In the news

The FDA, CDC, and states completed the investigation of  20 state (AZ (2), CA (6), IL (2), IN (1), KS (4), MI (3), MN (2), MO (3), ND (4), OH (1), OR (1), PA (2), TN (2), TX (1), UT (1), VA (1), WA (1), WI (2), and WY (1)) outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 in the fall of 2020. The investigation identified multiple types of leafy greens as a potential cause of the outbreak that had 40 cases of illnesses, 20 hospitalizations (with 4 cases of HUS). No deaths were reported. No single ranch was identified as a common source of the leafy greens. FDA and state partners conducted inspections on farms of interest and collected environmental samples. FDA is analyzing the samples and continuing their investigations to identify the root cause of this outbreak. @ https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/outbreak-investigation-e-coli-leafy-greens-december-2020?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

A new article (Pulford, C.V., Perez-Sepulveda, B.M., Canals, R. et al. entitled “Stepwise evolution of Salmonella Typhimurium ST313 causing bloodstream infection in Africa”, Nat Microbiol (2020), published 21 December 2020), explores how Salmonella evolved to kill hundreds of thousands of immunocompromised people in Africa. Bloodstream infections caused by a drug-resistant type of Salmonella Typhimurium ST313 are a significant public health concern in Africa, causing ~49,600 deaths every year. In the study, mutations that influenced gene function during the evolution of ST313 were identified for the first time. The researchers also discovered a new antibiotic-susceptible lineage of ST313 that emerged in Malawi in 2016 and is closely related to Salmonella variants that cause stomach infections in the United Kingdom and Brazil. The study provides a snapshot of the extensive repertoire of genomic changes that shaped the emergence of successful ST313 lineages. The researchers speculate that changes in antibiotic (the phased removal of chloramphenicol from clinical practice) in Malawi between 2002 and 2015 could have resulted in the emergence of this new antibiotic-susceptible ST313 lineage. @ https://www.nature.com/articles/s41564-020-00836-1#Sec2

In the UK, the FSA issued a Product Withdrawal Information Notices to Lidl GB supermarket chain. The supermarket chain recalls Red Hen Breaded Chicken Nuggets and Red Hen Southern Fried Chicken Pops because salmonella contamination has been found in some of the products in the batch. The products that are being recalled are Red Hen Breaded Chicken Nuggets 450g packs with a best before date of February 2022 and Red Hen Southern Fried Chicken Pops 210g packs with a best before the date of 5 February 2022. @ https://www.food.gov.uk/news-alerts/alert/fsa-prin-60-2020

The FDA announces the completion of two E.coli O157:H7 outbreak investigations. The third investigation continues. The investigation known as Source3 identified 18 reported illnesses in nine states: California, Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington. After the investigation, no single farm was identified as a common source of the outbreak. The other completed outbreak investigation ( Source 1) identified 32 reported illnesses in 12 states: California, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, New Jersey, Ohio, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. The E. coli strain is genetically similar to a strain linked to a romaine outbreak that occurred in the spring of 2018. A specific food was not linked to the current outbreak, and a common source of the outbreak was not found.  @ https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/outbreak-investigation-e-coli-o157h7-unknown-food-fall-2020?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery