Determination of histamine in milkfish stick implicated in food-borne poisoning.

PubMed

Lee, Yi-Chen; Kung, Hsien-Feng; Wu, Chien-Hui; Hsu, Hui-Mei; Chen, Hwi-Chang; Huang, Tzou-Chi; Tsai, Yung-Hsiang

2016-01-01

An incident of food-borne poisoning causing illness in 37 victims due to ingestion of fried fish sticks occurred in September 2014, in Tainan city, southern Taiwan. Leftovers of the victims' fried fish sticks and 16 other raw fish stick samples from retail stores were collected and tested to determine the occurrence of histamine and histamine-forming bacteria. Two suspected fried fish samples contained 86.6 mg/100 g and 235.0 mg/100 g histamine; levels that are greater than the potential hazard action level (50 mg/100 g) in most illness cases. Given the allergy-like symptoms of the victims and the high histamine content in the suspected fried fish samples, this food-borne poisoning was strongly suspected to be caused by histamine intoxication. Moreover, the fish species of suspected samples was identified as milkfish (Chanos chanos), using polymerase chain reaction direct sequence analysis. In addition, four of the 16 commercial raw milkfish stick samples (25%) had histamine levels greater than the US Food & Drug Administration guideline of 5.0 mg/100 g for scombroid fish and/or products. Ten histamine-producing bacterial strains, capable of producing 373-1261 ppm of histamine in trypticase soy broth supplemented with 1.0% L-histidine, were identified as Enterobacter aerogenes (4 strains), Enterobacter cloacae (1 strain), Morganella morganii (2 strains), Serratia marcescens (1 strain), Hafnia alvei (1 strain), and Raoultella orithinolytica (1 strain), by 16S ribosomal DNA sequencing with polymerase chain reaction amplification. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Long Term Effects of Food Poisoning

MedlinePlus

... six Americans will get sick from food poisoning this year. That’s about 48 million people. Most of them ... joints, irritation of the eyes, and painful urination. This is called reactive arthritis. It can last for months or years, and can lead to chronic arthritis, which is ...

[Comprehensive study on the prevention of food poisoning through the investigation of an affected hospital food service facility].

PubMed

Kubota, Satoshi; Kawai, Hiromi

2015-01-01

In Japan, more than 20,000 people suffer from various types of food poisoning annually. In this paper, we discuss the prevention of food poisoning in hospital food service facilities from the perspective of hygiene management and organizational behavior. We inspected the kitchen environment and the meal preparation process in a hospital food service facility in Japan that had been the site of a food poisoning incident. To clarify the present state of hygiene management, interviews were conducted with both the head of the nutrition and food service section and the administrative manager. In addition, questionnaires were distributed to the food service staff to assess their level of satisfaction with the working environment. The facility had been built about 10 years previously and was well maintained. Meal preparations were performed according to the operation manual, and education and training for the food service staff were carried out daily. No problems were evident regarding hygiene management. However, concerning organizational behavior, the satisfaction level of the staff was found to be relatively low, which may have led to a reduction in their organizational commitment and a decrease in their performance. To aid in the prevention of food poisoning incidents in hospital food service facilities, it is essential not only to conduct standard hygiene management and training, but also to consider the organizational behavior of the food service staff.

Salmon as a food-poisoning vehicle--two successive Salmonella outbreaks.

PubMed Central

Cartwright, K. A.; Evans, B. G.

1988-01-01

Gastroenteritis due to Salmonella montevideo occurred amongst guests attending two social functions held within 24 h, food for both having been provided by the same catering firm. Salmon was the most likely vehicle of infection in each case, although cross-contamination of other foods occurred. There were no deaths; four patients were admitted to hospital, one of whom underwent appendicectomy. A review of salmon-associated food-poisoning outbreaks suggests that fresh salmon is an infrequent cause of food poisoning in the United Kingdom. The two outbreaks described here resulted from a failure of simple kitchen hygiene measures at a time of high ambient temperatures. Some current cooking instructions for salmon are inadequate. PMID:3181309

Food poisoning outbreak in Tokyo, Japan caused by Staphylococcus argenteus.

PubMed

Suzuki, Yasunori; Kubota, Hiroaki; Ono, Hisaya K; Kobayashi, Makiko; Murauchi, Konomi; Kato, Rei; Hirai, Akihiko; Sadamasu, Kenji

2017-12-04

Staphylococcus argenteus is a novel species subdivided from Staphylococcus aureus. Whether this species can cause food poisoning outbreaks is unknown. This study aimed to investigate the enterotoxigenic activities of two food poisoning isolates suspected to be S. argenteus (Tokyo13064 and Tokyo13069). The results for phylogenic trees, constructed via whole genome sequencing, demonstrated that both isolates were more similar to a type strain of S. argenteus (MSHR1132) than any S. aureus strain. Moreover, the representative characteristics of S. argenteus were present in both strains, namely both isolates belong to the CC75 lineage and both lack a crtOPQMN operon. Thus, both were determined to be "S. argenteus." The compositions of the two isolates' accessory elements differed from those of MSHR1132. For example, the seb-related Staphylococcus aureus pathogenicity island, SaPIishikawa11, was detected in Tokyo13064 and Tokyo13069 but not in MSHR1132. Both isolates were suggested to belong to distinct lineages that branched off from MSHR1132 lineages in terms of accessory elements. Tokyo13064 and Tokyo13069 expressed high levels of s(arg)eb and produced S(arg)EB protein, indicating that both have the ability to cause food poisoning. Our findings suggest that S. argenteus harboring particular accessory elements can cause staphylococcal diseases such as food poisoning, similarly to S. aureus. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Eating out is associated with self-reported food poisoning: a Western Australia population perspective, 1998 to 2009.

PubMed

Pollard, Christina M; Meng, Xingqiong; Williamson, Sophe; Dodds, Jim; Binns, Colin W

2014-10-01

To explore factors associated with self-reported food poisoning among Western Australian adults between 1998 and 2009. Data were pooled from four Nutrition Monitoring Surveys Series which included information on suspected food poisoning among Western Australian adults. Descriptive statistics and multinomial regression analyses were used to describe factors associated with self-reported food poisoning, food safety knowledge and behaviours. Population of Western Australia estimated to be 2·5 million in 2009. A representative sample of 4494 adults aged between 18 and 64 years. There was no significant change in self-reported food poisoning over time, with about 18 % saying they had suspected food poisoning in the last 6 months. Overall, 2·1% said they had confirmed their food-borne illness with a nurse of doctor. People less than 34 years old, those with a university degree and people who ate meals out on the day prior to the survey (one meal: OR = 1·30, 95% CI 1·04, 1·62; two meals: OR = 2·21, 95% CI 1·30, 3·76) were the most likely to report food poisoning. Younger people were also more likely to have their food poisoning confirmed by a health professional. Use of refrigerator thermometers and cool bags for storing food increased significantly between 2004 and 2009. Findings support the inclusion of food safety advice in dietary recommendations. Food safety and handling education and training is recommended for food businesses, particularly the takeaway food sector, and for consumers. Because food poisoning is reported more often by younger people, food safety education should begin during childhood.

Natural food toxins of bacterial origin

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

One in six people in the US acquire a foodborne illness each year. Food poisoning is a general term used to describe the physiological effects caused by ingestion of contaminated food or water. The effects of ingesting contaminated food range from short-lived symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea...

A centrifugal direct recombinase polymerase amplification (direct-RPA) microdevice for multiplex and real-time identification of food poisoning bacteria.

PubMed

Choi, Goro; Jung, Jae Hwan; Park, Byung Hyun; Oh, Seung Jun; Seo, Ji Hyun; Choi, Jong Seob; Kim, Do Hyun; Seo, Tae Seok

2016-06-21

In this study, we developed a centrifugal direct recombinase polymerase amplification (direct-RPA) microdevice for multiplex and real-time identification of food poisoning bacteria contaminated milk samples. The microdevice was designed to contain identical triplicate functional units and each unit has four reaction chambers, thereby making it possible to perform twelve direct-RPA reactions simultaneously. The integrated microdevice consisted of two layers: RPA reagents were injected in the top layer, while spiked milk samples with food poisoning bacteria were loaded into sample reservoirs in the bottom layer. For multiplex bacterial detection, the target gene-specific primers and probes were dried in each reaction chamber. The introduced samples and reagents could be equally aliquoted and dispensed into each reaction chamber by centrifugal force, and then the multiplex direct-RPA reaction was executed. The target genes of bacteria spiked in milk could be amplified at 39 °C without a DNA extraction step by using the direct-RPA cocktails, which were a combination of a direct PCR buffer and RPA enzymes. As the target gene amplification proceeded, the increased fluorescence signals coming from the reaction chambers were recorded in real-time at an interval of 2 min. The entire process, including the sample distribution, the direct-RPA reaction, and the real-time analysis, was accomplished with a custom-made portable genetic analyzer and a miniaturized optical detector. Monoplex, duplex, and triplex food poisoning bacteria (Salmonella enterica, Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Vibrio parahaemolyticus) detection was successfully performed with a detection sensitivity of 4 cells per 3.2 μL of milk samples within 30 min. By implementing the direct-PRA on the miniaturized centrifugal microsystem, the on-site food poisoning bacteria analysis would be feasible with high speed, sensitivity, and multiplicity.

Staphylococcal food poisoning caused by Staphylococcus argenteus harboring staphylococcal enterotoxin genes.

PubMed

Wakabayashi, Yuki; Umeda, Kaoru; Yonogi, Shinya; Nakamura, Hiromi; Yamamoto, Kaori; Kumeda, Yuko; Kawatsu, Kentaro

2018-01-16

Staphylococcal food poisoning (SFP) is caused by staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs) preformed in food materials. SE genes are encoded on mobile genetic elements and are widely found across Staphylococcus species including S. argenteus, although most SFP cases are caused by S. aureus. S. argenteus, recently discriminated from S. aureus as a novel species, are non-pigmented staphylococci phenotypically related to S. aureus. In 2014 and 2015, two independent food poisoning cases occurred in Osaka, Japan, in which non-pigmented staphylococci were predominantly isolated. Several enterotoxin genes (seb, seg, sei, sem, sen, seo, and selu2) were found in their genome and the production of SEB was confirmed by reverse passive agglutination tests. The non-pigmented isolates from patients, food handlers, food, and cooking utensils all produced the same pulsed-field gel electrophoresis pattern. These non-pigmented isolates were coagulase-positive and biochemically identical to S. aureus. We performed further genetic analysis using nucA sequencing and multi-locus sequence typing, and identified these isolates as S. argenteus. We also found that seb was encoded on the Staphylococcus aureus pathogenicity island, while seg, sei, sem, sen, seo, and selu2 were encoded on the enterotoxin gene cluster. From these results, we concluded that the two food poisoning outbreaks were SFP cases caused by S. argenteus harboring SE genes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Scombroid poisoning.

PubMed

McInerney, J; Sahgal, P; Vogel, M; Rahn, E; Jonas, E

1996-08-01

Scombroid poisoning is described in the literature as a toxic poisoning caused by ingestion of certain dark meat fish undergoing bacterial decomposition. Poisoning results from the ingestion of a heat-stable toxin. We describe the case of a man who presented to the emergency department several hours after eating tuna steak with evidence of scombroid poisoning that was associated with loss of vision and atrial tachycardia with block. All signs and symptoms resolved after treatment for scombroid poisoning.

Trends in salmonella food poisoning in England and Wales 1941-72.

PubMed Central

McCoy, J. H.

1975-01-01

Cattle and pig herds and flocks of domestic fowl have formed the main reservoir of human salmonella food poisoning in England and Wales from 1941 to 1972. Changes in the incidence of human salmonella food poisoning and in the serotypes of salmonellas isolated from human infections are shown to have been associated with the introduction of new foods, with changes in animal husbandry, and with changes in the relative proportions of flesh food from different species consumed. New foods, dried powdered egg, liquid egg and frozen liquid egg were introduced during the period of food rationing which extended from 1940 to 1953. Changes in animal husbandry, in particular the intensive production of pigs, poultry and eggs, followed the re-establishment of pig herds and fowl flocks after the derationing of animal feed in 1953. The changes in the proportions of flesh foods consumed followed the introduction of frozen oven-ready fowl in the late 1950s and early 1960s which by 1964 became cheaper than traditional flesh foods. PMID:1054731

An outbreak of food poisoning due to egg yolk reaction-negative Staphylococcus aureus.

