with 17 out of 22 getting food poisoning.
FSA has conducted a comprehensive amendment of its organization and department. Romerike celebrated this with tall sandwiches this week. It was disaster.
Now almost all employees sick. FSA suspect they have been food poisoning.
Of a total of 22 employees are 17 down for the count.
The sandwiches were delivered by a catering firm.