Published Date: 2010-11-01 16:00:09
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Salmonellosis, Bareilly - UK (04): sprouts
Archive Number: 20101101.3959
SALMONELLOSIS, SEROTYPE BAREILLY - UK (04): SPROUTS
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A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>
Date: 28 Oct 2010
Source: Health Protection Agency (HPA) report [edited]
<http://www.hpa.org.uk/NewsCentre/NationalPressReleases/2010PressReleases/101028SBareillyoutbreakcontinues/>
Outbreak of Salmonella cases linked to bean sprouts continues
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An outbreak of _Salmonella [enterica_ serotype_] Bareilly infection
from contaminated bean sprouts in England and Scotland is continuing.
The HPA's Centre for Infections (CFI) in Colindale has now identified
190 confirmed _S._ Bareilly cases in England, Wales (5 of the cases),
and Northern Ireland (2 cases) since the beginning of August 2010 to
date. The CFI normally sees fewer than 10 cases in a typical month.
Health Protection Scotland has identified 21 confirmed cases in the
same period. Both the HPA and the Food Standards Agency (FSA) stress
that bean sprouts are safe to eat provided that they are washed and
cooked until piping hot before consumption or are clearly labeled as
ready-to-eat.
Dr Joe Kearney, a director with the HPA's Local and Regional Services
Division, is chairing an outbreak control team comprising
representatives from the Agency, the FSA, Health Protection Scotland,
and Environmental Health Officers from a number of local authorities.
Dr Kearney said: "As the outbreak continues, it is important for
caterers and people who buy bean sprouts to eat at home to ensure
that these products are properly prepared and cooked until they are
piping hot unless they are clearly labeled as "ready-to-eat".
Dr Kearney added that people who prepare meals in catering
establishments and in the home should keep raw bean sprouts separate
from other salad products, including ready-to-eat bean sprouts, to
avoid the risk of cross-contamination. The FSA advice on the safe
preparation of bean sprouts may be accessed on <http://www.food.gov.uk/>.
Information on Salmonella is available on the Health Protection
Agency's website
Notes to editors
The outbreak control team (OCT) investigating the rise in
_Salmonella_ Bareilly cases is led by the Health Protection Agency
(HPA) and includes the Food Standards Agency (FSA), Health Protection
Scotland and Environmental health officers from several local authorities.
Specialists in the CFI's Salmonella Reference Unit previously
reported that the strain of _Salmonella_ Bareilly isolated from a
bean sprout sample is indistinguishable from the strain of _S._
Bareilly isolated from human samples.
--
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ProMED-mail
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[This posting does not specifically say whether the increase in cases
is due to confirmation of older cases or development of newer ones
although the latter case seems to be suggested by the statement "to
date". It would be interesting to see an epidemic curve of this
outbreak. - Mods.LL/MPP]