PubMed

Miwa, N; Kawamura, A; Masuda, T; Akiyama, M

2001-03-20

An outbreak of staphylococcal food poisoning due to an egg yolk (EY) reaction-negative strain occurred in Japan. Twenty-one of 53 dam construction workers who ate boxed lunches prepared at their company cafeteria became ill, and eight required hospital treatment. The outbreak showed a typical incubation time (1.5-4 h with a median time of 2.7 h) and symptoms (vomiting and diarrhea) of staphylococcal food poisoning. Staphylococcus aureus, which produces staphylococcal enterotoxin (SE) A, was isolated from four fecal specimens of eight patients tested. Scrambled egg in the boxed lunches contained 20-40 ng/g of SEA, and 3.0 x 10(9)/g of viable S. aureus cells that produced this toxin. All isolates from patients and the food were EY reaction-negative, coagulase type II, and showed the same restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) pattern. We concluded that the outbreak was caused by scrambled egg contaminated with EY reaction-negative S. aureus. In Japan, outbreaks of staphylococcal food poisoning are mainly caused by EY reaction-positive S. aureus, and EY reaction-negative colonies grown on agar plates containing EY are usually not analyzed further for detection of S. aureus. The present outbreak suggested that EY reaction-negative isolates should be subjected to further analysis to detect the causative agents of staphylococcal food poisoning.

Multidrug Efflux Pumps from Enterobacteriaceae, Vibrio cholerae and Staphylococcus aureus Bacterial Food Pathogens

PubMed Central

Andersen, Jody L.; He, Gui-Xin; Kakarla, Prathusha; KC, Ranjana; Kumar, Sanath; Lakra, Wazir Singh; Mukherjee, Mun Mun; Ranaweera, Indrika; Shrestha, Ugina; Tran, Thuy; Varela, Manuel F.

2015-01-01

Foodborne illnesses caused by bacterial microorganisms are common worldwide and constitute a serious public health concern. In particular, microorganisms belonging to the Enterobacteriaceae and Vibrionaceae families of Gram-negative bacteria, and to the Staphylococcus genus of Gram-positive bacteria are important causative agents of food poisoning and infection in the gastrointestinal tract of humans. Recently, variants of these bacteria have developed resistance to medically important chemotherapeutic agents. Multidrug resistant Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica, Vibrio cholerae, Enterobacter spp., and Staphylococcus aureus are becoming increasingly recalcitrant to clinical treatment in human patients. Of the various bacterial resistance mechanisms against antimicrobial agents, multidrug efflux pumps comprise a major cause of multiple drug resistance. These multidrug efflux pump systems reside in the biological membrane of the bacteria and actively extrude antimicrobial agents from bacterial cells. This review article summarizes the evolution of these bacterial drug efflux pump systems from a molecular biological standpoint and provides a framework for future work aimed at reducing the conditions that foster dissemination of these multidrug resistant causative agents through human populations. PMID:25635914

Multidrug efflux pumps from Enterobacteriaceae, Vibrio cholerae and Staphylococcus aureus bacterial food pathogens.

PubMed

Andersen, Jody L; He, Gui-Xin; Kakarla, Prathusha; K C, Ranjana; Kumar, Sanath; Lakra, Wazir Singh; Mukherjee, Mun Mun; Ranaweera, Indrika; Shrestha, Ugina; Tran, Thuy; Varela, Manuel F

2015-01-28

Foodborne illnesses caused by bacterial microorganisms are common worldwide and constitute a serious public health concern. In particular, microorganisms belonging to the Enterobacteriaceae and Vibrionaceae families of Gram-negative bacteria, and to the Staphylococcus genus of Gram-positive bacteria are important causative agents of food poisoning and infection in the gastrointestinal tract of humans. Recently, variants of these bacteria have developed resistance to medically important chemotherapeutic agents. Multidrug resistant Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica, Vibrio cholerae, Enterobacter spp., and Staphylococcus aureus are becoming increasingly recalcitrant to clinical treatment in human patients. Of the various bacterial resistance mechanisms against antimicrobial agents, multidrug efflux pumps comprise a major cause of multiple drug resistance. These multidrug efflux pump systems reside in the biological membrane of the bacteria and actively extrude antimicrobial agents from bacterial cells. This review article summarizes the evolution of these bacterial drug efflux pump systems from a molecular biological standpoint and provides a framework for future work aimed at reducing the conditions that foster dissemination of these multidrug resistant causative agents through human populations.

Ciguatera fish poisoning

PubMed Central

Crump, J.; McLay, C.; Chambers, S.

1999-01-01

Ciguatera fish poisoning is one of a variety of non-bacterial forms of human seafood poisoning. Consuming large predatory fish from tropical reef ecosystems may be hazardous. We describe a case that is typical of the disease, and illustrates the persistence of neurological symptoms that occur in some patients.


Keywords: ciguatera fish poisoning; ichthyosarcotoxaemia; poisoning; biotoxins PMID:10621882

Staphylococcal food poisoning on a cruise ship.

PubMed Central

Waterman, S. H.; Demarcus, T. A.; Wells, J. G.; Blake, P. A.

1987-01-01

Two waves of vomiting and/or diarrhoea affected approximately 215 of the 715 passengers on a Caribbean cruise ship. The outbreak was independently associated with eating cream-filled pastries at two separate meals. Staphylococcus aureus phage type 85/+ was isolated from cases and pastry cooks, but not from controls. This is the first well-documented outbreak of staphylococcal food poisoning on a cruise ship. PMID:3678396

Adverse Effects of Plant Food Supplements and Plants Consumed as Food: Results from the Poisons Centres-Based PlantLIBRA Study.

PubMed

Lüde, Saskia; Vecchio, Sarah; Sinno-Tellier, Sandra; Dopter, Aymeric; Mustonen, Harriet; Vucinic, Slavica; Jonsson, Birgitta; Müller, Dieter; Veras Gimenez Fruchtengarten, Ligia; Hruby, Karl; De Souza Nascimento, Elizabeth; Di Lorenzo, Chiara; Restani, Patrizia; Kupferschmidt, Hugo; Ceschi, Alessandro

2016-06-01

Plant food supplements (PFS) are products of increasing popularity and wide-spread distribution. Nevertheless, information about their risks is limited. To fill this gap, a poisons centres-based study was performed as part of the EU project PlantLIBRA. Multicentre retrospective review of data from selected European and Brazilian poisons centres, involving human cases of adverse effects due to plants consumed as food or as ingredients of food supplements recorded between 2006 and 2010. Ten poisons centres provided a total of 75 cases. In 57 cases (76%) a PFS was involved; in 18 (24%) a plant was ingested as food. The 10 most frequently reported plants were Valeriana officinalis, Camellia sinensis, Paullinia cupana, Melissa officinalis, Passiflora incarnata, Mentha piperita, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Ilex paraguariensis, Panax ginseng, and Citrus aurantium. The most frequently observed clinical effects were neurotoxicity and gastro-intestinal symptoms. Most cases showed a benign clinical course; however, five cases were severe. PFS-related adverse effects seem to be relatively infrequent issues for poisons centres. Most cases showed mild symptoms. Nevertheless, the occurrence of some severe adverse effects and the increasing popularity of PFS require continuous active surveillance, and further research is warranted. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Histamine poisoning (scombroid fish poisoning): an allergy-like intoxication.

PubMed

Taylor, S L; Stratton, J E; Nordlee, J A

1989-01-01

Histamine poisoning results from the consumption of foods, typically certain types of fish and cheeses, that contain unusually high levels of histamine. Spoiled fish of the families, Scombridae and Scomberesocidae (e.g. tuna, mackerel, bonito), are commonly implicated in incidents of histamine poisoning, which leads to the common usage of the term, "scombroid fish poisoning", to describe this illness. However, certain non-scombroid fish, most notably mahi-mahi, bluefish, and sardines, when spoiled are also commonly implicated in histamine poisoning. Also, on rare occasions, cheeses especially Swiss cheese, can be implicated in histamine poisoning. The symptoms of histamine poisoning generally resemble the symptoms encountered with IgE-mediated food allergies. The symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, an oral burning sensation or peppery taste, hives, itching, red rash, and hypotension. The onset of the symptoms usually occurs within a few minutes after ingestion of the implicated food, and the duration of symptoms ranges from a few hours to 24 h. Antihistamines can be used effectively to treat this intoxication. Histamine is formed in foods by certain bacteria that are able to decarboxylate the amino acid, histidine. However, foods containing unusually high levels of histamine may not appear to be outwardly spoiled. Foods with histamine concentrations exceeding 50 mg per 100 g of food are generally considered to be hazardous. Histamine formation in fish can be prevented by proper handling and refrigerated storage while the control of histamine formation in cheese seems dependent on insuring that histamine-producing bacteria are not present in significant numbers in the raw milk.

Bluefish-associated scombroid poisoning. An example of the expanding spectrum of food poisoning from seafood.

PubMed

Etkind, P; Wilson, M E; Gallagher, K; Cournoyer, J

1987-12-18

Five persons who attended a medical conference developed symptoms suggestive of an intoxication after a common meal. Although the symptoms were recognized as typical of scombroid poisoning, no fish of the Scrombridae family had been served. However, food histories implicated bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix). The initially frozen bluefish had been improperly handled in storage and thawing. Elevated levels of histamine, putrescine, and cadaverine were detected in uncooked samples. This outbreak emphasizes that scombroid-type poisoning (1) can be caused by nonscombroid fish such as bluefish, (2) is probably more common than currently recognized, and (3) may become even more widespread as fish become a larger part of our diet. Physicians who work in conjunction with public health officials can help prevent additional cases and outbreaks.

[Food poisoning--importance of international perspective].

PubMed

Nishibuchi, Mitsuaki

2012-08-01

It is important to obtain the information on food security in the countries other than Japan since more than 60 % of the food consumed come from these countries. Food security is now considered as a global issue. A global trend persuading us to provide safe food to humans is based on the concept of human security development associated with a sense of human mission to sustain one's life. Another global tendency pushing us to secure safety and hygiene of food is driven by the economic pressure coming from the rules in international trade established by Codex Committee under FAO/WHO. In contrast to these trends under globalization requesting safe and hygienic food, food habits based on tradition or religion are maintained locally in various parts of the world. These local habits include eating raw or improperly cooked foods, which may become a risk of being exposed to food poisoning pathogens. This issue may be adequately solved by a risk assessment approach based on the concept of appropriate level of protection (ALOP). Like or not, people in some local areas live in the unhygienic environment where they are unintentionally and frequently exposed to enteric pathogens or immunologically cross-reacting microorganisms through which they may acquire specific immunity to the pathogens and escape from infection by the pathogens. There are therefore many areas in the world where people understand the necessity to provide safe food at the international level (globalization) but actually consume food in varying hygienic conditions from area to area due in part to traditional food habits or living environments (localization); we call this situation as glocalization (global+local).

Food-poisoning and commercial air travel.

PubMed

McMullan, R; Edwards, P J; Kelly, M J; Millar, B C; Rooney, P J; Moore, J E

2007-09-01

With the introduction of budget airlines and greater competitiveness amongst all airlines, air travel has now become an extremely popular form of travel, presenting its own unique set of risks from food poisoning. Foodborne illness associated with air travel is quite uncommon in the modern era. However, when it occurs, it may have serious implications for passengers and when crew are affected, has the potential to threaten safety. Quality, safe, in-flight catering relies on high standards of food preparation and storage; this applies at the airport kitchens (or at subcontractors' facilities), on the aircraft and in the transportation vehicles which carry the food from the ground source to the aircraft. This is especially challenging in certain countries. Several foodborne outbreaks have been recorded by the airline industry as a result of a number of different failures of these systems. These have provided an opportunity to learn from past mistakes and current practice has, therefore, reached such a standard so as to minimise risk of failures of this kind. This review examines: (i) the origin of food safety in modern commercial aviation; (ii) outbreaks which have occurred previously relating to aviation travel; (iii) the microbiological quality of food and water on board commercial aircraft; and (iv) how Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points may be employed to maintain food safety in aviation travel.

Conditioned food aversion for control of poisoning by Ipomoea carnea subsp. fistulosa

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Conditioned food aversion is a technique that can be used to train livestock to avoid ingestion of poisonous plants. This study tested the efficacy and durability of conditioned food aversion to eliminate goat’s consumption of Ipomoea carnea subsp. fistulosa. We used 14 young Moxotó goats, which wer...

Histamine fish poisoning revisited.

