Showing posts with label vibrio. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vibrio. Show all posts

Monday, March 16, 2020

Cooked Shrimp Used in Sushi Operations Recalled for Vibrio parahaemolyticus

AFC Distribution Corp. (“AFC”) of Rancho Dominguez, California is voluntary recalling Cooked Butterfly Tail-On Whiteleg Shrimp (Sushi Ebi), Lot #2019.10.02, utilized in various prepared menu offerings with sell-by dates ranging from 02/19/2020 to 03/13/2020, because this ingredient may have a potential to be contaminated with Vibrio parahaemolyticus.

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/cooked-butterfly-tail-whiteleg-shrimp-sushi-ebi-lot-20191002
Cooked Butterfly Tail-On Whiteleg Shrimp (Sushi Ebi), Lot #2019.10.02
Summary
Company Announcement Date: March 13, 2020
FDA Publish Date: March 14, 2020
Product Type: Food & Beverages
Reason for Announcement: Potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes
Company Name: AFC Distribution Corp.
Brand Name: AFC Distribution Corp.
Product Description: Cooked Butterfly Tail-On Whiteleg Shrimp (Sushi Ebi)

Monday, July 23, 2018

CDC Issues Warning About Vibrio in Crab Meat From Venezuela

CDC issued a news release about an outbreak of Vibrio parahaemolyticus linked to fresh Crab Meat imported from Venezuela. CDC warns consumers to avoid crab meat from Venezuela, including confirming that crab meat is not from there before consuming.   Twelve people infected with Vibrio parahaemolyticus who ate fresh crab meat have been reported from Maryland, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, and the District of Columbia.

Cooking food will destroy the organism, so illness occurs when seafood is eaten raw/undercooked or the product is recontaminated after cooking.

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a Gram-negative, curve-shaped rod frequently isolated from the estuarine and marine environments of the United States and other tropical-to-temperate coastal areas, worldwide.  Cases are more often seen in the warmer months when the water temperature is greater than 15C (59F).  One study showed that Vibrio infections maybe increasing with global warming and rising water temperatures.

The symptoms of a Vibrio infection from contaminated food include watery diarrhea and the following signs and symptoms within 24 hours (4 to 90 hours) including stomach cramping, nausea, vomiting, fever.  Symptoms usually lasts about 3 days (2 to 6), and most people recover without treatment.  However the illness can lead to septicemia in susceptible people (diabetes, liver disease, kidney disease, cancer, AIDS, or other illnesses that result in an immunocompromised state, and those on immunosuppressive medications).

CDC News Release
https://www.cdc.gov/vibrio/investigations/vibriop-07-18/index.html
Multistate Outbreak of Vibrio parahaemolyticus Infections Linked to Fresh Crab Meat Imported from Venezuela
At A Glance
Case Count: 12
Jurisdictions: 4
Deaths: 0
Hospitalizations: 4
Recall: No
Highlights

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Raw Shellfish and the Risk Associated with Vibrio vulnificus

This news report, submitted by our colleague Larry Grunden, shows the potential danger of infection associated with eating raw clams and oysters. In this report, a 61 year old woman suffered a life threatening Vibrio vulnificus infection after eating raw clams two year ago. She survived, but did need to have her leg amputated, and nearly lost one of her arms. (The attached news report is incorrect in calling this a virus).

Vibrio vulnificus is a gram negative bacterium found in warm seawater. In healthy people, it can cause gastroenteritis (vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain), but in people with an underlying health issue, particularly chronic liver disease, it cause infection of the bloodstream (septicemia). In these cases, it has a high mortality rate (~50%). The organism is highly invasive and produces toxins (a cytolysin, a hemolysin, and a thermolysin).

