July 2005

July 21, 2005 12:31 PM US Eastern Timezone
DUBLIN, Ireland–(BUSINESS WIRE)–July 21, 2005–Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c21227) has announced the addition of Understanding Pathogen Behaviour: Virulence, Stress Response and Resistance to their offering
Pathogens respond dynamically to their environment. Understanding their behaviour is critical both because of evidence of increased resistance to established sanitation and preservation techniques, and because of the increased use of minimal processing technologies which are more vulnerable to the development of resistance. “Understanding Pathogen Behaviour” summarises the wealth of recent research and its implications for the food industry.Continue Reading Research and Markets: Understanding Pathogen Behaviour: Virulence, Stress Response and Resistance

20/07/2005 – UK-based food processors who use poultry in their products are likely to face more safety regulations after a government report singles out chicken meat as the largest contributor to Campylobacter infections in the country.
“Given the prevalence of Campylobacter in poultry, and knowing how easily pathogens can persist and spread in the domestic and catering environments, we believe that reducing the level of the organism in poultry meat is likely to make a significant contribution to the battle against human foodborne illness,” the advisory committee stated in a report to the Food Standards Agency (FSA).Continue Reading UK regulator targets Campylobacter in poultry

When diners become ill and blame something they ate, state experts start sleuthing. They interview the victims, conduct food lineups and try to narrow down the suspects.
By Scott Joseph
Sentinel Restaurant Critic
July 20, 2005
Sometimes people think it’s just a touch of the flu, a 24-hour bug. Upset stomach, cramps and diarrhea might be some of the discomforts they experience. But on occasion, these are actually indicators of a food-borne illness, and, for epidemiologists such as Dean Bodager, they aren’t symptoms, they’re clues.
Whenever there is an outbreak of food-borne illnesses, it falls to Bodager and other members of the Florida Department of Health to track down the source. Sometimes it’s simple. Most outbreaks occur at the point of preparation — a restaurant employee who didn’t wash his or her hands properly, food that wasn’t kept at the correct temperature to prevent bacteria growth, or some sort of cross-contamination.Continue Reading Food detectives

Article published Saturday, July 16, 2005
TOLEDO ZOO
By ROBIN ERB
The Toledo Zoo’s petting zoo is scheduled to reopen today, less than a month after officials warned they might close it for the summer because a routine animal screening detected an infectious bacteria.
One Lucas County child became infected with campylobacteriosis, the illness caused by the bacteria campylobacter, after visiting the zoo in June, according to an epidemiologist at the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department.
But it was unclear whether the boy picked up the bacteria at the zoo or elsewhere.
Health officials say the organism is extremely common. Once passed to humans, it can cause a fever, diarrhea, and vomiting that typically lasts several days, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Continue Reading Petting area slated to reopen for patrons

Source: Society for Experimental Biology
Date: 2005-07-11
Do you enjoy eating oysters on a hot sunny afternoon? Make the most of it — it may not last forever. Research has shown that global warming increases the sensitivity of oysters to metal pollution, causing a deadly threat to populations in polluted areas.Continue Reading Global Warming Increases Oyster Sensitivity To Pollution

July 2005
Arthritis, in children or adults, is called “reactive” when it is due to a delayed reaction to an infection. The arthritis usually occurs two to four weeks after the infection and lasts from eight to 16 weeks. It may recur or last longer in some people. Current research supports combining antibiotics with other…

Health Talk & You
Craig Hedberg, Ph.D.
The Pilot-Independent
Last Updated: Wednesday, July 06th, 2005 09:26:33 AM
It’s that time of year when we fire up the grill, dish out the potato salad, and cut up the fruit salad for festive summer picnics and barbeques. But nothing can spoil a rollicking warm-weather gathering like a food-borne illness.
While it’s a pleasure to eat outside, the risks for contracting food-borne illnesses are higher when you prepare and serve a meal out of doors.
There are several ways to make sure you don’t unwittingly infect yourself and your guests with dangerous illnesses like salmonella, E. coli and campylobacter. The first step is to wash your hands with soap and running water before preparing, serving or eating any food.Continue Reading Summer food safety tips

William D. Marler (www.williammarler.com), an attorney at Marler Clark LLP PS (http://www.marlerclark.com) has extensive experience representing victims of bacterial and viral food poisonings. Since 1993, Marler Clark has represented victims of most of the largest foodborne illness outbreaks in the United States, including the 1993 Jack in the Box E. coli, 1998 Odwalla E. coli,…

From the CDC
What is campylobacteriosis?
Campylobacteriosis is an infectious disease caused by bacteria of the genus Campylobacter. Most people who become ill with campylobacteriosis get diarrhea, cramping, abdominal pain, and fever within 2 to 5 days after exposure to the organism. The diarrhea may be bloody and can be accompanied by nausea and vomiting. The illness typically lasts 1 week. Some persons who are infected with Campylobacter don’t have any symptoms at all. In persons with compromised immune systems, Campylobacter occasionally spreads to the bloodstream and causes a serious life-threatening infection.Continue Reading Campylobacteriosis

Use a food thermometer to make sure food is safe
Most people think they can check the doneness of burgers, pork chops and chicken breasts just by “eyeballing it.” They look at it and judge the doneness by its appearance. They trust their experience. Experience is good, but it might be misleading.
According to a recent USDA study, one out of every four hamburgers turns brown in the middle before it has reached a safe internal temperature.
Eating undercooked meats or poultry increases the risk of food-borne illness. Many pathogens live naturally in the intestinal tracts of food animals.
Surveys of meat sold in retail food stores indicate that between one-fourth and three-fourths of all meat and poultry cuts sold in 1999 might have been contaminated with food-borne pathogens.
Bacteria most commonly associated with undercooked meats are campylobacter, salmonella and escherichia coli O157:H7.Continue Reading You can’t judge a burger by its color