PubMed

Lehane, L; Olley, J

2000-06-30

Histamine (or scombroid) fish poisoning (HFP) is reviewed in a risk-assessment framework in an attempt to arrive at an informed characterisation of risk. Histamine is the main toxin involved in HFP, but the disease is not uncomplicated histamine poisoning. Although it is generally associated with high levels of histamine (> or =50 mg/100 g) in bacterially contaminated fish of particular species, the pathogenesis of HFP has not been clearly elucidated. Various hypotheses have been put forward to explain why histamine consumed in spoiled fish is more toxic than pure histamine taken orally, but none has proved totally satisfactory. Urocanic acid, like histamine, an imidazole compound derived from histidine in spoiling fish, may be the "missing factor" in HFP. cis-Urocanic acid has recently been recognised as a mast cell degranulator, and endogenous histamine from mast cell degranulation may augment the exogenous histamine consumed in spoiled fish. HFP is a mild disease, but is important in relation to food safety and international trade. Consumers are becoming more demanding, and litigation following food poisoning incidents is becoming more common. Producers, distributors and restaurants are increasingly held liable for the quality of the products they handle and sell. Many countries have set guidelines for maximum permitted levels of histamine in fish. However, histamine concentrations within a spoiled fish are extremely variable, as is the threshold toxic dose. Until the identity, levels and potency of possible potentiators and/or mast-cell-degranulating factors are elucidated, it is difficult to establish regulatory limits for histamine in foods on the basis of potential health hazard. Histidine decarboxylating bacteria produce histamine from free histidine in spoiling fish. Although some are present in the normal microbial flora of live fish, most seem to be derived from post-catching contamination on board fishing vessels, at the processing plant or in the

[Clinical analysis of 53 patients with Clostridium botulinum food poisoning].

PubMed

Zhang, Peng; Dong, Jianguang; Bai, Lili; Qiu, Zewu

2017-05-01

To analyze the epidemiologic data of patients with Clostridium botulinum food poisoning, and to improve the understanding, diagnosis and treatment of food borne botulism. A retrospective study was conducted. Fifty-three patients with Clostridium botulinum food poisoning admitted to Chinese PLA Center of Poisoning and Treatment from January 2009 to December 2016 were enrolled, and they were divided into mild, moderate, and severe groups according to the severity of disease. The clinical data including medical history, epidemiology data, routine blood test and blood biochemistry at hospital admission, the vital signs and arterial blood gas analysis before and after treatment, as well as the occurrence frequency of symptom and sign on set were collected. Fifty-three patients with food borne botulism were enrolled, with 33 patients in mild group, 13 in moderate group, and 7 in severe group. Most of the patients were female, the age distribution was in large span, the outbreak of disease was in groups mainly with the family, and patients were mainly located in Hebei Province, Beijing and Henan Province. The outbreaks were mainly happened in Spring and Summer, and homemade fermentation products were still the first cause of poisoning with the average latent period of (51.01±4.78) hours. The majority of patients with botulism were in mild resulted from the type A toxin. With the aggravation of disease, hospitalization time was gradually increased, white blood cell (WBC) and neutrophils (NEUT) at hospitalization admission, and respiratory rate (RR), heart rate (HR), fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO 2 ) before the treatment were shown in obviously rising trend, albumin (ALB) at hospitalization admission and pH, arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2), arterial oxygen saturation (SaO 2 ) before treatment were in decline. The parameters in severe group were most severe, and had significant differences as compared with those of mild group [hospitalization time (days): 72

Staphylococcus aureus food poisoning among Bulawayo City Council employees, Zimbabwe, 2014.

PubMed

Gumbo, Amen; Bangure, Donewell; Gombe, Notion T; Mungati, More; Tshimanga, Mufuta; Hwalima, Zanele; Dube, Ignatious

2015-09-28

Bulawayo City Council held an Integrated Result Based Management workshop among 86 employees from August 18-22, 2014 at Ikhwezi Training Centre in Bulawayo City. On August 21, 2014, a report of diarrhoea among Council employees attending the workshop was received. We investigated the outbreak to determine the risk factors associated with diarrhoea at Ikhwezi Training Centre, Bulawayo City. A retrospective cohort study was conducted where 74 Council employees were interviewed on food consumed and presenting signs and symptoms. Stool specimens and hand swabs were collected for culture. Water samples were collected for bacteriological analysis. Food samples were not available. Data were analysed using Epi Info™ to generate frequencies, means, proportions, risk ratios, and attributable risk. Of the 74 employees interviewed 34 (45.9%) were males and 40 (54%) were females. The response rate was 94%. The common signs and symptoms included abdominal cramps (88.7%), and watery diarrhoea (86.8%). The overall attack rate was 71.6%. Eating stewed chicken (RR = 2.52, 95% CI 1.30-4.89) served at hour 13:00 during lunch on August 20, 2014 at Ikhwezi Training Centre was the only significant risk factor associated with food poisoning. Drinking purified bottled water [RR = 0.67, 95% CI (0.57-0.79)] was found to be protective. Staphylococcus aureus was isolated from the hands and nails of food handlers. The outbreak was due to food poisoning and was most likely caused by the Staphylococcus aureus formed toxins. Stewed chicken served during lunch on August 20, 2014 was the possible source of infection. Contamination might have occurred during food handling and preparation. Training of food handlers in basic food hygiene and safety is recommended.

[Analysis and spatial description to correlative factors on food hygiene appeal and food poison in restaurants of city zone in Qingdao].

PubMed

Liu, Ying; Guo, Xin-biao; Li, Hai-rong; Yang, Lin-sheng

2006-07-01

To study some factors that affected food poison and appeals in restaurants which were hidden danger on the cards. Data on food hygiene events from 2002 to 2004 in restaurants of 14 blocks which were located in the important city zone of Qingdao were collected and studied. The spatial distribution was conducted by means of Geographic Information System (GIS). Possible factors related to food hygiene events were investigated and analysed by NCSS Data statistics software. information of every block were marked on digitalized map by ARCVIEW3.2a software in order to show the spatial distribution of food hygiene events palpably in different areas in the course of three years. It was showed that air temperature, humidity, sunlight length were the important factors of food poison. Average amount of guests and floating population related to administration level of sanitation, the level of sanitation administration, geography location, business status of restaurants related to their status of food sanitation. This study showed the method that analysed and studied status of food sanitation from different areas by GIS were effective, simple and palpable.

Toxigenic Strains of Bacillus licheniformis Related to Food Poisoning

PubMed Central

Salkinoja-Salonen, M. S.; Vuorio, R.; Andersson, M. A.; Kämpfer, P.; Andersson, M. C.; Honkanen-Buzalski, T.; Scoging, A. C.

1999-01-01

Toxin-producing isolates of Bacillus licheniformis were obtained from foods involved in food poisoning incidents, from raw milk, and from industrially produced baby food. The toxin detection method, based on the inhibition of boar spermatozoan motility, has been shown previously to be a sensitive assay for the emetic toxin of Bacillus cereus, cereulide. Cell extracts of the toxigenic B. licheniformis isolates inhibited sperm motility, damaged cell membrane integrity, depleted cellular ATP, and swelled the acrosome, but no mitochondrial damage was observed. The responsible agent from the B. licheniformis isolates was partially purified. It showed physicochemical properties similar to those of cereulide, despite having very different biological activity. The toxic agent was nonproteinaceous; soluble in 50 and 100% methanol; and insensitive to heat, protease, and acid or alkali and of a molecular mass smaller than 10,000 g mol−1. The toxic B. licheniformis isolates inhibited growth of Corynebacterium renale DSM 20688T, but not all inhibitory isolates were sperm toxic. The food poisoning-related isolates were beta-hemolytic, grew anaerobically and at 55°C but not at 10°C, and were nondistinguishable from the type strain of B. licheniformis, DSM 13T, by a broad spectrum of biochemical tests. Ribotyping revealed more diversity; the toxin producers were divided among four ribotypes when cut with PvuII and among six when cut with EcoRI, but many of the ribotypes also contained nontoxigenic isolates. When ribotyped with PvuII, most toxin-producing isolates shared bands at 2.8 ± 0.2, 4.9 ± 0.3, and 11.7 ± 0.5 or 13.1 ± 0.8 kb. PMID:10508100

Food poisoning--a major threat to airline operations.

PubMed

Burslem, C D; Kelly, M J; Preston, F S

1990-01-01

In the spring of 1984, British Airways was involved in a major food poisoning outbreak which affected nearly 1000 passengers, aircrew and ground personnel. The operational impact was worldwide and could have resulted in the cessation of the airline's day-to-day operations. The investigation paralleled a major aircraft disaster in the number of national and international agencies involved and in the variety of disciplines engaged. Although the causative organism was rapidly identified (salmonella), and its introduction into the food chain proved to be a key factor, the scale of the outbreak was the result of an interaction of other factors. As with a major aircraft accident, none of the factors alone would have caused the near disaster that occurred.

A Computer Simulation of Bacterial Growth During Food-Processing

DTIC Science & Technology

1974-11-01

1 AD A TECHNICAL REPORT A COMPUTER SIMULATION OF BACTERIAL GROWTH DURING FOOD PROCESSING =r= by Edward W. Ross, Jr. Approved for public...COMPUTER SIMULATION OF BACTERIAL GROWTH DURING FOOD - PROCESSING Edward W. Ross, Jr. Army Natick Laboratories Natick, Massachusetts Novembe...CATALOG NUMBER 4. TITLE fand SubtKUJ "A Computer Sinulatlon of Bacterial Growth During Food - Processing " 5. TYPE OF REPORT A PERIOD COVERED 6

Plant fertilizer poisoning

MedlinePlus

Plant fertilizers and household plant foods are used to improve plant growth. Poisoning can occur if someone swallows these products. Plant fertilizers are mildly poisonous if small amounts are swallowed. ...

Characterization of an outbreak of Clostridium perfringens food poisoning by quantitative fecal culture and fecal enterotoxin measurement.

PubMed Central

Birkhead, G; Vogt, R L; Heun, E M; Snyder, J T; McClane, B A

1988-01-01

Published criteria for implicating Clostridium perfringens as the cause of food-poisoning outbreaks include finding a median fecal C. perfringens spore count of greater than 10(6)/g among specimens from ill persons. We investigated a food-poisoning outbreak with the epidemiologic characteristics of C. perfringens-related disease in a nursing home in which the median fecal spore count for ill patients (2.5 X 10(7)/g) was similar to that for well patients (4.0 X 10(6)/g), making the etiology of the outbreak uncertain. All ill and well patients tested had eaten turkey, the implicated food item. C. perfringens enterotoxin was detected by reverse passive latex agglutination in fecal specimens from six of six ill and none of four well patients who had eaten turkey (P = 0.005), suggesting that this organism had caused the outbreak. This investigation suggests that detection of fecal C. perfringens enterotoxin is a specific way to identify this organism as the causative agent in food-poisoning outbreaks. PMID:2895776

Staphylococcal food poisoning in the United Kingdom, 1969-90.

PubMed Central

Wieneke, A. A.; Roberts, D.; Gilbert, R. J.

1993-01-01

Between 1969 and 1990 strains of Staphylococcus aureus from 359 outbreaks and sporadic cases of staphylococcal food poisoning in the United Kingdom were examined in the PHLS Food Hygiene Laboratory for the production of enterotoxin. In a number of instances the incriminated foods were also examined for the presence of enterotoxin. Strains from 79% of incidents produced enterotoxin A alone or together with another enterotoxin. The level of S. aureus present in the foods ranged from no viable S. aureus detected to 1.5 x 10(10) c.f.u./g with a median of 3.0 x 10(7) c.f.u./g. Enterotoxin was detected in foods in the absence of viable S. aureus in only two outbreaks and in both cheese was the implicated food. Meat, poultry or their products were the vehicle in 75% of incidents with ham and chicken most frequently implicated. Other foods included fish and shellfish (7%) and milk and milk products (8%). Most contamination took place in the home followed by restaurants and shops. Seventy-one percent of the incident strains were lysed by phages of group III or I/III. PMID:8519317

Poison Ivy

MedlinePlus

... way to get rid of it? Resources U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Outsmarting Poison Ivy and Other Poisonous Plants Last Updated: June 21, 2017 This article was contributed by: familydoctor.org editorial staff Categories: Family Health, Kids and TeensTags: allergic reaction, Dermatologic, ...

[Plant poisoning cases in Turkey].

PubMed

Oztekin-Mat, A

1994-01-01

In Turkey, the majority of the population live in rural areas where they use wild plants as food and medicine. The confusion of an edible plant with a poisonous one give rise to serious poisoning which may even result in death. The incidence of plant poisoning in Turkey is about 6% and especially high among children between ages of 2 and 11 living in rural areas. The number of species that cause poisoning is around twenty and Hyoscyamus niger (Solanaceae), Colchicum species (Liliaceae), Conium maculatum (Umbelliferae) and Prunus species (Rosaceae) are the most important. Mushroom poisoning is more frequent in spring and fall. The main reasons are their widespread usage as food and the inexperience of the gatherers in distinguishing the edibles from the poisonous. Amanita phalloides, A. verna, A. muscaria, A. pantherina are responsible for severe cases of poisoning.

Tectus niloticus (Tegulidae, Gastropod) as a Novel Vector of Ciguatera Poisoning: Clinical Characterization and Follow-Up of a Mass Poisoning Event in Nuku Hiva Island (French Polynesia).

