In the news

The FSA reported that ASDA recalled ASDA Extra Special Taleggio cheese (200 G) with date code 14th April 2024 due to the potential that some packs may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The Extra Special cheese sold in stores across the UK has been pulled from shelves.@ https://www.food.gov.uk/news-alerts/alert/fsa-prin-13-2024

 Vanderbilt researchers (Led by Neil Osheroff, John Coniglio Chair in Biochemistry and professor of biochemistry and medicine) are the first to undertake a systematic analysis of the mechanism of action of gepotidacin, a first-in-class triazaacenaphthylene antibacterial, against its targets in Escherichia coli—the type II topoisomerases gyrase and topoisomerase IV and the mechanistic basis for drug resistance. E. coli is the etiological agent of most urinary tract infections. The research was published in the journal ACS Infectious Diseases. The finding is critical because it means that to get resistance to geoptidacin, there will have to be simultaneous mutations in two separate enzymes. The findings make it much less likely that resistance will develop. The study’s results prove that gepotidacin is an effective and safe oral antibiotic for treating uncomplicated urinary tract infections. Gepotidacin has the potential to be a valuable new treatment, which is particularly promising for patients who are resistant to other antibiotics or who are intolerant to first-line treatments. @ https://phys.org/news/2024-03-biochemists-antibacterial-class-decades.amp

The CFIA reported that Eat-Sum-More Inc. (Thornhill, Ontario) recalled lots of Eat Sum More branded Beef Biltong Dried Cured Meat from the Canadian marketplace due to suspected Salmonella contamination. The Beef Biltong Dried Cured Meat was sold in variable-sized label-sealed bags. The products were sold in the province of Ontario. There have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of this product. @ https://recalls-rappels.canada.ca/en/alert-recall/eat-sum-more-brand-beef-biltong-original-recalled-due-salmonella

The CDC, public health and regulatory officials in several states, and the USDA-FSIS collected epidemiological data to investigate a multistate outbreak of Salmonella I 4:I:- infections in Fratelli Beretta Charcuterie. 104 people were reported to be infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella in 33 states. Illnesses started from November 20, 2023, to February 10, 2024. Of 92 people with information available, 27 were hospitalized. No deaths were reported. The true number of sick people in this outbreak was likely much higher than the number reported, and this outbreak may not have been limited to the states with known illnesses. This is because many people recover without medical care and are not tested for Salmonella. Minnesota Department of Agriculture collected one unopened package of the twin-pack of Busseto brand charcuterie sampler from a sick person’s home. WGS showed that the Salmonella in the charcuterie sampler was closely related to bacteria from sick people. USDA-FSIS collected Coppa and Antipasto tray products from Fratelli Beretta, which tested positive for Salmonella. WGS showed two strains of Salmonella that differed from those of ill people in this outbreak, and the Minnesota Department of Health collected the Antipasto. @ https://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/charcuterie-meats-01-24/details.html