World Health Organization - Estimating the global burden of foodborne diseases- a collaborative effort
07 May 2009
Eurosurveillance, Volume 14, Issue 18 [edited] [FSNet]
T Kuchenmüller, S Hird, C Stein, P Kramarz, A Nanda, A H Havelaar
Illness and death from diseases caused by unsafe food are a constant threat to public health security as well as socio-economic development throughout the world. The full extent of the burden and cost of foodborne diseases associated with pathogenic bacterial, viral and parasitic microorganisms, and food contaminated by chemicals is still unknown but is thought to be substantial. The World Health Organization (WHO) Initiative to estimate the global burden of foodborne diseases aims to fill the current data gap and respond to the increasing global interest in health information. Collaborative efforts are required to achieve the ambitious task of assessing the foodborne disease burden from all causes worldwide. Recognising the need to join forces, the WHO Initiative has assembled an alliance of stakeholders which share and support the Initiative's vision, intended objectives and outcomes. One important collaborator is the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) which has embarked on a burden of disease study covering at least 18 foodborne diseases in nearly 30 countries.

Singapore - Rojak poisoning caused by cross-contamination by raw seafood
15 Apr 2009
Asia One Health [edited][iFSN] Blame it on the Vibrio parahaemolyticus bacterium, which is commonly associated with seafood consumption.
The Ministry of Health (MOH) and National Environment Agency (NEA) identified the cause of the mass food-poisoning incident at Geylang Serai Temporary Market, which saw more than 150 people falling ill after eating Indian rojak from the Rojak Geylang Serai stall.
Two women also died.
Laboratory investigation showed that 13 of the cases, including the first woman who died, tested positive for the bacterium.
In a joint statement last night, MOH and NEA identified the bacterium and traced it to the cross-contamination of rojak and raw seafood ingredients.
No food remnants were available for microbiological testing and the exact steps leading to contamination of the rojak food items or gravy are still unclear.
But the MOH and NEA suggested that "insights" could be drawn from a similar food-poisoning incident in 1983.
At that time, 34 people fell ill - also after eating at a Geylang Serai Indian-rojak stall.
Then, contamination came about after drippings from raw cuttlefish fell into the rojak gravy, which was in uncovered containers on the lower shelves of a refrigerator.
"The food was prepared on unlicensed premises at Joo Chiat, where abundant drippings from raw cuttlefish were found to have contaminated the rojak gravy in uncovered containers on the lower shelves of a refrigerator," the statement said.
In the present case - believed to be the worst food-poisoning incident here - no food remnants were available for testing because the rojak items and gravy were discarded as soon as customers complained.
"Nonetheless, MOH and NEA investigators detected some lapses in food and environmental hygiene," the statement said.
For now, the license of the Indian rojak stall will be suspended and the licensee will be taken to court.

Africa – Cholera
April 13 2009
Relief Web
Angola: More than 200,000 people are directly affected by the flood of which 52,646 are reported displaced in Cunene. 24 deaths are now reported. With rains and flooding expected to continue into the middle of May, concerns have been expressed about the risk of water-borne diseases. The number of cholera cases reported as of 4th April is 487 and 2 deaths (CFR 0.4%).
DRC: In Katanga, 51 new cases without death reported in week 14. In South Kivu, 74 new cases with 1 death reported in week 14.
Kenya: Six of the eight provinces have reported cases of cholera. The worst affected districts are in Nyanza province. As at 8th April 2009, the total number of reported cholera cases has risen to 2,149 with 43 deaths (CFR = of 1.8%). WHO and Ministry of health Technical team are on the ground supporting the District teams and others.
Zimbabwe: Cholera cases are still being reported but a slight decline in the number has been noted. 81 Cases and 2 deaths were reported on 10th of April compared to 137 cases and 0 deaths the day before. A total of 95,738 cases and 4,154 deaths (CFR: 4.3) have been reported as of 10th April 2009.
Mozambique: The ongoing cholera outbreak has affected all the provinces. In week 13, a total of 756 new cases were reported. A cumulative 15,036 cases with 132 deaths (CFR: 0.9%) have been reported.

Finland – Salmonella in pig feed
12 Apr 2009
Pigprogress.net News [edited] [Promed]
The Finnish Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Sirkka-Liisa Anttila is considering measures to upgrade Salmonella enforcement and legislation on animal feed in the light of the recent outbreak of Salmonella originating from the Raisio Feed plant, according to Helsingin Sanomat.
The law on animal feed could be amended so that all soybean products imported for use in chicken and pig feed should be processed in such a way that they are clean of Salmonella already before getting into production. Much of the soybean used as a source of protein in the feed is contaminated by Salmonella. Even if the factory area is thoroughly cleaned, Salmonella is difficult to eradicate.
Finland is classified as a Salmonella-free area in the European Union, and the recent outbreak does not change this, says Maria Teirikko of the Finnish Food Safety Authority (EVIRA). Teirikko stated that there have been no breaches of safety regulations at Raisio Feed that officials would need to react to.
Salmonella spread to a number of chicken and pig farms by the use of infected feed. So far, the Salmonella infection has been detected in 31 egg farms and 10 pork farms. The contamination led to slaughtering at the infected farms, and the facilities themselves are being disinfected.
The infected feed was manufactured on production line 7 at Raisio Feed, which produces about 2 percent of all feed used in Finland. Matti Aho, a senior official at the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, says that Salmonella is eliminated if the feed is heated sufficiently during production. At the Raisio plant, the temperature was probably not raised high enough.
Raisio CEO Matti Rihko says that the constant pressure caused by the risk of Salmonella applies to the entire animal feed industry. "We perform twice as many Salmonella tests as are required.”

Indonesia - WFP deplores food contamination in NTT
07 Apr 2009
The Jakarta Post - The Archipelago [edited][iFSN]
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has received reports that strange goods were found in its fortified biscuits that were distributed during the school feeding program in Timor Tengah Utara and Belu regencies, East Nusa Tenggara.
Based on an independent investigation, the strange goods were introduced after WFP sent the biscuits to its local partner and after the latter distributed them to the schools.

Venezuela - Chagas confirmed on the west coast of Vargas
5 Apr 2009
El Universal [trans by Mod.MPP, edited] [Promed]
Ministry of Health [MINSA] reiterates the lifting of epidemiologic siege.
Yesterday the Minister of Health, Jesus Mantilla, confirmed that Chagas disease is the disease that is attacking the population of Chichiriviche de la Costa, in the western part of the state of Vargas.
The head of the Ministry of Health was in the area and stated that it was transmitted through the ingestion of contaminated guava juice, producing the outbreak of illness in the area, that affected 47 students and three teachers from the morning shift of the Romulo Monasterios state school.
Similarly, the minister reiterated the statements made yesterday by the governor of Vargas, Jorge Garcia Carneiro, the epidemiologic "fence" erected to stop the epidemic that occurred in the area, because, as noted, there is no risk of spread.
This disease, which for over 4 weeks was affecting the population and increasing numbers of patients, killed 3 children ages 7, 9 and 12 years.
However, 35 other children remain hospitalized in the La Guaira Social Security [hospital], the Pariata Periferico [health facility], the Perez Carreno [health facility] and the University Clinic.
Doctors from this hospital reported that 15 patients from the area have been admitted. It was learned that there is a patient in serious condition.
Although the possibility of transmission in the zone was ruled out, the residents of Chichiriviche reported that the usual vacationers to the zone have not arrived.

Sources and Terms of Use