PubMed

Gatti, Clémence Mahana Iti; Lonati, Davide; Darius, Hélène Taiana; Zancan, Arturo; Roué, Mélanie; Schicchi, Azzurra; Locatelli, Carlo Alessandro; Chinain, Mireille

2018-02-28

Ciguatera fish poisoning (CFP) is the most prevalent non-bacterial food-borne form of poisoning in French Polynesia, which results from the consumption of coral reef fish naturally contaminated with ciguatoxins produced by dinoflagellates in the genus Gambierdiscus . Since the early 2000s, this French territory has also witnessed the emergence of atypical forms of ciguatera, known as ciguatera shellfish poisoning (CSP), associated with the consumption of marine invertebrates. In June 2014, nine tourists simultaneously developed a major and persistent poisoning syndrome following the consumption of the gastropod Tectus niloticus collected in Anaho, a secluded bay of Nuku Hiva Island (Marquesas Archipelago, French Polynesia). The unusual nature and severity of this event prompted a multidisciplinary investigation in order to characterize the etiology and document the short/long-term health consequences of this mass-poisoning event. This paper presents the results of clinical investigations based on hospital medical records, medical follow-up conducted six and 20 months post-poisoning, including a case description. This study is the first to describe the medical signature of T. niloticus poisoning in French Polynesia and contributed to alerting local authorities about the potential health hazards associated with the consumption of this gastropod, which is highly prized by local communities in Pacific island countries and territories.

Tectus niloticus (Tegulidae, Gastropod) as a Novel Vector of Ciguatera Poisoning: Clinical Characterization and Follow-Up of a Mass Poisoning Event in Nuku Hiva Island (French Polynesia)

PubMed Central

Lonati, Davide; Zancan, Arturo; Schicchi, Azzurra; Locatelli, Carlo Alessandro; Chinain, Mireille

2018-01-01

Ciguatera fish poisoning (CFP) is the most prevalent non-bacterial food-borne form of poisoning in French Polynesia, which results from the consumption of coral reef fish naturally contaminated with ciguatoxins produced by dinoflagellates in the genus Gambierdiscus. Since the early 2000s, this French territory has also witnessed the emergence of atypical forms of ciguatera, known as ciguatera shellfish poisoning (CSP), associated with the consumption of marine invertebrates. In June 2014, nine tourists simultaneously developed a major and persistent poisoning syndrome following the consumption of the gastropod Tectus niloticus collected in Anaho, a secluded bay of Nuku Hiva Island (Marquesas Archipelago, French Polynesia). The unusual nature and severity of this event prompted a multidisciplinary investigation in order to characterize the etiology and document the short/long-term health consequences of this mass-poisoning event. This paper presents the results of clinical investigations based on hospital medical records, medical follow-up conducted six and 20 months post-poisoning, including a case description. This study is the first to describe the medical signature of T. niloticus poisoning in French Polynesia and contributed to alerting local authorities about the potential health hazards associated with the consumption of this gastropod, which is highly prized by local communities in Pacific island countries and territories. PMID:29495579

Bacteriophages for detection and control of bacterial pathogens in food and food-processing environment.

PubMed

Brovko, Lubov Y; Anany, Hany; Griffiths, Mansel W

2012-01-01

This chapter presents recent advances in bacteriophage research and their application in the area of food safety. Section 1 describes general facts on phage biology that are relevant to their application for control and detection of bacterial pathogens in food and environmental samples. Section 2 summarizes the recently acquired data on application of bacteriophages to control growth of bacterial pathogens and spoilage organisms in food and food-processing environment. Section 3 deals with application of bacteriophages for detection and identification of bacterial pathogens. Advantages of bacteriophage-based methods are presented and their shortcomings are discussed. The chapter is intended for food scientist and food product developers, and people in food inspection and health agencies with the ultimate goal to attract their attention to the new developing technology that has a tremendous potential in providing means for producing wholesome and safe food. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Investigating an outbreak of staphylococcal food poisoning among travellers across two Australian states.

PubMed Central

Boonwaat, Leng; Moore, Terry; Chavada, Ruchir; Conaty, Stephen

2015-01-01

Introduction Staphylococcus aureus is a common cause of staphylococcal food poisoning in Australia with several outbreaks associated with foods prepared by commercial caterers. Laboratory testing on cases of gastrointestinal illness caused by enterotoxin-producing S. aureus is not routinely done as this condition is self-limiting. Hence outbreaks of such illness may go undetected. Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted among a group of tourists who were hospitalized in Sydney shortly after flying from Queensland. The group had consumed food prepared by a restaurant on the Gold Coast before transit. Laboratory analyses on stool specimens were conducted in Sydney. An environmental assessment of the restaurant in the Gold Coast was conducted, and environmental specimens were assessed for contamination. Results Epidemiological investigations linked the outbreak to a restaurant in the Gold Coast where the suspected food was produced. Stool samples from two of the hospitalized cases were confirmed to have enterotoxin-producing S. aureus, and several environmental samples were found to be contaminated with S. aureus as well. Investigations suggested that absence of hand washing and other unhygienic food handling at the implicated restaurant was the likely cause of this outbreak. Conclusion Food poisoning due to toxin-mediated S. aureus is frequently undetected and underreported. Public health units should consider toxin-producing pathogens such as S. aureus when investigating outbreaks where vomiting is the predominant symptom and occurs rapidly after consuming food. PMID:26306211

[Multiplex PCR strategy for the simultaneous identification of Staphylococcus aureus and detection of staphylococcal enterotoxins in isolates from food poisoning outbreaks].

PubMed

Brizzio, Aníbal A; Tedeschi, Fabián A; Zalazar, Fabián E

2013-01-01

Staphylococcal food poisoning is the most frequent type of food poisoning around the world. Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxins cause significant loss of water in the intestinal lumen, followed by vomiting and diarrhea. To report a fast, reliable and inexpensive strategy based on multiplex PCR for the simultaneous identification of S. aureus and detection of five classical S. aureus enterotoxin genes ( sea, seb, sec, sed, see ) in Staphylococcus spp. strains isolated from food poisoning outbreaks. We analyzed isolates from 12 food poisoning outbreaks occurred in Santa Fe province (Argentina). Isolation and phenotypic characterization were carried out by standard procedures. Genotypic analysis was performed by multiplex PCR, using primers for nuc , sea-see and 16S rRNA genes simultaneously. Of all the strains tested, 58% were found to carry toxigenic genes. Sea and seb toxins were found at the same percentage (29%) while sec, sed and see genes were found in a lower and identical proportion (14%). We did not find more than one different type of S. aureus enterotoxin in the isolates analyzed. The multiplex PCR strategy designed in this work has enabled us to identify strains of S. aureus and detect -at the same time- their enterotoxigenic ability. At present, our efforts are devoted to the detection of genes encoding enterotoxins other than the classical ones, in order to know their impact on staphylococcal food poisoning, as well as to investigate their relevance to our country's public health.

Risk evaluation for staphylococcal food poisoning in processed milk produced with skim milk powder.

PubMed

Soejima, T; Nagao, E; Yano, Y; Yamagata, H; Kagi, H; Shinagawa, K

2007-04-01

The growth of S. aureus and the production of staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA) in skim milk concentrates stored at inappropriate temperatures in a recovery milk tank (tank for excess concentrated skim milk) used in the manufacture of skimmed milk powder were investigated. Also, it was estimated if a possible outbreak of food poisoning would occur if the contaminated skimmed milk powder was used in the manufacture of processed milk. Skim milk concentrates with milk solid content of 15, 25, and 35% were inoculated with S. aureus at 1-2 log CFU/ml and incubated at 15, 25, or 35 degrees C for 0 to 24 h with or without shaking. Bacterial growth and the level of SEA production were measured. At 35 degrees C with shaking, there was a significant difference (p<0.05) in one way layout analysis of variance, and it was demonstrated that the growth of S. aureus and SEA production could be milk solid content-dependent. Shaking accelerated the growth of S. aureus and SEA production at 35 degrees C. Generally, skim milk powder is produced by mixing a set percentage of skim milk concentrates (recovery milk) from the recovery milk tank into raw milk. If recovery milk contaminated with S. aureus at levels of 1-2 log CFU/ml is kept at 15 to 35 degrees C due to a power failure, it was estimated that processed milk consumption of 670-1200 ml, 420-1500 ml and 18-83 ml would trigger the onset of food poisoning symptoms when skim milk concentrates (recovery milk) are stored at 25 degrees C for 24 h, 35 degrees C for 10 h, and 35 degrees C for 24 h, respectively, during the production of the skim milk powder. Based on these consumption levels, it was concluded that, if recovery milk cannot be refrigerated and is stored at room temperature (25 to 35 degrees C), it must be used within 8 h and preferably within 6 h.

9 CFR 311.16 - Carcasses so infected that consumption of the meat may cause food poisoning.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... of the meat may cause food poisoning. 311.16 Section 311.16 Animals and Animal Products FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AGENCY ORGANIZATION AND TERMINOLOGY; MANDATORY MEAT... OTHERWISE ADULTERATED CARCASSES AND PARTS § 311.16 Carcasses so infected that consumption of the meat may...

9 CFR 311.16 - Carcasses so infected that consumption of the meat may cause food poisoning.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... of the meat may cause food poisoning. 311.16 Section 311.16 Animals and Animal Products FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AGENCY ORGANIZATION AND TERMINOLOGY; MANDATORY MEAT... OTHERWISE ADULTERATED CARCASSES AND PARTS § 311.16 Carcasses so infected that consumption of the meat may...

Bacterial desorption from food container and food processing surfaces.

PubMed

McEldowney, S; Fletcher, M

1988-03-01

The desorption ofStaphylococcus aureus, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, and a coryneform from the surfaces of materials used for manufacturing food containers (glass, tin plate, and polypropylene) or postprocess canning factory conveyor belts (stainless steel and nylon) was investigated. The effect of time, pH, temperature, and adsorbed organic layers on desorption was studied.S. aureus did not detach from the substrata at any pH investigated (between pH 5 and 9).A. calcoaceticus and the coryneform in some cases detached, depending upon pH and substratum composition. The degree of bacterial detachment from the substrata was not related to bacterial respiration at experimental pH values. Bacterial desorption was not affected by temperature (4-30°C) nor by an adsorbed layer of peptone and yeast extract on the substrata. The results indicate that bacterial desorption, hence bacterial removal during cleaning or their transfer via liquids flowing over colonized surfaces, is likely to vary with the surface composition and the bacterial species colonizing the surfaces.

Fish and shellfish poisoning.

PubMed

Trevino, S

1998-01-01

To review history, biology, and medical aspects associated with fish and shellfish poisoning. Current literature, various Web sites, and Halstead's Volume II of Poisonous and Venomous Marine Animals. Determined by author. Determined by author. Fish and shellfish poisoning occur through the natural event of the food chain. Fish and shellfish consume algae that contain toxin-producing dinoflagellates. As a result they become contaminated and the toxin is concentrated as it moves up the food chain. Fish and shellfish can tolerate high levels of toxins, thereby appearing healthy while posing a significant danger to man. The toxin cannot be detected by sight, smell, or taste and is not destroyed by cooking or freezing. Thus man becomes an unsuspecting victim. There are several types of poisoning that occur through fish and shellfish consumption. They are ciguatera and scombroid fish poisoning; and paralytic, diarrheic, neurotoxic, and amnesic shellfish poisoning. A different toxin produces each of these poisonings; however, sources and symptoms may be similar among these poisonings making them difficult to diagnose. These intoxications can vary in severity from mild to fatal depending on the type and amount of toxin ingested. Age and underlying illnesses may also contribute to the outcome of these poisonings. Though people are aware of health warnings and may think they are important, it is human nature to think that "this could not possibly happen to me". Therefore, they fail to make the necessary changes required to reduce the incidence of fish and shellfish poisoning.

[Serial Food Poisoning Outbreaks Caused by Norovirus-Contaminated Shredded Dried Laver Seaweed Provided at School Lunch, Tokyo, 2017].

