Published Date: 2004-07-21 23:50:00
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> E. coli O157, ground beef - Canada (QC)
Archive Number: 20040721.1981
E. COLI O157, GROUND BEEF - CANADA (QUEBEC)
*******************************************
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>
[1]
Date: Wed 21 Jul 2004
From: ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>
Source: CTV.com [edited]
<http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1090371063374_33/?
hub=Health>
1 dead, 5 ill in Quebec from _E. coli_ outbreak
-----------------------------------------------
In Quebec, a woman is dead, and 5 people have landed in the hospital, after
handling ground beef contaminated with _E. coli_. The woman who died was in
her 80s. The others were all very sick, according to health officials in
Saint-Eustache, where the outbreak occurred. 1 patient remains in the
hospital, but his/her life is not in danger.
One of the patients apparently ate some of the meat without cooking it
beforehand. Health officials said the infections occurred between 4 Jul and
11 Jul 2004, adding that the bacteria was traced to a slaughterhouse.
An immediate recall was issued at the grocery store where some of the meat
was bought, a Metro Plus Famille Martel in Saint-Eustache. There were
similar recalls issued in nearby Rawdon and Mirabel.
"This is probably a serious outbreak, because cases of _E. coli_ are
usually under-reported," says Doug Powell of the Canadian Food Safety
Network. "There could be as many as 30 people sick for every person who
reported illness."
Meanwhile, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency has recalled ground beef
from 3 stores in Quebec, and, from one in Labrador. The move comes after an
inspection turned up _E. coli_ in a batch of meat from Alberta.
It's still not clear whether the _E. coli_ outbreak in Quebec is linked to
the Albertan shipment of contaminated meat. As Alberta's beef industry
struggles to put itself back into consumers' good graces, any doubt about
the safety of its product is a big concern.
"I'm very confident of the meat supply," said Gary Sergent of Alberta Beef
Producers. "I'm very confident of the consumers' ability to deal with their
meat and products in a safe manner."
--
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>
******
[2]
Date: Wed 21 Jul 2004
From: ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>
Source: The Globe and Mail [edited]
<http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20040721/HAMBURG
21/TPHealth/>
Quebec probes link between illnesses, tainted beef
-----------------------------------------------
Health officials are investigating whether 6 people admitted to the
hospital, including one person who died, are linked to tainted ground beef
that had to be withdrawn from groceries in Quebec's cottage country, north
of Montreal.
In 2 separate recalls announced yesterday [Tue 20 Jul 2004], affecting 4
stores in the Laurentians area, meat had to be withdrawn, because it
contained the _E. coli_ O157: H7 bacteria.
"There's an outbreak right now in the Laurentians. They now have 6 cases of
people being poisoned after consuming ground beef. Among those 6, there was
one death," said Danielle Ramsay, a coordinator for the Agriculture
Department's food and animal health inspection agency.
3 people were admitted to the hospital as a result of ingesting meat
purchased at Marche Andre Martel, in Saint-Eustache. In addition, there
were 3 cases of _E. coli_ poisoning in the area, including an elderly woman
who has died, although it has not been confirmed yet whether her death was
caused by the bacteria. Officials are still trying to determine whether
those 3 cases are linked to tainted meat.
"It's a safe guess that for every reported case there may be 20 to 30
actual cases," said Douglas Powell, scientific director of the Food Safety
Network at the University of Guelph.
Ms. Ramsay said Marche Andre Martel was not at fault, because the
contamination didn't take place at the retail level, but, instead, while
the animal carcasses were gutted at a meat packer.
So far, provincial inspectors are still trying to pinpoint the origin of
that batch of meat.
In a separate recall, consumers were warned to stay away from ground beef,
dated from 19 Jun to 2 Jul 2004, sold at 3 other supermarkets,
Supermarche Boucher in Rawdon, Marche Chevrefils in
Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts, and Intermarche Mirabel in Mirabel.
No illnesses have been reported from that batch of meat. That beef came
from contaminated products from an Alberta slaughterhouse that was also
behind a recall last Saturday [17 Jul 2004] in Churchill Falls, Newfoundland.
Federal officials haven't released the name, or location, of the Alberta
meat packer responsible for the 2nd recall. Tests are being conducted to
retrace the _E. coli_ 0157: H7 strain involved in the recall.
Some of the cases of illness in the Laurentians involved people handling
the tainted meat. One woman, who had finished preparing the food, popped a
bit of uncooked ground beef into her mouth without thinking of the
consequences.
The _E. coli_ O157:H7 bacterium infected drinking water in Walkerton, Ont.,
in 2000, killing at least 7 people and sickening 2000 others.
[Byline: Tu Thanh Ha]
--
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>
See Also
E. coli O157, butcher shop - UK (Durham) 20040706.1809E. coli O157, day care center - USA (NY City) 20040702.1767
E. coli O157, livestock exposure susp. - USA (NV) 20040526.1411
E. coli O157, pasteurized milk - Denmark (Copenhagen) 20040513.1297
2003
----
E. coli O157, aerosol route susp. - USA (OH) 2001 20031128.2945
E. coli O157, retirement home - USA (CA) 20031017.2615
E. coli O157 - USA (ND) 20031016.2610
E. coli O157, salad - USA (CA) (02) 20031010.2552
E. coli O157, salad - USA (CA) 20031009.2542
E. coli O157, day care - UK (N Ireland) (03) 20030918.2366
E. coli O157, day care - UK (N Ireland) 20030916.2347
E. coli, VTEC non-O157 - UK (Scotland) 20030825.2144
E. coli O157, petting zoo - USA (PA): confirmed 20030823.2128
E. coli O157, acquired immunity? (03) 20030116.0132
E. coli O157, acquired immunity? 20030114.0109
E. coli O157, day care center - USA (California) (02) 20030111.0093
E. coli O157, day care center - USA (California) 20030110.0078
2002
----
E. coli O157, family outbreak - UK (Scotland) 20021205.5969
E. coli O157 - Canada (multiprovince) 20021109.5760
E. coli O157, sorbitol fermenting - UK (Scotland) 20021101.5685
E. coli O157, county fair - USA (Oregon) 20020827.5168
E. coli O157, campers - UK (Scotland) (02) 20020807.4985
E. coli O157, lettuce: alert (03) 20020803.4934
E. coli O157, petting zoo - New Zealand 20020724.4849
E. coli O157, summer camp - USA (Washington): alert 20020719.4807
2001
----
E. coli, O157, county fair - USA (Ohio) 20010923.2301
E. coli O157?, county fair - USA (Wisconsin) 20010816.1937
2000
----
E. coli, petting zoo - USA (Pennsylvania) 20001105.1929
E. coli O157, petting zoo (Washington) 20000609.0925
............................mpp/ll/msp/dk
*##########################################################*
ProMED-mail makes every effort to verify the reports that
are posted, but the accuracy and completeness of the
information, and of any statements or opinions based
thereon, are not guaranteed. The reader assumes all risks in
using information posted or archived by ProMED-mail. ISID
and its associated service providers shall not be held
responsible for errors or omissions or held liable for any
damages incurred as a result of use or reliance upon posted
or archived material.
************************************************************
Visit ProMED-mail's web site at <http://www.promedmail.org>.
Send all items for posting to: promed@promedmail.org
(NOT to an individual moderator). If you do not give your
full name and affiliation, it may not be posted. Send
commands to subscribe/unsubscribe, get archives, help,
etc. to: majordomo@promedmail.org. For assistance from a
human being send mail to: owner-promed@promedmail.org.
############################################################
############################################################