Tag Archives: Death

3 dead in German E. coli outbreak; more than 400 sick

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The food safety news from Germany continues to be disturbing. Below is a translation of a German article, so excuse any inaccuracies.

The killer germ called EHEC now appeared three lives: In Lower Saxony (Diepholz) passed away a woman (83). She was admitted nine days ago because of bloody diarrhea hospitalized and treated in hospital. The laboratory evidence of EHEC infection was positive. The woman died on Saturday. Investigations by the health department in the immediate death Diepholz also ongoing.

Meanwhile it was announced that a woman possibly died (25) to EHEC in Bremen. The young woman had shown the symptoms of EHEC pathogen, such as the Bremen health authority said. The EHEC pathogens had not been demonstrated so laboratory diagnosis. In Schleswig-Holstein, died in a 80-year-old woman infected. Whether the pathogen was the cause of death is still unclear.

In their search for the source of the infections with the dangerous intestinal bacteria EHEC is making the Frankfurt FDA. All 19 previously in the Main metropolis ill have eaten in the same canteen, a Frankfurt-based consultancy, said Bellinger Oswald from the Health Department. Two canteens of PWC Consulting had been closed on Monday as a precaution.

The fault is probably a loaded delivery to the canteen: "We assume that the source of infection is located in Northern Germany," said Bellinger. Currently, experts evaluated the delivery notes of the two affected canteens. "We still believe that the transfer has taken place through raw food." Safety reasons are investigated and the kitchen staff, results of samples are expected by the end of the week. As long as the canteens were closed.

More than 40 of these patients also suffered under the hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS), which is caused by the intestinal bacteria.
 

First death in German E. coli outbreak; up to 200 sick

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A deadly outbreak of the E. coli bacterium has claimed its first victim in Germany, authorities confirmed Tuesday, following reports that at least 140 people had fallen ill after becoming infected over recent weeks.

Health officials said the 83-year-old from the northern state of Lower Saxony died Saturday after having suffered since May 15 with the bacteria.

The outbreak, thought to have been spread through contaminated vegetables, is unusual in that it has affected mainly adults.

Japan E. coli O111 outbreak claims fourth victim, 70 ill

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Jiji Press reported this morning that a woman died Thursday of food poisoning from E. coli O111 in central Japan, bringing the total number of deaths linked to a raw meat dish served at a restaurant chain to four, while 70 others have fallen ill.

She went to a restaurant in Tonami, Toyama prefecture, with her family, including another woman who died Wednesday. The two had eaten yukhoe, a dish similar to tartare, served at the eatery run by Foods Forus Co, based in nearby Kanazawa.

A 6-year-old boy also fell ill and died Friday after eating the dish at the same restaurant.

Another boy died a week ago in nearby Fukui prefecture after eating the same dish at another of the company’s restaurants.

Jiji reported that 70 other people were suspected to be suffering from food poisoning after eating at the company’s restaurants. One of them, confirmed to be infected with the E coli O111 strain, is in critical condition.

Third person dies from E. coli O111 in Japan

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Serving raw meat remains a bad idea as a woman in Japan died Wednesday of food poisoning linked to a raw meat dish at a restaurant chain in central Japan.

The woman had eaten yukhoe, similar to tartare, at the same restaurant in Tonami, Toyama prefecture, where a 6-year-old boy had fallen ill and died Friday after eating the same dish, Jiji Press reported. The restaurant is run by Foods Forus Co, based in nearby Kanazawa.

Another boy died a week ago in Fukui prefecture after eating the same dish at another of the company’s restaurants. Both boys were infected with E coli O111 strain.

Jiji reported Tuesday that 56 other people were confirmed to be suffering from food poisoning after eating the same dish at four of the company’s restaurants.

The company said at a news conference that it had failed for the last two years to conduct hygiene inspections of raw meat supplied for the dish by a Tokyo-based wholesaler.
 

Bakery goes from bad to worse; 2 dead, 66 sick from salmonella in zeppoles

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A second man has died after a salmonella outbreak that has sickened 66 people and may be linked to a Rhode Island bakery.

The state Health Department says the unidentified man died Thursday after being hospitalized and testing positive for salmonella. He was in his 90s and was from Providence County.

DeFusco’s Bakery in Johnston closed down, and its products were recalled, on March 25 after a Health Department inspection found many food-safety violations. They included storing empty, baked pastry shells in cardboard boxes that formerly held trays of raw eggs. Tests later found evidence of salmonella in the boxes, probably from an infected egg that broke.

In addition to closing down DeFusco’s, the outbreak has affected business at other bakeries, at least two of which have taken ads assuring their customers that their products are safe.

Poopy nuts update; public health hopeless at straight talk

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I generally buy walnuts in a plastic bag, already shelled. Once home, they go into a glass container where I’ll grab a few while puttering in the kitchen, or toss some on a salad, or into Amy’s oatmeal cookies or fiber-brownies (right, displayed this morning by daughter Sorenne).

When the E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in walnuts was first announced, early on April 4, 2011, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency said people were sick but wouldn’t say how many while fingering walnuts imported from California and imported by Amira Enterprises of St. Laurent, Quebec as the suspected source.

Later on April 4, 2011, the Public Health Agency of Canada issued its own statement, saying 13 were sick and that “consumers who have raw shelled walnuts in their home can reduce the risk of E. coli infection by roasting the walnuts prior to eating them. Consumers should place the nuts on a cooking sheet and bake at 350°F for 10 minutes, turning the nuts over once after five minutes.”

Sorenne won’t be doing that.