PubMed

Somura, Yoshiko; Kimoto, Kana; Oda, Mayuko; Okutsu, Yuta; Kato, Rei; Suzuki, Yasunori; Siki, Dai; Hirai, Akihiko; Akiba, Tetsuya; Shinkai, Takayuki; Sadamasu, Kenji

2017-01-01

In February 2017, four food poisoning outbreaks occurred in Tokyo, involving ten schools. Shredded dried laver seaweed processed by a single food manufacturer in December 2016 was provided in common for the school meals that caused all four outbreaks. Of 4,209 persons exposed, 1,193 (28.3%) had symptoms of gastroenteritis. Norovirus (NoV) GII was detected in 207 (78.1%) of 265 cases by real-time RT-PCR. Thirty-one shredded dried laver seaweed samples were examined and seven (22.6%) of them were positive for NoV GII. PCR fragments of NoV ORF1/2 junction region (302 bp) from seven shredded dried laver seaweed samples and 20 clinical samples derived from the four outbreaks were sequenced. All of them displayed complete homology, and the genotype was classified as GII.17. A nearly full-length sequence (7,420 bp) of NoV RNA derived from a case was obtained by next-generation sequencer analysis and phylogenetic analysis indicated that this strain belongs to the same cluster as Hu/GII/JP/2015/GII.P17_GII.17/Kawasaki308. Thus, our investigation elucidated that the causative agent of these four serial food poisoning outbreaks was NoV GII.17 and the infectious source was a single batch of shredded dried laver seaweed. The water activity of the shredded dried laver seaweed was found to be 0.119 to 0.129. It was epidemiologically clarified that NoV does not lose infectivity for about two months even in the dry state. We conclude that a large diffuse outbreak of food poisoning caused by NoV GII.17 contamination of shredded dried laver seaweed had occurred in Tokyo. Our elucidation of the causative agent indicated that the food poisoning outbreaks in multiple areas of Japan, including Tokyo, during January to February 2017 were caused by the same contaminated food.

A systematic review of the clinical, public health and cost-effectiveness of rapid diagnostic tests for the detection and identification of bacterial intestinal pathogens in faeces and food.

PubMed

Abubakar, I; Irvine, L; Aldus, C F; Wyatt, G M; Fordham, R; Schelenz, S; Shepstone, L; Howe, A; Peck, M; Hunter, P R

2007-09-01

To determine the diagnostic accuracy of tests for the rapid diagnosis of bacterial food poisoning in clinical and public health practice and to estimate the cost-effectiveness of these assays in a hypothetical population in order to inform policy on the use of these tests. Studies evaluating diagnostic accuracy of rapid tests were retrieved using electronic databases and handsearching reference lists and key journals. Hospital laboratories and test manufacturers were contacted for cost data, and clinicians involved in the care of patients with food poisoning were invited to discuss the conclusions of this review using the nominal group technique. A systematic review of the current medical literature on assays used for the rapid diagnosis of bacterial food poisoning was carried out. Specific organisms under review were Salmonella, Campylobacter, Escherichia coli O157, Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium perfringens and Bacillus cereus. Data extraction was undertaken using standardised data extraction forms. Where a sufficient number of studies evaluating comparable tests were identified, meta-analysis was performed. A decision analytic model was developed, using effectiveness data from the review and cost data from hospitals and manufacturers, which contributed to an assessment of the cost-effectiveness of rapid tests in a hypothetical UK population. Finally, diagnostic accuracy and cost-effectiveness results were presented to a focus group of GPs, microbiologists and consultants in communicable disease control, to assess professional opinion on the use of rapid tests in the diagnosis of food poisoning. Good test performance levels were observed with rapid test methods, especially for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays. The estimated levels of diagnostic accuracy using the area under the curve of the summary receiver operating characteristic curve was very high. Indeed, although traditional culture is the natural reference test to use for comparative statistical

Sphagnan--a pectin-like polymer isolated from Sphagnum moss can inhibit the growth of some typical food spoilage and food poisoning bacteria by lowering the pH.

PubMed

Stalheim, T; Ballance, S; Christensen, B E; Granum, P E

2009-03-01

Investigate if the antibacterial effect of sphagnan, a pectin-like carbohydrate polymer extracted from Sphagnum moss, can be accounted for by its ability to lower the pH. Antibacterial activity of sphagnan was assessed and compared to that of three other acids. Sphagnan in its acid form was able to inhibit growth of various food poisoning and spoilage bacteria on low-buffering solid growth medium, whereas sphagnan in its sodium form at neutral pH had no antibacterial activity. At similar acidic pH, sphagnan had comparable antibacterial activity to that of hydrochloric acid and a control rhamnogalacturonan pectin in its acid form. Sphagnan in its acid form is a weak macromolecular acid that can inhibit bacterial growth by lowering the pH of environments with a low buffering capacity. It has previously been suggested that sphagnan is an antimicrobial polysaccharide in the leaves of Sphagnum moss with a broad range of potential practical applications. Our results now show that sphagnan in its acid form can indeed inhibit bacterial growth, but only of acid-sensitive species. These findings represent increased knowledge towards our understanding on how sphagnan or Sphagnum moss might be used in practical applications.

Food poisoning due to Salmonella enterica serotype weltevreden in Mangalore.

PubMed

Antony, B; Dias, M; Shetty, A K; Rekha, B

2009-01-01

An outbreak of food poisoning due to Salmonella enterica serotype Weltevreden ( S.weltevreden ) involving 34 students has been reported from a tertiary care hospital in Mangalore. The symptoms developed 8-10 hours, after consuming a non- vegetarian dish, probably fish, from an outside caterer. The identity of the organism was confirmed at Central Research Institute, Kasauli. This report emphasizes the geographical distribution of this organism in the Coastal Karnataka region. S.Weltevreden may be overlooked due to the biochemical similarity to S. Paratyphi B & S. Typhimurium.

Spontaneous and experimental poisoning of cattle by Palicourea aeneofusca in the region of Pernambuco and introduction of conditioned food aversion

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The objective of this study was to describe the epidemiological, clinical, and pathological aspects of Palicourea aeneofusca poisoning in cattle in the region of Pernambuco, Brazil and to determine if it is possible to induce food aversion by P. aeneofusca poisoning in cattle raised under extensive ...

Bacterial spoilers of food: behavior, fitness and functional properties.

PubMed

Remenant, Benoît; Jaffrès, Emmanuel; Dousset, Xavier; Pilet, Marie-France; Zagorec, Monique

2015-02-01

Most food products are highly perishable as they constitute a rich nutrient source for microbial development. Among the microorganisms contaminating food, some present metabolic activities leading to spoilage. In addition to hygienic rules to reduce contamination, various treatments are applied during production and storage to avoid the growth of unwanted microbes. The nature and appearance of spoilage therefore depend on the physiological state of spoilers and on their ability to resist the processing/storage conditions and flourish on the food matrix. Spoilage also relies on the interactions between the microorganisms composing the ecosystems encountered in food. The recent rapid increase in publicly available bacterial genome sequences, as well as the access to high-throughput methods, should lead to a better understanding of spoiler behavior and to the possibility of decreasing food spoilage. This review lists the main bacterial species identified as food spoilers, their ability to develop during storage and/or processing, and the functions potentially involved in spoilage. We have also compiled an inventory of the available genome sequences of species encompassing spoilage strains. Combining in silico analysis of genome sequences with experimental data is proposed in order to understand and thus control the bacterial spoilage of food better. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Globalization, Binational Communities, and Imported Food Risks: Results of an Outbreak Investigation of Lead Poisoning in Monterey County, California

PubMed Central

Handley, Margaret A.; Hall, Celeste; Sanford, Eric; Diaz, Evie; Gonzalez-Mendez, Enrique; Drace, Kaitie; Wilson, Robert; Villalobos, Mario; Croughan, Mary

2007-01-01

Objectives. Although the burden of lead poisoning has decreased across developed countries, it remains the most prevalent environmental poison worldwide. Our objective was to investigate the sources of an outbreak of lead poisoning in Monterey County, California. Methods. An investigation in 3 county health department clinics in Monterey County, California, was conducted between 2001 and 2003 to identify risk factors for elevated blood lead levels (≥ 10 μg/dL) among children and pregnant women. Results. The prevalence of elevated blood lead levels was significantly higher in 1 of the 3 clinics (6% among screened children and 13% among prenatal patients). Risk factors included eating imported foods (relative risk [RR]=3.4; 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.2, 9.5) and having originated from the Zimatlan area of Oaxaca, Mexico, compared with other areas of Oaxaca (RR=4.0; 95% CI=1.7, 9.5). Home-prepared dried grasshoppers (chapulines) sent from Oaxaca were found to contain significant amounts of lead. Conclusions. Consumption of foods imported from Oaxaca was identified as a risk factor for elevated blood lead levels in Monterey County, California. Lead-contaminated imported chapulines were identified as 1 source of lead poisoning, although other sources may also contribute to the observed findings. Food transport between binational communities presents a unique risk for the importation PMID:17395841

Globalization, binational communities, and imported food risks: results of an outbreak investigation of lead poisoning in Monterey County, California.

PubMed

Handley, Margaret A; Hall, Celeste; Sanford, Eric; Diaz, Evie; Gonzalez-Mendez, Enrique; Drace, Kaitie; Wilson, Robert; Villalobos, Mario; Croughan, Mary

2007-05-01

Although the burden of lead poisoning has decreased across developed countries, it remains the most prevalent environmental poison worldwide. Our objective was to investigate the sources of an outbreak of lead poisoning in Monterey County, California. An investigation in 3 county health department clinics in Monterey County, California, was conducted between 2001 and 2003 to identify risk factors for elevated blood lead levels (> or = 10 microg/dL) among children and pregnant women. The prevalence of elevated blood lead levels was significantly higher in 1 of the 3 clinics (6% among screened children and 13% among prenatal patients). Risk factors included eating imported foods (relative risk [RR]=3.4; 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.2, 9.5) and having originated from the Zimatlan area of Oaxaca, Mexico, compared with other areas of Oaxaca (RR=4.0; 95% CI=1.7, 9.5). Home-prepared dried grasshoppers (chapulines) sent from Oaxaca were found to contain significant amounts of lead. Consumption of foods imported from Oaxaca was identified as a risk factor for elevated blood lead levels in Monterey County, California. Lead-contaminated imported chapulines were identified as 1 source of lead poisoning, although other sources may also contribute to the observed findings. Food transport between binational communities presents a unique risk for the importation of environmental hazards [corrected

Genetic diversity of Clostridium perfringens type A isolates from animals, food poisoning outbreaks and sludge

PubMed Central

Johansson, Anders; Aspan, Anna; Bagge, Elisabeth; Båverud, Viveca; Engström, Björn E; Johansson, Karl-Erik

2006-01-01

Background Clostridium perfringens, a serious pathogen, causes enteric diseases in domestic animals and food poisoning in humans. The epidemiological relationship between C. perfringens isolates from the same source has previously been investigated chiefly by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). In this study the genetic diversity of C. perfringens isolated from various animals, from food poisoning outbreaks and from sludge was investigated. Results We used PFGE to examine the genetic diversity of 95 C. perfringens type A isolates from eight different sources. The isolates were also examined for the presence of the beta2 toxin gene (cpb2) and the enterotoxin gene (cpe). The cpb2 gene from the 28 cpb2-positive isolates was also partially sequenced (519 bp, corresponding to positions 188 to 706 in the consensus cpb2 sequence). The results of PFGE revealed a wide genetic diversity among the C. perfringens type A isolates. The genetic relatedness of the isolates ranged from 58 to 100% and 56 distinct PFGE types were identified. Almost all clusters with similar patterns comprised isolates with a known epidemiological correlation. Most of the isolates from pig, horse and sheep carried the cpb2 gene. All isolates originating from food poisoning outbreaks carried the cpe gene and three of these also carried cpb2. Two evolutionary different populations were identified by sequence analysis of the partially sequenced cpb2 genes from our study and cpb2 sequences previously deposited in GenBank. Conclusion As revealed by PFGE, there was a wide genetic diversity among C. perfringens isolates from different sources. Epidemiologically related isolates showed a high genetic similarity, as expected, while isolates with no obvious epidemiological relationship expressed a lesser degree of genetic similarity. The wide diversity revealed by PFGE was not reflected in the 16S rRNA sequences, which had a considerable degree of sequence similarity. Sequence comparison of the partially

Food Safety Attitudes in College Students: A Structural Equation Modeling Analysis of a Conceptual Model

PubMed Central

Booth, Rachelle; Hernandez, Magaly; Baker, Erica L.; Grajales, Tevni; Pribis, Peter

2013-01-01

College students are one of the most at-risk population groups for food poisoning, due to risky food safety behaviors. Using the Likert Scale, undergraduate students were asked to participate in a Food Safety Survey which was completed by 499 students ages 18–25. Data was analyzed using SPSS and AMOS statistical software. Four conceptual definitions regarding food safety were defined as: general food safety, bacterial food safety, produce food safety, and politics associated with food safety. Knowledge seems to be an important factor in shaping students attitudes regarding general and bacterial safety. Ethnicity plays a role in how people view the politics of food safety, and the safety of organic foods. PMID:23364131

Food safety attitudes in college students: a structural equation modeling analysis of a conceptual model.

PubMed

Booth, Rachelle; Hernandez, Magaly; Baker, Erica L; Grajales, Tevni; Pribis, Peter

2013-01-30

College students are one of the most at-risk population groups for food poisoning, due to risky food safety behaviors. Using the Likert Scale, undergraduate students were asked to participate in a Food Safety Survey which was completed by 499 students ages 18-25. Data was analyzed using SPSS and AMOS statistical software. Four conceptual definitions regarding food safety were defined as: general food safety, bacterial food safety, produce food safety, and politics associated with food safety. Knowledge seems to be an important factor in shaping students attitudes regarding general and bacterial safety. Ethnicity plays a role in how people view the politics of food safety, and the safety of organic foods.

