The Orlando Sentinel reports that the direct cause of the recent HUS outbreaks in Central Florida is still uncertain, but medical investigators know that one of the common factors have been visits to petting zoos by the children infected.
Florida requires animals exhibited, whether at zoos or petting zoos, to have an Official Certificate of
7th Florida Child Develops HUS in Petting Zoo E. coli Outbreaks
Does your child have diarrhea? Been to a petting zoo lately? You might want to put down that over-the-counter remedy and take him/her to the hospital right away.
Children all over the Orlando area are being admitted into hospitals this past week with cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome, better known as HUS. The uncommon
Florida Petting Zoo E. coli Outbreaks: Lightning Strikes the Same Spot Twice
On Wednesday, the Orlando Sentinel reported that at least five children were in critical condition in Orlando-area hospitals with Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome, a potentially life-threatening cause of kidney failure. All visited a petting zoo the week before they became ill.
There’s nothing more American than a petting zoo. Countless numbers of children visit petting zoos to have a hands-on experience with farm animals every year. Unfortunately, some children become ill with E. coli O157:H7 infections — the leading cause of Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome in North America. In fact, it is estimated that five to ten percent of persons who become ill with E. coli infections develop Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome.
Most people identify E. coli with undercooked ground beef, but it’s not that simple. E. coli infections are caused by the ingestion of fecal material. So a burger becomes contaminated during the slaughtering process, and children can become infected while playing with livestock that are shedding the bacteria. Just as proper sanitation in slaughterhouses is essential in preventing foodborne illness outbreaks, good hygiene and sanitation in areas where livestock are held are of utmost importance in preventing E. coli outbreaks among petting zoo visitors.
Lightning does strike the same spot twice, or even more often.Continue Reading Florida Petting Zoo E. coli Outbreaks: Lightning Strikes the Same Spot Twice
New hotline handles food-safety complaints
The Seattle Times reported today on a new hot-line to handle food safety complaints. The new hotline, which has not been widely publicized — why not?? — has received about 30 food-safety complaints since it was launched on January 18. According to the paper, these are the types of calls they get:
- A local woman
Florida investigates another potential fair outbreak that caused kidney failure in 5 children
The Orlando Sentinel reported yesterday that five children are in critical condition at Orlando hospitals with kidney failure that may have been caused by infections they picked up at area petting zoos. A sixth child has been treated and released after suffering from the same kidney ailment.
The Orange County Health Department says the infections
Sand or sawdust? Livestock bedding affects food safety, E. coli risks
Last week the Ohio State University Extension did a story on how sawdust bedding farmers use for their cows to keep costs down might have a hidden price tag: human health.
Research done by Ohio State University veterinary scientist Jeff LeJeune suggests there is a direct link between this cheap livestock bedding and E. coli
Mad Cow Disease Funding to Strengthen Security of American Food Supply
As I touched on in my last post, Two UC schools to study food safety, the US government is investing a further $2 million to enhance research on bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, or “mad cow disease“) and $5 million to establish a Food Safety Research and Response Network.
Agriculture secretary Mike Johanns
Two UC schools to study food safety
Inland Valley Daily Bulletin reported Sunday that two California universities will be part of a project to study food safety.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture said it had awarded $5 million to 18 colleges and universities to set up a Food Safety Research and Response Network. Headed by North Carolina State University, the network
MSU study takes new approach to meat safety
The road to insight can lead through a feed yard, according to MSU News Service. Researchers at Montana State University are studying the relationship between a strong immune system in calves and safer meat in the grocery store. The approach is a new one in the fight against E. coli.
As he explained
Epidemiology of Escherichia coli O157:H7 Outbreaks, United States, 1982–2002
Josefa M. Rangel, Phyllis H. Sparling, Collen Crowe, Patricia M. Griffin, and David L. Swerdlow
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA; and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
Escherichia coli O157:H7 causes 73,000 illnesses in the United States annually. We reviewed E. coli O157 outbreaks reported to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to better understand the epidemiology of E. coli O157. E. coli O157 outbreaks (≥2 cases of E. coli O157 infection with a common epidemiologic exposure) reported to CDC from 1982 to 2002 were reviewed. In that period, 49 states reported 350 outbreaks, representing 8,598 cases, 1,493 (17%) hospitalizations, 354 (4%) hemolytic uremic syndrome cases, and 40 (0.5%) deaths. Transmission route for 183 (52%) was foodborne, 74 (21%) unknown, 50 (14%) person-to-person, 31 (9%) waterborne, 11 (3%) animal contact, and 1 (0.3%) laboratory-related. The food vehicle for 75 (41%) foodborne outbreaks was ground beef, and for 38 (21%) outbreaks, produce.Continue Reading Epidemiology of Escherichia coli O157:H7 Outbreaks, United States, 1982–2002