US Cyclospora cases reach 663
Confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis now total 663, according to updates from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS).
The CDC said today that it has received reports of 641 illnesses caused by Cyclospora infection (see map below), up 5 cases since its last update on Aug 30. Cases have been confirmed in 25 states, which is 1 more than reported on Aug 30 as Massachusetts reported its first 3 cases.
The CDC total does not include 22 of the 305 Texas cases that the TDSHS reported yesterday. That state has the most cases by far, with Iowa second at 154.
Of 541 case-patients with available information, 41 (8%) were hospitalized. The most recent illness-onset date was Aug 9.
Public health officials in Iowa and Nebraska concluded that restaurant-linked Cyclospora cases in their state were linked to a salad mix produced by Taylor Farms de Mexico, the CDC said, but other states have not found that link.
Sep 4 CDC update
Sep 3 TDSHS update
Cambodian tot contracts H5N1 avian flu
A 15-month-old Cambodian boy in Phnom Penh's Russei Keo district has been diagnosed as having H5N1 avian flu, bringing the number of cases in the country to 18 so far this year, Shanghai Daily reported today.
The boy was admitted to Kantha Bopha Hospital, the regional center for such cases, with fever, cough, sneezing, diarrhea, difficulty breathing, and lethargy. He was confirmed H5N1-positive on Aug 30, the story said.
He is being treated with oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and is in stable condition. "Investigations are being carried out by the Ministry of Health in the boy's village in order to determine whether the child came into contact with sick or dead poultry," the story said, quoting a statement from the World Health Organization and Cambodia's health ministry.
Of the 18 Cambodian cases this year, 10 have been fatal. And the disease has hit children especially hard since it was first detected in the nation in 2005.
"Children seem to be most vulnerable and are at high risk because they like to play where poultry are found," Cambodian Health Minister Dr Mam Bunheng said in the statement. "I urge parents and guardians to keep children away from sick or dead poultry and make sure children wash their hands with soap and water after any contact with poultry."
Sep 4 Shanghai Daily story
Pathogen-contaminated spices can cause illness and even death
Contaminated spices were responsible for nearly 2,000 illnesses in 14 outbreaks from 1973 to 2010, with Salmonella enterica subsp Enterica by far the most common causative agent, according to a review today in Food Microbiology.
Hospitalization was required in 128 of the total 1,946 cases identified, and 2 patients died, the authors wrote. Outbreaks during the period were reported in Canada, Denmark, England, Wales, France, Germany, New Zealand, Norway, Serbia, and the United States. In five of the outbreaks, most patients were infants and young children.
Salmonella Enterica was identified as the cause in 10 (71%) of the 14 outbreaks and accounted for 87% of the illnesses reported. In the remaining four outbreaks (29%), the causative agent was Bacillus, accounting for 13% of illnesses. Ten of the outbreaks were associated with spices classified as plant fruits or seeds. Single spices were found to be capable of containing multiple pathogens, and Salmonella was found to have the ability to survive even in dry spices for prolonged periods.
In at least 70% of the illnesses, ready-to-eat foods in which spices were applied after the final pathogen-reduction step in manufacturing were the culprits, leading the authors to say that "Root causes of spice contamination included contributions from both early and late stages of the farm-to-table continuum."
Food Microbiol study abstract