Stem bark extract and fraction of Persea americana (Mill.) exhibits bactericidal activities against strains of bacillus cereus associated with food poisoning.

PubMed

Akinpelu, David A; Aiyegoro, Olayinka A; Akinpelu, Oluseun F; Okoh, Anthony I

2014-12-30

The study investigates the in vitro antibacterial potentials of stem bark extracts of Persea americana on strains of Bacillus cereus implicated in food poisoning. The crude stem bark extracts and butanolic fraction at a concentration of 25 mg/mL and 10 mg/mL, respectively, exhibited antibacterial activities against test isolates. The zones of inhibition exhibited by the crude extract and the fraction ranged between 10 mm and 26 mm, while the minimum inhibitory concentration values ranged between 0.78 and 5.00 mg/mL. The minimum bactericidal concentrations ranged between 3.12 mg/mL-12.5 mg/mL and 1.25-10 mg/mL for the extract and the fraction, respectively. The butanolic fraction killed 91.49% of the test isolates at a concentration of 2× MIC after 60 min of contact time, while a 100% killing was achieved after the test bacterial cells were exposed to the butanolic fraction at a concentration of 3× MIC after 90 min contact time. Intracellular protein and potassium ion leaked out of the test bacterial cells when exposed to certain concentrations of the fraction; this is an indication of bacterial cell wall disruptions by the extract's butanolic fraction and, thus, caused a biocidal effect on the cells, as evident in the killing rate test results.

Scombroid fish poisoning in Israel, 2005-2007.

PubMed

Lavon, Ophir; Lurie, Yael; Bentur, Yedidia

2008-11-01

Scombroid fish poisoning is an acute illness caused by consumption of fish containing high concentrations of histamine. Improper handling of fish leads to bacterial contamination. Bacterial enzymes convert histidine to histamine. Symptoms develop quickly and resemble an immunoglobulin E-mediated allergic reaction. The diagnosis is often missed. Serious complications (e.g., bronchospasm, hypotension) are infrequent. To evaluate the prevalence and characteristics of scombroid fish poisoning in Israel as reported to the national poison information center. We conducted a retrospective poison center chart review from January 2005 to December 2007. During the study period, 21 events of scombroid poisoning involving 46 patients were recorded. Tuna was the commonest fish consumed (84.7%). Clinical manifestations developed within 20 minutes in 65.2% of the patients. The main clinical manifestations included rash (41%), flushing (37%), gastrointestinal complaints (37%) and headache (30.4%). About 25% had abnormal vital signs; two patients developed hypotension. Treatment was supportive and included mainly H1-antagonists (65.2%) and fluids (13%). Five patients were initially misdiagnosed as having an allergic reaction and were treated with corticosteroids (four patients) and epinephrine (one patient). Scombroid fish poisoning should be suspected in patients with histamine-like manifestations that are temporally related to fish (mainly tuna) consumption, especially in outbreaks. Although scombroid poisoning is often self-limited and responds well to antihistamines, prolonged observation may be required as severe toxicity can supervene. Proper handling of fish and urgent notification of the Ministry of Health are mandatory in order to prevent this potentially serious public heath problem.

FoodMicrobionet: A database for the visualisation and exploration of food bacterial communities based on network analysis.

PubMed

Parente, Eugenio; Cocolin, Luca; De Filippis, Francesca; Zotta, Teresa; Ferrocino, Ilario; O'Sullivan, Orla; Neviani, Erasmo; De Angelis, Maria; Cotter, Paul D; Ercolini, Danilo

2016-02-16

Amplicon targeted high-throughput sequencing has become a popular tool for the culture-independent analysis of microbial communities. Although the data obtained with this approach are portable and the number of sequences available in public databases is increasing, no tool has been developed yet for the analysis and presentation of data obtained in different studies. This work describes an approach for the development of a database for the rapid exploration and analysis of data on food microbial communities. Data from seventeen studies investigating the structure of bacterial communities in dairy, meat, sourdough and fermented vegetable products, obtained by 16S rRNA gene targeted high-throughput sequencing, were collated and analysed using Gephi, a network analysis software. The resulting database, which we named FoodMicrobionet, was used to analyse nodes and network properties and to build an interactive web-based visualisation. The latter allows the visual exploration of the relationships between Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) and samples and the identification of core- and sample-specific bacterial communities. It also provides additional search tools and hyperlinks for the rapid selection of food groups and OTUs and for rapid access to external resources (NCBI taxonomy, digital versions of the original articles). Microbial interaction network analysis was carried out using CoNet on datasets extracted from FoodMicrobionet: the complexity of interaction networks was much lower than that found for other bacterial communities (human microbiome, soil and other environments). This may reflect both a bias in the dataset (which was dominated by fermented foods and starter cultures) and the lower complexity of food bacterial communities. Although some technical challenges exist, and are discussed here, the net result is a valuable tool for the exploration of food bacterial communities by the scientific community and food industry. Copyright © 2015. Published by

Poison Prevention

MedlinePlus

... swallowed can be fatal to a child. See Liquid Nicotine Used in E-Cigarettes Can Kill Children . Never place poisonous products in food or drink containers. Keep natural gas-powered appliances, furnaces, and coal, wood or kerosene ...

Bacterial membranes: the effects of chill storage and food processing. An overview.

PubMed

Russell, Nicholas J

2002-11-15

The shelf life of food is extended by refrigeration because the metabolic processes of food-associated microorganisms are slowed by the lowered temperature. Nonetheless, cold-adapted psychrotrophic food-poisoning and food-spoilage bacteria remain a concern because they possess cold-adapted proteins and membrane lipids that facilitate growth at low temperatures. The use of membrane-disrupting novel preservation techniques, such as ultrasound, high hydrostatic pressure or pulsed electric field, offer the potential for an extension of shelf life. This review considers the interacting and potentially synergistic effects of chill storage or mild heat treatment on membrane properties, with the disruptive effects of membrane-targeted physical treatments.

Bacterial adhesion capacity on food service contact surfaces.

PubMed

Fink, Rok; Okanovič, Denis; Dražič, Goran; Abram, Anže; Oder, Martina; Jevšnik, Mojca; Bohinc, Klemen

2017-06-01

The aim of this study was to analyse the adhesion of E. coli, P. aeruginosa and S. aureus on food contact materials, such as polyethylene terephthalate, silicone, aluminium, Teflon and glass. Surface roughness, streaming potential and contact angle were measured. Bacterial properties by contact angle and specific charge density were characterised. The bacterial adhesion analysis using staining method and scanning electron microscopy showed the lowest adhesion on smooth aluminium and hydrophobic Teflon for most of the bacteria. However, our study indicates that hydrophobic bacteria with high specific charge density attach to those surfaces more intensively. In food services, safety could be increased by selecting material with low adhesion to prevent cross contamination.

Bacterial Toxins—Staphylococcal Enterotoxin B

PubMed Central

FRIES, BETTINA C.; VARSHNEY, AVANISH K.

2015-01-01

Staphylococcal enterotoxin B is one of the most potent bacterial superantigens that exerts profound toxic effects upon the immune system, leading to stimulation of cytokine release and inflammation. It is associated with food poisoning, nonmenstrual toxic shock, atopic dermatitis, asthma, and nasal polyps in humans. Currently, there is no treatment or vaccine available. Passive immunotherapy using monoclonal antibodies made in several different species has shown significant inhibition in in vitro studies and reduction in staphylococcal enterotoxin B-induced lethal shock in in vivo studies. This should encourage future endeavors to develop these antibodies as therapeutic reagents. PMID:26184960

Estimate of the prevalence and burden of food poisoning by natural toxic compounds in South Korea.

PubMed

Park, Myoung Su; Bahk, Gyung Jin

2015-12-01

Many studies have attempted to accurately estimate the overall number of cases of foodborne illness, but there have not been many attempts to estimate the burden of foodborne disease caused by natural toxic compounds. This study estimated the number of cases due to specific natural toxins (seafood toxins, plant toxins, and mycotoxins) during 2008-2012 in South Korea, using data from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA), while accounting for uncertainty in the estimate. The estimated annual occurrences of foodborne illness from natural toxic agents were 1088 (90% credible interval [CrI]: 883-1315), which suggests there are 21 times more cases than are reported, with 45.6% (n=496 [388-614]) and 54.4% (n=592 [423-790]), accounting for inpatient stays and outpatient visits, respectively. Among toxins, mushroom and plant toxins caused the highest illnesses, followed by toxic agents in seafood and mycotoxins. The 55-59year olds had the highest proportion of illnesses and those over the age of 40 accounted for 70.6% of all cases. The cases caused by mushroom poison, poisonous plants, and seafood toxins showed clear seasonal and regional differences. These results will be useful to food safety policymakers for the prevention and control of natural food poisons in South Korea. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Microbiology of infected poison ivy dermatitis.

PubMed

Brook, I; Frazier, E H; Yeager, J K

2000-05-01

We report the aerobic and anaerobic microbiology of secondarily infected poison ivy dermatitis. The study involved retrospective review of clinical and microbiology laboratory records of patients with secondarily infected poison ivy lesions. Bacterial growth was noted in 33 specimens. Aerobic or facultative anaerobic bacteria only were present in 18 (55%) patients, anaerobic bacteria only in seven (21%), and mixed anaerobic-aerobic bacteria in eight (24%). Forty-five isolates were recovered (1.4 per specimen): 27 aerobic or facultative anaerobic bacteria, and 18 strict anaerobes. The predominant aerobic and facultative anaerobic bacteria were Staphylococcus aureus (13 isolates) and group A beta-haemolytic streptococci (six). The predominant anaerobes were Peptostreptococcus spp. (seven isolates), pigmented Prevotella and Porphyromonas spp. (four) and Fusobacterium spp. (two). Single bacterial isolates were recovered in 18 (55%) patients, eight of which were S. aureus. Nineteen of the organisms isolated from 16 (48%) patients produced the enzyme beta-lactamase. Organisms that resided in the mucous membranes close to the lesions predominated in those infections. Enteric gram-negative rods and Bacteroides fragilis group predominated in leg and buttock lesions. Group A beta-haemolytic streptococci, pigmented Prevotella and Porphyromonas and Fusobacterium spp. were most frequently recovered from lesions of the finger, face and neck. The polymicrobial aetiology of secondarily infected poison ivy lesions, and the association of bacterial flora with the anatomical site of the lesions, are demonstrated.

Food-safe modification of stainless steel food processing surfaces to reduce bacterial biofilms.

PubMed

Awad, Tarek Samir; Asker, Dalal; Hatton, Benjamin D

2018-06-11

Biofilm formation on stainless steel (SS) surfaces of food processing plants, leading to foodborne illness outbreaks, is enabled by the attachment and confinement within microscale cavities of surface roughness (grooves, scratches). We report Foodsafe Oil-based Slippery Coatings (FOSCs) for food processing surfaces that suppress bacterial adherence and biofilm formation by trapping residual oil lubricant within these surface cavities to block microbial growth. SS surfaces were chemically functionalized with alkylphosphonic acid to preferentially wet a layer of food grade oil. FOSCs reduced the effective surface roughness, the adhesion of organic food residue, and bacteria. FOSCs significantly reduced Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm formation on standard roughness SS-316 by 5 log CFU cm-2, and by 3 log CFU cm-2 for mirror-finished SS. FOSCs also enhanced surface cleanability, which we measured by bacterial counts after conventional detergent cleaning. Importantly, both SS grades maintained their anti-biofilm activity after erosion of the oil layer by surface wear with glass beads, which suggests there is a residual volume of oil that remains to block surface cavity defects. These results indicate the potential of such low-cost, scalable approaches to enhance the cleanability of SS food processing surfaces and improve food safety by reducing biofilm growth.

