The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has confirmed man from Cary died from Vibrio vulnificus, apparently linked to raw oysters.
The Center for Disease Control says it is impossible to tell that an oyster is bad by looking at it.
“An oyster that contains harmful bacteria doesn’t look, smell, or even taste different from any other oyster,” the CDC’s website says.
Most Vibrio infections can be prevented by ensuring your seafood is thoroughly cooked, especially oysters.
Several countries’ studies have suggested that a mutated and very aggressive form of the listeria bacteria is raging in an M.V.Wool fish plant located near Harku, just outside of Tallinn. According to the latest info, 26 people across Europe have already contracted the bacteria, six of whom have died — among them nine people in Estonia, two of whom have died, according to a longer story to air on ETV investigative program Pealtnägija on Wednesday night.
Genetic analysis ordered by the Veterinary and Food Board (VTA) revealed that the aggressive and contagiousST1247 strain of listeria can be traced back to the factory owned by M.V.Wool, Estonia’s largest fish producer. Bacteria from this specific strain have been found both in the plant’s production building as well as from people that have fallen ill.
VTA deputy director general Olev Kalda said that the fish plant is under the watchful eye of inspectors, and each product batch to leave the plant is currently being thoroughly inspected.
“Clearly some fairly innocuous listeria monocytogenes ended up at that business, possibly three or four years ago, but it’s possible that as a result of insufficient [cleaning] measures, this mutation occurred there and it developed into a persister strain, i.e. a strain unique only to that specific place,” Kalda explained.
M.V.Wool factory owner and board chairman Mati Vetevool has categorically denied that the dangerous bacteria came from their factory, pointing the finger instead at Norwegian and Finnish farms from which he claims the bacteria ended up in their plant.
“I absolutely do not agree that this bacteria is our bacteria,” Vetevool said. “It comes in from the fish farm; it hasn’t developed here. We can also end up stuck with a strain originating from a fish farm. Every night, our fish plant is thoroughly washed, and we destroy absolutely all bacteria in the cleaning process. It’s not possible that we are poisoning anyone. Nothing of the sort is possible — this is simply sheer libel.”
According to Kalda, however, Vetevool’s story doesn’t add up.
“The studies show that this specific strain has been found only in products to be produced by this company, it has been found in this company’s environment — i.e. in its production facilities, on its production equipment — but it, as I mentioned, did not enter this company in this form, with this current strain of DNA,” the VTA official said.
The Maryland Department of Health (MDH) is investigating a cluster of salmonella infections in individuals who all reported eating at Moby Dick House of Kabob restaurant, which has multiple locations in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia.
Since September 10, nine confirmed cases have been reported in Maryland. The exact cause of the infections has not been determined and the investigation is ongoing, but eight of nine cases reported consuming Moby Dick House of Kabob hummus.
At this time, Moby Dick House of Kabob has voluntarily suspended sale of hummus and MDH recommends that consumers discard hummus purchased from any Moby Dick House of Kabob. Individuals who have recently eaten food from Moby Dick House of Kabob and are experiencing any adverse medical symptoms should seek medical attention.
Outbreak News Today reports that Swedish Public Health officials (Folkhalsomyndigheten) are reporting (computer translated) an outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium since the beginning of the month.
To date, 36 cases from 10 counties have been linked with whole-genome sequencing. Most cases have been reported from Västra Götaland, Jönköping, Halland and Dalarna. Ill persons are found in all age groups, both among children and the elderly, and slightly more women (22) than men (14) have become sick.
The Swedish National Food Agency and the Public Health Authority together are investigating the outbreak to identify the source of the infection that is suspected to be a food that has been widely distributed in Sweden.
Fresh tartar sauce is the source of the salmonella outbreak in the Bruges hotel school Spermalie in early September.
EN 24 News reports on Friday Sept. 6 and the following days, 200 pupils and teachers fell ill at the Spermalie hotel and tourism school in Bruges. Laboratory testing of stool languages soon showed that Spermalie was affected by an outbreak of salmonella. The samples of the meals that were served in the school restaurant were then analyzed. An online survey of students and teachers was also launched to find out who had eaten what in which restaurant.
“All these elements together make us decide that the tartar sauce and perhaps more specifically the eggs used are at the source of this outbreak. Further research and typing of the salmonella strains will bring even more clarity on this, “says Liesbeth Van de Voorde, spokesperson for the FASFC food agency.
Sajila Saseendran of Gulf News writes Dubai Municipality has shut down an American restaurant after 15 people fell ill following a food poisoning outbreak recently.
The Food Safety Department of the civic body ordered the outlet to close and held its chef and Person-In-Charge (PIC) of food safety responsible for the salmonella infection that caused the outbreak, the municipality stated.
The department has downgraded the food safety rating of the outlet and revoked its PIC certificate.
The outlet in a Jumeirah mall will be under strict monitoring for the next six months once it will be allowed to reopen after the closure period to corrective measures.
The team collected samples and conducted internationally accepted tests following which they traced the infection to raw eggs used in hollandaise sauce, officials said.
It was found that the chef had used raw eggs in violation of the food safety rules.
Following this, the department issued a fresh alert to eateries preparing food with eggs reminding them about its ban on using raw eggs in ready-to-eat products.
In 2012, the municipality barred Dubai eateries from using raw eggs in ready-to-eat products after authorities found them as a cause of many salmonella infections reported here.
New regulations that restrict the use of raw and under-cooked eggs were introduced and it was also made mandatory to declare their use in food labels or menus.
WATE reports a customer complaint sent a health inspector back to a Morristown restaurant six weeks after a routine inspection.
Golden Dragon, 3325 Andrew Johnson Highway, Morristown – Grade: 70
The Golden Dragon on Andrew Johnson Highway scored a 70 during the most recent inspection. The score was passing. The health department considers a grade below 70 is considered “unsanitary.”
Several of the violations marked off in the report could lead to foodborne illness if not corrected.
The inspector wrote he watched a worker carry dirty dishes from the dining room into the kitchen and start preparing food without washing his hands.
Another kitchen worker washed large containers of food in the utility sink with water and put them away without rinsing and sanitizing them.
Inside the kitchen raw frog legs were stored over banana pudding and raw fish was stored over broccoli. That is OK at home but raw food contains bacteria and placing raw food over ready to eat food raises the potential for cross-contamination.
The Baltic Times reports the Sigulda Regional Council turned to the State Police (VP) about the infection of four kindergarten children with salmonella, Sindija Brikmane, deputy head of the Public Relations Department of Sigulda Municipality, informed LETA.
Investigating the causes of the disease, the Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CDPC) has received information from a laboratory that four children from local kindergartens in Sigulda Region have been diagnosed with the salmonella bacterium.
The municipality has previously announced that if the responsible authorities confirm that the caterer is guilty of causing the disease, the municipality will immediately terminate the contract with SIA Baltic Restaurants Latvia.
The Sigulda Regional Council promises to continue to monitor the inspection services and inform the public and the parents of the children about the current situation and the results of the bacterial samples taken.
In 2018, an outbreak of leptospirosis was identified among raspberry workers from a mixed‐berry farm in New South Wales, Australia. Initial testing had not revealed a cause, but eventually leptospirosis was detected via polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Further serological testing detected Leptospira borgpetersenii serovar Arborea, of which rodents are the predominant reservoir. Leptospirosis is rare in Australia, with outbreaks usually related to flooding. We conducted an investigation to identify risk factors for infection, to inform control measures.
Cases were detected through laboratory notifications, hospital‐based syndromic surveillance, awareness‐raising among farm employees and clinician alerts. Confirmed cases had a four‐fold rise in antibody titre or single titre ≥400 on microscopic agglutination test, and a positive IgM. Probable cases had a positive Leptospira PCR or IgM, and possible cases had a clinically compatible illness. We conducted a case–control study among raspberry workers on the farm and compared reported exposures between cases and seronegative controls. We assessed environmental risks on‐site and tested rodents for leptospirosis.
We identified 84 cases over a 5‐month period (50 confirmed, 19 probable and 15 possible). Compared with controls, cases were less likely to wear gloves and more recently employed. Cases also more commonly reported always having scratched hands, likely from the thorns on raspberry plants. We observed evidence of rodent activity around raspberry plants and three of thirteen trapped mice tested positive for Leptospira Arborea. Control measures included enhanced glove use, doxycycline prophylaxis and rodent control.
This is the largest known outbreak of leptospirosis in Australia. Workers were likely exposed through scratches inflicted during harvesting, which became contaminated with environmental leptospires from mice. Leptospirosis should be considered an occupational risk for raspberry workers, requiring protective measures. Chemoprophylaxis may assist in controlling outbreaks. PCR assists in the early diagnosis and detection of leptospirosis and should be included in surveillance case definitions.
Investigation and response to an outbreak of leptospirosis among raspberry workers in Australia, 2018
Zoonoses and Public Health
Anthea L. Katelaris, Keira Glasgow, Kerryn Lawrence, Paul Corben, Anthony Zheng, Suhasini Sumithra, John Turahui, Janet Terry, Debra van den Berg, Daneeta Hennessy, Stacey Kane, Scott B. Craig, Ellena Heading, Mary‐Anne Burns, Hanisah L. Corner, Vicky Sheppeard, Jeremy McAnulty
The Minnesota State Fair has been connected to an outbreak of an E. coli strain, according to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH).
To date, disease doctors have identified 11 cases of E. coli 0157 among Minnesotans who were at the State Fair between Aug. 25 and Sept. 2. All of them fell ill between Aug. 29 and Sept. 6.
Ages of those sickened range from 2 to 43 years old. Six of the cases required the patient to be hospitalized, including one person developing hemolytic uremic syndrome, which the MDH says is a potentially fatal complication.
One person is still in a hospital being treated.
Investigators are working to determine the source of the outbreak, with evidence so far indicating that it most likely began with contact with livestock.
Most of the 11 patients visited the Miracle of Birth exhibit and made physical contact with calves, goats, sheep or piglets, but others suffering from the E. coli strain did not make direct contact with animals, leading the MDH to consider the possibility that those people made contact with contaminated surfaces.
“This serves as a strong reminder to always wash your hands after being around livestock and their enclosures,” the MDH says.
Fortunately, there is “little chance” of ongoing exposure to the strain since the fair has ended.
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.
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.