Version User Scope of changes
Mar 8 2010, 4:59 PM EST jacqie 1469 words deleted
Dec 4 2009, 1:29 PM EST jacqie 145 words added

Changes

Key:  Additions   Deletions
Ecuador- Over 200 sickened over school food poisoning25 Nov 2009Xinhua News Agency [edited][FSNet]A total of 213 children and five teachers of a school in the southeast Ecuadorian province of Morona Santiago were sickened after dining in the school canteen, the health authorities said on Wednesday.The poisoning occurred on Tuesday in school, where there are 300 students. Most of the affected were sent home by Tuesday evening, but 12 children were still hospitalized and 13 others were still under medical observation on Wednesday.The doctors said all of the sickened had the same symptoms: diarrhea and stomachache, and due to the large number of patients, the provincial health authorities declared an alert in different hospitals.The cause of the poisoning is not yet clear, but the food samples have been taken to a state-run lab, with test results expected by the weekend. Brazil- Trypanosomiasis09 Nov 2009G1 [in Portuguese, trans. Mod.JW, edited][ProMed]Thirteen cases of acute Chagas disease were registered in a district of Belem, Para state. Suspicion is that contamination occurred from food.The Para state health secretary confirmed on Monday [9 Nov 2009] an outbreak of Chagas disease. In 2 weeks, there have been 13 cases in a neighborhood in Belem. According to the state government, there were no deaths.The secretary also said that the transmission occurred with the ingestion of contaminated food, including acai. Brazil- Botulism06 Nov 2009Bom Dia [machine trans., edited][ProMed]Two people from the same family died from botulism after eating canned eggplant [also called aubergine or brinjal. - Mod.SH] in Rio Preto. The initial symptoms occurred in a 56 year old man who died on 27 Sep 2009. About a week later, his son of 33 fell ill during a trip to Piracicaba, where he died on 5 Oct 2009. For 30 years, there had been no reports of botulism in the city.Besides the 2 deaths, 2 other people developed the disease. According to the Ministry of Health of Black River, one case was confirmed in the laboratory and 3 by clinical and epidemiological criteria.According to the coordinator of Epidemiological Surveillance of Black River, Luciano Lourencao, all consumed [home] pickled eggplant during a family reunion. Related sources06 Nov 2009- Botulism August Chile- Listeriosis strikes Chile again, claims nine victims 28 Aug 2009Santiago Times [edited][FSNet]Listeriosis, a food-borne bacterial disease, has claimed nine lives and infected 45 in Chile so far in 2009, health authorities confirmed this week. The disease, which stems from the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes, is often borne from contaminated water and foods and usually infects pregnant women, newborns, the elderly, and people with auto-immune diseases.Tracking the cause of Listeria outbreaks is difficult since the bacteria is a pathogen that develops naturally in soil, making vegetables, cheese, and raw meat common sources. Honduras- Diarrhea, dysentery18 Aug 2009La Tribuna [in Spanish, trans. Mod.MPP/MJ, edited][ProMed]The health authorities reported yesterday [17 Aug 2009] that the numbers of reported cases of diarrhea and dysentery during the current year [2009] have reached more than 150,000, an increase of 20 percent compared over the number of cases reported in 2008, which also represents infant mortality.According to the [ministry] official, the increase in [reported cases of] diarrhea is related to [the fact that] programs against this disease do not have adequate funds to meet the established targets for reduction of child mortality, but it is something that needs to be readdressed immediately. June Brazilian Girl was poisoned after eating chocolate06 Jun 2009Diario de Pernambuco [Translated by Manoelita Warkentien] [edited] [FSNet]Last Friday afternoon an 11 year old girl ate a poisoned chocolate that was sent to her mother, age 35.She received an anonymous package that was sent to her apartment. In the box there were three chocolates, a hand written love letter and an engagement ring. The mother distrusting the unexpected gift forbade her daughter to eat the chocolate candy and hid it.The young girl found the chocolate and after eating it was sent to the hospital in serious condition, being kept in the ICU under induced coma. She is being treated with antibiotics and specific medication to revert the effect of the ingested substance.The doctors of the hospital believe that other than lead there were other pesticides injected in to the chocolate. AprilChile - Listeriosis outbreak in Santiago 09 Apr 2009 MercoPress [edited][iFSN] According to the head of the Epidemiology Department from the Chilean Public Health ministry on Friday the results of samples taken at five different food companies suspected of products with the listeriosis strain will be made public. Samples have been taken of produce such as dried meat, chicken, pork, pâté, ham and bologna, an expert was quoted as saying. It is reported that the death case was an adult who developed a septicemia situation following the intake of the Listeria bacteria. To this must be added a fetus death and a miscarriage since fetus, newly born, elderly and people with low defenses are the most vulnerable and exposed to the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes, an epidemiologist was quoted as saying. Venezuela - Chagas confirmed on the west coast of Vargas5 Apr 2009El Universal [trans by Mod.MPP, edited] [Promed] Yesterday the Minister of Health, 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 a school.Similarly, the minister reiterated the statements made yesterday by the governor of Vargas,that because of the epidemiologic "fence" erected to stop the epidemic that occurred in the area, 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. 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. MarchDominican Republic - Tourists served cockroaches in their pasta claim 15 Mar 2009 Times Online - Chris Haslan [edited][iFSN] “We are receiving reports of large numbers of guests at the Fun Royale Beach Resort and Fun Tropicale hotel complex, in the Dominican Republic, coming down with an illness that causes stomach cramps, vomiting and diarrhea,” said Atravel-law specialist. “The strong likelihood is that the sickness is being caused by the water supply. “There are also reports of people being badly affected by flea bites, and — alarmingly — cockroaches in the pasta and the salad,” he added. January
Brazil – Foodborne illness (Tocantins state) 17 Jan 2009Xinhua News Agency [edited] [Promed] According to this story, some 800 people, including patients, doctors and visitors, fell ill Friday [16 Jan 2009] after consuming food in a hospital in Palmas, in north central Brazil, Brazilian media reported. It is reported that these people showed symptoms of poisoning after consuming food on Thursday [15 Jan 2009] in the main medical center of Tocantins state. Experts from the Epidemiological and Health Surveillance would inspect the hospital to find out what caused the poisoning. Meals in the hospital are prepared by a company contracted by the state's Department of Health. The same company is also in charge of the hospital's cleaning. Colombia – Trypanosomiasis (Santander) Foodborne suspected 12 Jan 2009 [from a 19 Jan 2009 ProMED-ESP posting]Vanguardia (Bucaramanga, Colombia) [in Spanish, trans. Mod.MPP, edited] [Promed] The diagnosis of Chagas [disease, trypanosomiasis] that was issued by the National Institute of Health (INS), on the unusual death of a young Palonegro airport operator from Lebrija [Santander department], which occurred on [Dec 2009]; the confirmation of [trypanosomiasis] infection on 2 ill co-workers of the fatal victim; and the detection of 6 [additional] cases of this disease [trypanosomiasis] were questioned on Tuesday [13 Jan 2009]. Just one month after the first death, and despite receiving treatment for Chagas disease, one of the airport workers who were infected [with trypanosomiasis] died on [6 Jan 2009].Due to the possible ineffectiveness of the treatment he was given, relatives of those affected and some people are challenging the diagnosis. However, health authorities confirmed the INS medical opinion, which indicated that Chagas disease [trypanosomiasis] was the cause of the strange symptoms and the 2 deaths already reported in the region.Given the alarm that has been generated, the Regional Health Department made a call to the public to trust the diagnosis and the work done by the National Institute of Health and the regional authorities.Sources and Terms of Use