Food Poisonings by Ingestion of Cyprinid Fish

PubMed Central

Asakawa, Manabu; Noguchi, Tamao

2014-01-01

Raw or dried gallbladders of cyprinid fish have long been ingested as a traditional medicine in the Asian countries, particularly in China, for ameliorating visual acuity, rheumatism, and general health; however, sporadic poisoning incidences have occurred after their ingestion. The poisoning causes complex symptoms in patients, including acute renal failure, liver dysfunction, paralysis, and convulsions of limbs. The causative substance for the poisoning was isolated, and its basic properties were examined. The purified toxin revealed a minimum lethal dose of 2.6 mg/20 g in mouse, when injected intraperitoneally. The main symptoms were paralysis and convulsions of the hind legs, along with other neurological signs. Liver biopsy of the euthanized mice clearly exhibited hepatocytes necrosis and infiltration of neutrophils and lymphocytes, suggesting the acute dysfunction of the liver. Blood tests disclosed the characteristics of acute renal failure and liver injury. Infrared (IR) spectrometry, fast atom bombardment (FAB) mass spectrometry, and 1H- and 13C-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis indicated, a molecular formula of C27H48O8S, containing a sulfate ester group for the toxin. Thus, we concluded that the structure of carp toxin to be 5α-cyprinol sulfate (5α-cholestane-3α, 7α, 12α, 26, 27-pentol 26-sulfate). This indicated that carp toxin is a nephro- and hepato- toxin, which could be the responsible toxin for carp bile poisoning in humans. PMID:24476713

Assessing the epidemiological data of Staphylococcus aureus food poisoning occurred in the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Southern Brazil

PubMed Central

Lima, Gustavo Costalunga; Loiko, Márcia Regina; Casarin, Letícia Sopeña; Tondo, Eduardo Cesar

2013-01-01

Staphylococcal food poisoning is one of the most frequent foodborne illnesses worldwide and it is caused by the ingestion of food contaminated with enterotoxins produced by some strains of Staphylococcus (S.) aureus. In the State of Rio Grande do Sul (RS), Southern Brazil, S. aureus has been identified as the second most frequent agent of foodborne illnesses in the last two decades. The aim of the present study was to assess and analyse the epidemiological data of S. aureus food poisoning occurred in the State of RS during the years of 2000 to 2002. The official records of epidemiological investigations carried out by the Sanitary Surveillance Services of the State of RS were analysed. Among foodborne outbreaks for which aetiology was determined, S. aureus was identified as the responsible agent of 57 foodborne outbreaks, being 42 (74%) confirmed by microbiological analyses and 15 (26%) confirmed by clinical symptoms and/or epidemiological data. Staphylococcal outbreaks were responsible for the exposition of 5,991 persons, of which 1,940 (32%) were interviewed by the Sanitary Surveillance officers. The most affected age group corresponded to people with 20 to 49 years old (48%), where men (48%) and women (52%) were affected similarly. The main involved food vehicles were meats servings (35%), followed by pastries (25%), cheese (23%), pasta (11%) and potato salad with homemade mayonnaise (11%). The majority of the outbreaks occurred inside private homes (33%) followed by commercial food establishments (28%). Inadequate control of temperature and failures in general hygiene practices were identified as the main factors responsible for the outbreaks. In conclusion, S. aureus was an important food poisoning etiological agent in the State of RS during 2000 to 2002 and its prevention depends on control measures involving different parts of the food chain. PMID:24516420

Scombroid Poisoning: A Practical Approach.

PubMed

Guergué-Díaz de Cerio, O; Barrutia-Borque, A; Gardeazabal-García, J

2016-09-01

Scombroid poisoning is a common cause of food poisoning worldwide. It is caused by ingestion of oily fish contaminated with bacteria that trigger the formation of high concentrations of histamine. Scombroid poisoning manifests mainly as a skin complaint (flushing that spreads downward and/or an erythematous urticarial rash affecting the face and upper trunk). Although the clinical course is usually self-limiting and benign, vascular compromise, bronchospasm, and arrhythmias have been described. It is important to establish a differential diagnosis that includes conditions such as fish allergy. Oral antihistamines are the mainstay of treatment. Scombroid poisoning is best prevented by refrigerating fish properly. The practical review of scombroid poisoning provided here is intended for dermatologists. Copyright © 2016 AEDV. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Molecular characterization of the probiotic strain Bacillus cereus var. toyoi NCIMB 40112 and differentiation from food poisoning strains.

PubMed

Klein, Günter

2011-07-01

Bacillus cereus var. toyoi strain NCIMB 40112 (Toyocerin), a probiotic authorized in the European Union as feed additive for swine, bovines, poultry, and rabbits, was characterized by DNA fingerprinting applying pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and multilocus sequence typing and was compared with reference strains (of clinical and environmental origins). The probiotic strain was clearly characterized by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis using the restriction enzymes Apa I and Sma I resulting in unique DNA patterns. The comparison to the clinical reference strain B. cereus DSM 4312 was done with the same restriction enzymes, and again a clear differentiation of the two strains was possible by the resulting DNA patterns. The use of the restriction enzymes Apa I and Sma I is recommended for further studies. Furthermore, multilocus sequence typing analysis revealed a sequence type (ST 111) that was different from all known STs of B. cereus strains from food poisoning incidents. Thus, a strain characterization and differentiation from food poisoning strains for the probiotic strain was possible. Copyright ©, International Association for Food Protection

Toxin and species identification of toxic octopus implicated into food poisoning in Taiwan.

PubMed

Wu, Ya-Jung; Lin, Chun-Lan; Chen, Chien-Hung; Hsieh, Cheng-Hong; Jen, Hsiao-Chin; Jian, Shi-Jie; Hwang, Deng-Fwu

2014-12-01

A food poisoning incident due to ingestion of unknown octopus occurred in Taipei in December, 2010. The serum and urine from victims (male 38 and 43 years old) were collected, determined the toxicity, and identified tetrodotoxin (TTX) by high-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). It was found that only urine contained the trace of TTX. Then, two retained specimen (one without blue ring in the skin and another with small blue ring in the skin) were collected from victims and examined for the toxicity and toxin. Meanwhile, 6 specimens of octopus without blue ring in the skin and 4 specimens of octopus with blue ring in the skin were re-collected from the market. Both retained octopus samples were found to contain TTX. However, re-collected market's octopus without blue ring in the skin did not show to contain TTX the and was identified as Octopus aegina by using the analysis of cytochrome b gene (Cyt b) and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene (COI). Only octopus with blue ring in the skin contained TTX and was identified as Hapalochlaena fasciata by using the analysis of Cyt b and COI. Therefore, this octopus food poisoning was caused by toxic octopus H. fasciata and the causative agent was TTX. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Salmonella Weltevreden food poisoning in a tea garden of Assam: An outbreak investigation.

PubMed

Saikia, L; Sharma, A; Nath, R; Choudhury, G; Borah, A K

2015-01-01

Salmonella enterica serovar Weltevreden has been a rare cause of acute gastroenteritis occurring worldwide. Here, we report an outbreak of food poisoning in a tea garden. To determine the aetiological agent and risk factors responsible for the outbreak and to take necessary steps for prevention of future outbreaks. Affected area was visited by a team of microbiologists for collecting stool samples/rectal swabs from affected patients. Samples were processed by culture followed by confirmation of the isolates biochemically, automated bacterial identification system, conventional serotyping and molecular typing. Water samples were also processed for detection of faecal contamination. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed by Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion technique according to the Clinical Laboratory Standard Institute guidelines. The isolates were confirmed as S. enterica subspecies enterica serovar Weltevreden. They were found sensitive to ampicillin, amoxycillin-clavulanic acid, ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, norfloxacin, cefotaxime, ceftriaxone, co-trimoxazole and doxycycline. Water samples showed high-level faecal contamination. Source of outbreak was found to be drinking water contaminated with dead livestock. House to house visit was made for early diagnosis and treatment of the cases, awareness campaigning and chlorination of drinking water. This report emphasises the geographical distribution of this organism in Assam. As S. Weltevreden is widely distributed in domestic animals, people should be made aware of immediate reporting of any unusual death among the livestock and their safe disposal which can significantly reduce the incidence of non-typhoidal salmonellosis in the country.

Food poisoning potential of Bacillus cereus strains from Norwegian dairies.

PubMed

Stenfors Arnesen, Lotte P; O'sullivan, Kristin; Granum, Per Einar

2007-05-10

Characteristics concerning diarrhoeal potential were investigated in B. cereus dairy strains. The thirty-nine strains, isolated from whipping cream, were tested for cytotoxicity after culturing at human body temperature as well as 25 degrees C and 32 degrees C. At 37 degrees C, none of the strains were highly cytotoxic. This observation suggests that those strains should be considered to pose a minor risk with regard to diarrhoeal food poisoning. However, some strains were moderately or highly cytotoxic when grown at 25 degrees C and 32 degrees C. While the majority of the strains were able to grow at refrigeration temperatures, only four B. weihenstephanensis strains were identified among them when subjected to discriminative PCR assays and growth temperatures which delimit this species.

Microbiological food safety issues in Brazil: bacterial pathogens.

PubMed

Gomes, Bruna Carrer; Franco, Bernadette Dora Gombossy de Melo; De Martinis, Elaine Cristina Pereira

2013-03-01

The globalization of food supply impacts patterns of foodborne disease outbreaks worldwide, and consumers are having increased concern about microbiological food safety. In this sense, the assessment of epidemiological data of foodborne diseases in different countries has not only local impact, but it can also be of general interest, especially in the case of major global producers and exporters of several agricultural food products, such as Brazil. In this review, the most common agents of foodborne illnesses registered in Brazil will be presented, compiled mainly from official databases made available to the public. In addition, some representative examples of studies on foodborne bacterial pathogens commonly found in Brazilian foods are provided.

A large outbreak of scombroid fish poisoning associated with eating yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) at a military mass catering in Dakar, Senegal.

PubMed

Demoncheaux, J-P; Michel, R; Mazenot, C; Duflos, G; Iacini, C; de Laval, F; Delaval, F; Saware, E M; Renard, J-C

2012-06-01

On 26 November 2010, an outbreak of scombroid fish poisoning occurred in the French Armed Forces in Dakar, Senegal. This chemical intoxication, due to high histamine concentration in fish, is often mistaken for an allergic reaction. A case-control study was undertaken including the 71 cases and 78 randomly selected controls among lunch attendees. The usual symptoms for scombroid fish poisoning were observed in cases, i.e. flushing (85.9%), headache (83.1%), rapid/weak pulse (59.1%) and diarrhoea (47.9%). Symptoms occurred from within a few minutes to up to 3 h following the meal. Most patients quickly recovered with antihistamine and/or symptomatic treatment. Tuna was the only food item positively associated with illness (odds ratio 36.3, 95% confidence interval 6.3-210.0), with the risk of illness increasing with the quantity of fish consumed. No bacterial contamination was found in leftover food, but histamine concentration in tuna was found to be 4900 mg/kg, almost 50-fold higher than the concentration allowed by European regulations. This report is unique because of the large size of the case series - to our knowledge, the largest event of scombroid fish poisoning ever reported - and the chemical and bacteriological analyses results obtained on leftover food.

Visualization and Modelling of the Thermal Inactivation of Bacteria in a Model Food

PubMed Central

Bellara, Sanjay R.; Fryer, Peter J.; McFarlane, Caroline M.; Thomas, Colin R.; Hocking, Paul M.; Mackey, Bernard M.

1999-01-01

A large number of incidents of food poisoning have been linked to undercooked meat products. The use of mathematical modelling to describe heat transfer within foods, combined with data describing bacterial thermal inactivation, may prove useful in developing safer food products while minimizing thermal overprocessing. To examine this approach, cylindrical agar blocks containing immobilized bacteria (Salmonella typhimurium and Brochothrix thermosphacta) were used as a model system in this study. The agar cylinders were subjected to external conduction heating by immersion in a water bath. They were then incubated, sliced open, and examined by image analysis techniques for regions of no bacterial growth. A finite-difference scheme was used to model thermal conduction and the consequent bacterial inactivation. Bacterial inactivation rates were modelled with values for the time required to reduce bacterial number by 90% (D) and the temperature increase required to reduce D by 90% taken from the literature. Model simulation results agreed well with experimental results for both bacteria, demonstrating the utility of the technique. PMID:10388708

Incidence of bacterial enteropathogens in foods from Mexico.

PubMed Central

Wood, L V; Ferguson, L E; Hogan, P; Thurman, D; Morgan, D R; DuPont, H L; Ericsson, C D

1983-01-01

We examined food consumption patterns of U.S. students temporarily living in Guadalajara, Mexico. Consumption of foods prepared in Mexican homes was associated with an increased risk of acquisition of diarrhea. Foods from commercial sources and private Mexican homes in Guadalajara were subsequently examined for contamination with coliforms, fecal coliforms, and bacterial enteropathogens. For comparison, selected restaurant foods were obtained in Houston, Tex. Food obtained from Mexican homes showed generally higher counts of coliforms and fecal coliforms than those obtained from commercial sources in Mexico and Houston. The foods in Mexico, both from homes and commercial sources, commonly contained Escherichia coli and occasionally enterotoxigenic E. coli. Foods in Houston were not contaminated with E. coli or enterotoxigenic E. coli. Salmonella (17 isolates), Shigella (4 isolates), and Aeromonas hydrophila (1 isolate) were found only in the foods obtained from Mexican homes. Enterotoxigenic non-E. coli Enterobacteriaceae was recovered with approximately equal frequency from all food sources. PMID:6354085

21 CFR 509.6 - Added poisonous or deleterious substances.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 6 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Added poisonous or deleterious substances. 509.6...-PACKAGING MATERIAL General Provisions § 509.6 Added poisonous or deleterious substances. (a) Use of an added... approved under the criteria of section 409 of the act, or when the added poisonous or deleterious substance...