At the time I noted this advice does not account for the risk of cross-contamination with a virulent pathogen and that my microbiology friends look forward to testing it out.

On April 7, 2011, Quebec health types confirmed the death of one person linked to the walnuts and a spokesthingy said, "The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has serious doubts as to whether the infections are related to walnuts, but it’s the most probable source.”

(Are you getting a sense of how well single-food inspection agencies work?)

Late last night, PHAC issued another statement, saying there were 14 people sick in Quebec, Ontario and New Brunswick, including 10 hospitalizations, 3 cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome, and one death.

The PHAC statement emphatically states:

“If you have these products in your home, don’t consume them.”

But then goes on to less emphatically state,

“Until further notice, consumers who have raw shelled walnuts in their home can reduce the risk of E. coli infection by roasting the walnuts prior to eating them. Consumers should place the nuts on a cooking sheet and bake at 350°F for 10 minutes, turning the nuts over once after five minutes. Wash your hands and cooking utensils thoroughly after handling the walnuts.”

So PHAC added a washing recommendation in recognition of cross-contamination risks.

This is sorta hopeless. Throw any suspect walnuts out and don’t underestimate the risk of cross-contamination.

PHAC then ritually stated how people should cook meat to the proper internal temperature, wash fresh fruits and vegetables before eating them, clean counters and cutting boards and wash your hands regularly.

Sorenne wonders what this has to do with walnuts.

Public Health Agency of Canada, with all your salaries and collaborating bureaucrats, why are you so terrible at talking about food safety (see anything related to PHAC and listeria, 2008).

Consumers are not the critical control point (CCP) for walnuts sitting in a jar at home.
 

Walnuts suspected but not confirmed as E. coli source

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The Montreal Gazette is reporting tonight that public health authorities are still trying to pin down the source of an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak that has claimed the life of one Quebecer, caused severe kidney complications in another, and sickened 11 others in Canada.

Not much new, other than a few quotes from some of the players.

Adel Boulos, vice-president at Amira Enterprises Inc. said Thursday none of the walnut samples — collected from the individuals who got sick, from stores and from the food importer’s warehouse, adding, "We have decided to do the recall even though none of the walnuts have tested positive. The investigation is going on and we are co-operating fully with the government to make sure that nobody gets sick."

Nathalie Levesque, a provincial Health Department official, said, "The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has serious doubts as to whether the infections are related to walnuts, but it’s the most probable source.”

Read into that what you like. If this was a homegrown product, CFIA would not be saying anything public, based on their past track record (see Maple Leaf). But when it’s imported, CFIA tends to rediscover the basics of epidemiology. Or maybe I’m wrong. If CFIA publically disclosed how, when and why they inform the public about potential food risks, and was consistent, perhaps there would be some confidence in the system.

Alice D’Anjou, a Canadian Food Inspection Agency spokeswoman said, “We got to trace these nuts right back to their source. We’re still trying to identify where the contamination happened, where the problem is, and how to fix it.”

In an advisory issued on Monday, the agency declared that "at this time, the outbreak investigation indicates that several individuals have reported consuming raw shelled walnuts.

The recalled walnuts, all imported by Amira from California, include products sold under the brand names Merit Selection and Tia. The walnuts were sold pre-packaged as well as in bulk bins.
 

Walnuts suspected in Quebec E. coli death

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Quebec’s Health Department confirmed Thursday that one person in the province has died of E. coli O157:H7 after possibly eating contaminated walnuts.

The person had pre-existing health problems, a ministry spokesperson told CBC News.

No other information about the individual was released.

So far, 13 cases of E. coli illness in Canada have been linked to contaminated walnuts distributed by Quebec-based Amira Enterprises.

Nine of the cases have been in Quebec. Two have been confirmed in Ontario along with two in New Brunswick.

Health Canada has been warning people to avoid eating shelled walnuts from bulk bins or certain brands, including Amira, Tia and Merit Selection (right, from CBC, delivery trucks parked outside the Montreal offices of Amira Enterprises).

There has been no additional information for three days. This is Canada, and what with their fourth federal election in seven years, expect the information to be flowing forward in super-duper slow motion.

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Playground source for 2009 E. coli O157 outbreak in Germany; 1 death, 3 ill

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In summer 2009, four boys living in the same suburb in Germany developed diarrhea-associated hemolytic uremic syndrome: three were infected by STEC O157:H- and one died.

Writing in Zoonoses and Public Health, researchers screened the stools of 220 persons which led to the identification of only four additional cases: two asymptomatic carriers and two diarrheal cases.

HUS was strongly associated with visiting a local playground in July, particularly on 16th July (odds ratio = 42.7, P = 0.002). No other commonality, including food, was identified, and all environmental samples (n = 24) were negative. In this localized non-foodborne outbreak, the place of likely infection was a local playground.

The complete abstract is available at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1863-2378.2011.01405.x/abstract
 

France: A teenager dies from food poisoning

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A 16-year-old died on Monday in hospital in Chartres, France, as a result of food poisoning which could be related to having a meal in a kebab restaurant in the city, closed the same day by the DGCCRF (Branch Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control). Her step-sister, who also shared the same meal, complained of stomach cramps.

"An autopsy Wednesday afternoon on the body of the girl found that the victim had suffered multiple organ shock and that the death was due to food poisoning," said the prosecutor of Chartres, Philippe Peyroux. The court ordered the DGCCRF to go to emergency in the kebab eatery type where the two women had eaten to conduct an inspection. "This revealed poor hygiene standards and many anomalies. The facility has been closed immediately for health reasons and as a precaution, especially since it is located near a school.”

Tests were being conducted but results were so far inconclusive.