A few other notes:
- Hot sauce will not kill the organism.
- Consumption of liquor will not help either, in fact, those who drink too much of this type of sauce will be more susceptible.
- Other pathogens associated with raw clams and oysters that are also naturally found in seawater – other members of the Vibrio family (Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Vibrio cholerae - causative agent for cholera, and other vibrio species), Aeromonas, and Plesiomonas.
- Enteric pathogens associated with shellfish contamination - the viruses norovirus and Hepatitis A as well as bacterial pathogens Shigella, Salmonella, Campylobacter, and E. coli.
- Water testing done for the safety of harvesting water normally uses indicators associated with fecal contamination. This is good for the enteric pathogens, but not good for the pathogens such as Vibrio that are naturally found in seawater.
- The risk of Vibrio vulnificus contamination increases in the warmer months (due to warmer ocean waters).

Key message – there is a risk when consuming raw oysters and clams, and this risk is greatly magnified for those with underlying health issues such as immunosuppression or advanced age, and especially chronic liver disease.


Flesh-eating virus nearly cost woman her life
http://www.wgal.com/news/susquehanna-valley/york-adams/Flesh-eating-virus-nearly-cost-woman-her-life/-/9704248/15568968/-/item/1/-/gqpdltz/-/index.html

Lewisberry woman got bacteria from clams
LEWISBERRY, Pa. - 


A York County woman nearly died from a flesh-eating bacteria she came in contact with about two years ago.

Maureen Horan, 61, known to her friends as "Mo," said she almost didn't survive her ordeal.
Her near-death ordeal began on the last day of a 2010 during a vacation to the Jersey Shore. Horan and her husband, Dennis, had a late lunch. Horan's meal included raw clams.

"I knew there was something wrong when I swallowed the one clam, but it was too late," Horan said.

By the next day Horan said she was in severe pain. She went to the emergency came home, but her condition only got worse.

"I get up and the pain is worse. My toes are black, my arm is red, my leg is red and my sister-in-law said, "I don't know what it is, but you make them admit her," Horan said.



Friday, February 10, 2012

Expanding the list of bad [foodborne disease causing] bacteria?

There is currently a push to put a zero tolerance on four strains of drug-resistant salmonella in uncooked meat (link below). This comes after the 2011 outbreak of Salmonella linked to ground beef where 20 people were reported to become ill. (http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/typhimurium-groundbeef/020112/index.html). The responsible organism was a multi-drug resistant strain of Salmonella Typhimurium.

Another recent expansion was the addition of 6 strains of E. coli non-O157 STEC. Although the testing program was to go into effect in March of 2012, it was pushed pack to June of 2012. The reason relates to the lack of validated test methods to detect the specific pathogenic strains (link below).

Looking for a given bacterial species is difficult enough, but when we have to look for strains of bacteria containing specific genes, reliable testing is not always easy. Throw in the fact that the product being tested is raw, and that the prevalence of bacteria is very low, and it makes one question to what degree can we track and eliminate the sources. (For example, FSIS reports the prevalence of Salmonella in ground beef is about 2% (http://www.fsis.usda.gov/PDF/Progress_Report_Salmonella_Testing.pdf), and in a 2009 study by ARS, the level for MDR Salmonella was only 0.6% (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19201965)).  

Will consumers benefit? Will public health be better served? Will regulatory requirements for zero tolerance be enforceable or achievable?

Interesting note, a consumer group recently requested that FDA put a zero tolerance of Vibrio vulnificus on oysters (http://cspinet.org/new/201202091.html) to help protect those who choose to consume raw oysters. Vibrio vulnificus is a natural contaminate in waters where oysters are harvested, especially in the warmer months. In most all cases, the organism affects those who have underlying medical condition, primarily past or present alcohol abuse. Are oyster fisherman going to start testing oysters before delivering to the local shuck house? Why not just make it illegal to consumer raw oysters?

Salmonella Outbreak Spurs Call to Expand List of Banned Bacteria
February 08, 2012, 1:59 PM EST
Bloomberg Businessweek
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-02-08/salmonella-outbreak-spurs-call-to-expand-list-of-banned-bacteria.html
By Stephanie Armour