21 CFR 509.6 - Added poisonous or deleterious substances.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 6 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Added poisonous or deleterious substances. 509.6...-PACKAGING MATERIAL General Provisions § 509.6 Added poisonous or deleterious substances. (a) Use of an added... approved under the criteria of section 409 of the act, or when the added poisonous or deleterious substance...

21 CFR 509.6 - Added poisonous or deleterious substances.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 6 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Added poisonous or deleterious substances. 509.6...-PACKAGING MATERIAL General Provisions § 509.6 Added poisonous or deleterious substances. (a) Use of an added... approved under the criteria of section 409 of the act, or when the added poisonous or deleterious substance...

21 CFR 509.6 - Added poisonous or deleterious substances.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 6 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Added poisonous or deleterious substances. 509.6...-PACKAGING MATERIAL General Provisions § 509.6 Added poisonous or deleterious substances. (a) Use of an added... approved under the criteria of section 409 of the act, or when the added poisonous or deleterious substance...

21 CFR 109.6 - Added poisonous or deleterious substances.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Added poisonous or deleterious substances. 109.6...-PACKAGING MATERIAL General Provisions § 109.6 Added poisonous or deleterious substances. (a) Use of an added... approved under the criteria of section 409 of the act, or when the added poisonous or deleterious substance...

21 CFR 109.6 - Added poisonous or deleterious substances.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Added poisonous or deleterious substances. 109.6...-PACKAGING MATERIAL General Provisions § 109.6 Added poisonous or deleterious substances. (a) Use of an added... approved under the criteria of section 409 of the act, or when the added poisonous or deleterious substance...

21 CFR 509.6 - Added poisonous or deleterious substances.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 6 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Added poisonous or deleterious substances. 509.6...-PACKAGING MATERIAL General Provisions § 509.6 Added poisonous or deleterious substances. (a) Use of an added... approved under the criteria of section 409 of the act, or when the added poisonous or deleterious substance...

21 CFR 109.6 - Added poisonous or deleterious substances.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Added poisonous or deleterious substances. 109.6...-PACKAGING MATERIAL General Provisions § 109.6 Added poisonous or deleterious substances. (a) Use of an added... approved under the criteria of section 409 of the act, or when the added poisonous or deleterious substance...

[Botulinum toxin: from poison to drug. A historical review].

PubMed

Kreyden, O P; Geiges, M L; Böni, R; Burg, G

2000-10-01

Botulinumtoxin (BTX) is a neurotoxin produced from Clostridium botulinum under anaerobic conditions and is responsible for botulism, a notifiable, bacterial form of food poisoning. The first case of botulism is believed to have occurred in 1735. An epidemic in Southern Germany in 1793 claimed the death of over the half of those patients who had become ill through eating uncooked blood sausages. The term "pharmakon" is Greek and implicates that a drug originates from poison (potion, remedy). Theophrastus Bombast von Hohenheim known as Paracelsus (1493/94-1541) first described this duality with his dictum "alle ding sind gift und nichts on gift; alein die dosis macht das ein ding kein gift ist" (only the dose makes a remedy poisonous). In Baden-Württemberg in 1817, the poet and physician Dr. Justinus Christian Kerner described the symptoms of botulism, so that at this time botulism was also called Kerner disease. Until the turn of the century the reason for poisoning was not known. Van Ermengem succeeded in isolating the anaerobic bacterium causing botulism, but the specific mechanism of BTX was only established after the second World War. In the late seventies the ophthalmologist Dr. Alan Scott used BTX the first time in the treatment of strabismus. The drug was then used in the treatment of several muscle spasticities such as, for example, torticollis or hemifacial spasm. Only recently BTX has been successfully used for focal hyperhidrosis. We review the history of botulinum toxin from its discovery in the nineteenth century and the research into its effect in the middle of the 20th century up to its clinical use at the present time.

[Control of toxicity of Sarcocystis fayeri in horsemeat by freezing treatment and prevention of food poisoning caused by raw consumption of horsemeat].

PubMed

Harada, Seiya; Furukawa, Masato; Tokuoka, Eisuke; Matsumoto, Kazutoshi; Yahiro, Shunsuke; Miyasaka, Jiro; Saito, Morihiro; Kamata, Yoichi; Watanabe, Maiko; Irikura, Daisuke; Matsumoto, Hiroshi; Sugita-Konishi, Yoshiko

2013-01-01

More than 27 outbreaks per year of food poisoning caused by consuming horse meat were reported in Kumamoto Prefecture (including Kumamoto City) from January 2009 to September 2011. It was found that the causative agent of the outbreaks was a protein with a molecular weight of 15 kDa that had originated from bradyzoites of Sarcocystis fayeri parasitizing the horse meat. Rabit ileal loop tests showed that pepsin treatment of homogenates of frozen horse meat containing the cysts of S. fayeri induced loss of toxicity, presumably by digestion of the proteinous causative agent(s). Slices of horse meat containing the cysts were frozen at below -20°C for various periods. The cysts were collected after thawing the slices, then treated in an artificial stomach juice containing pepsin. The bradyzoites of the cysts kept at -20°C for 48 hr or more completely disappeared. Simultaneously, the 15 kDa protein also disappeared in the frozen cysts. After notifying the public and recommending freezing treatment of horse meat, no subsequent cases of food poisoning were reported. This indicates that freezing of horse meat is effective to prevent the occurrence of food poisoning caused by consuming raw horse meat containing S. fayeri.

Large outbreaks of Clostridium perfringens food poisoning associated with the consumption of boiled salmon.

PubMed Central

Hewitt, J. H.; Begg, N.; Hewish, J.; Rawaf, S.; Stringer, M.; Theodore-Gandi, B.

1986-01-01

Five large outbreaks of food poisoning are described in which clinical, epidemiological or laboratory data indicated Clostridium perfringens as the causative organism. The foodstuff common to all incidents was boiled salmon served cold as an hors d 'oeuvre. In all cases the fish had been subject to a long period of cooling or storage between boiling and consumption. It is thought that multiplication of the organism occurred during this time. Recommendations are made for the avoidance of further similar incidents. PMID:2874173

Tyramine and phenylethylamine biosynthesis by food bacteria.

PubMed

Marcobal, Angela; De las Rivas, Blanca; Landete, José María; Tabera, Laura; Muñoz, Rosario

2012-01-01

Tyramine poisoning is caused by the ingestion of food containing high levels of tyramine, a biogenic amine. Any foods containing free tyrosine are subject to tyramine formation if poor sanitation and low quality foods are used or if the food is subject to temperature abuse or extended storage time. Tyramine is generated by decarboxylation of the tyrosine through tyrosine decarboxylase (TDC) enzymes derived from the bacteria present in the food. Bacterial TDC have been only unequivocally identified and characterized in Gram-positive bacteria, especially in lactic acid bacteria. Pyridoxal phosphate (PLP)-dependent TDC encoding genes (tyrDC) appeared flanked by a similar genetic organization in several species of lactic acid bacteria, suggesting a common origin by a single mobile genetic element. Bacterial TDC are also able to decarboxylate phenylalanine to produce phenylethylamine (PEA), another biogenic amine. The molecular knowledge of the genes involved in tyramine production has led to the development of molecular methods for the detection of bacteria able to produce tyramine and PEA. These rapid and simple methods could be used for the analysis of the ability to form tyramine by bacteria in order to evaluate the potential risk of tyramine biosynthesis in food products.

Preventing food poisoning

MedlinePlus

... US Food & Drug Administration. 4 basic steps to food safety at home. www.fda.gov/downloads/forconsumers/byaudience/ ... and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. Food Safety Read more NIH MedlinePlus Magazine Read more Health ...

In-Vessel Co-Composting of Food Waste Employing Enriched Bacterial Consortium

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Summary The aim of the present study is to develop a good initial composting mix using a bacterial consortium and 2% lime for effective co-composting of food waste in a 60-litre in-vessel composter. In the experiment that lasted for 42 days, the food waste was first mixed with sawdust and 2% lime (by dry mass), then one of the reactors was inoculated with an enriched bacterial consortium, while the other served as control. The results show that inoculation of the enriched natural bacterial consortium effectively overcame the oil-laden co-composting mass in the composter and increased the rate of mineralization. In addition, CO2 evolution rate of (0.81±0.2) g/(kg·day), seed germination index of (105±3) %, extractable ammonium mass fraction of 305.78 mg/kg, C/N ratio of 16.18, pH=7.6 and electrical conductivity of 3.12 mS/cm clearly indicate that the compost was well matured and met the composting standard requirements. In contrast, control treatment exhibited a delayed thermophilic phase and did not mature after 42 days, as evidenced by the maturity parameters. Therefore, a good composting mix and potential bacterial inoculum to degrade the oil are essential for food waste co-composting systems. PMID:29796000

In-Vessel Co-Composting of Food Waste Employing Enriched Bacterial Consortium.

PubMed

Awasthi, Mukesh Kumar; Wang, Quan; Wang, Meijing; Chen, Hongyu; Ren, Xiuna; Zhao, Junchao; Zhang, Zengqiang

2018-03-01

The aim of the present study is to develop a good initial composting mix using a bacterial consortium and 2% lime for effective co-composting of food waste in a 60-litre in-vessel composter. In the experiment that lasted for 42 days, the food waste was first mixed with sawdust and 2% lime (by dry mass), then one of the reactors was inoculated with an enriched bacterial consortium, while the other served as control. The results show that inoculation of the enriched natural bacterial consortium effectively overcame the oil-laden co-composting mass in the composter and increased the rate of mineralization. In addition, CO 2 evolution rate of (0.81±0.2) g/(kg·day), seed germination index of (105±3) %, extractable ammonium mass fraction of 305.78 mg/kg, C/N ratio of 16.18, pH=7.6 and electrical conductivity of 3.12 mS/cm clearly indicate that the compost was well matured and met the composting standard requirements. In contrast, control treatment exhibited a delayed thermophilic phase and did not mature after 42 days, as evidenced by the maturity parameters. Therefore, a good composting mix and potential bacterial inoculum to degrade the oil are essential for food waste co-composting systems.

Bacterial gastroenteritis

MedlinePlus

... at picnics, school cafeterias, large social gatherings, or restaurants. Your food may get infected in many ways: ... handling or preparation may occur in grocery stores, restaurants, or homes. Food poisoning often occurs from eating ...

Bio-degradation of oily food waste employing thermophilic bacterial strains.

PubMed

Awasthi, Mukesh Kumar; Selvam, Ammaiyappan; Chan, Man Ting; Wong, Jonathan W C

2018-01-01

The objective of this work was to isolate a novel thermophilic bacterial strain and develop a bacterial consortium (BC) for efficient degradation oily food waste. Four treatments were designed: 1:1 mixture of pre-consumption food wastes (PrCFWs) and post-consumption food wastes (PCFWs) (T-1), 1:2 mixture of PrCFWs and PCFWs mixture (T-2), PrCFWs (T-3) and PCFWs (T-4). Equal quantity of BC was inoculated into each treatment to compare the oil degradation efficiency. Results showed that after 15days of incubation, a maximum oil reduction of 65.12±0.08% was observed in treatment T-4, followed by T-2 (55.44±0.12%), T-3 (54.79±0.04%) and T-1 (52.52±0.02%), while oil reduction was negligible in control. Results indicate that the development of oil utilizing thermophilic BC was more cost-effective in solving the degradation of oily food wastes and conversion into a stable end product. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

PCR-Based Method for the Detection of Toxic Mushrooms Causing Food-Poisoning Incidents.

PubMed

Nomura, Chie; Masayama, Atsushi; Yamaguchi, Mizuka; Sakuma, Daisuke; Kajimura, Keiji

2017-01-01

In this study, species-specific identification of five toxic mushrooms, Chlorophyllum molybdites, Gymnopilus junonius, Hypholoma fasciculare, Pleurocybella porrigens, and Tricholoma ustale, which have been involved in food-poisoning incidents in Japan, was investigated. Specific primer pairs targeting internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions were designed for PCR detection. The specific amplicons were obtained from fresh, cooked, and simulated gastric fluid (SGF)-treated samples. No amplicons were detected from other mushrooms with similar morphology. Our method using one-step extraction of mushrooms allows rapid detection within 2.5 hr. It could be utilized for rapid identification or screening of toxic mushrooms.

An overview of food safety and bacterial foodborne zoonoses in food production animals in the Caribbean region.

PubMed

Guerra, Maria Manuela Mendes; de Almeida, Andre M; Willingham, Arve Lee

2016-08-01

Foodborne diseases (FBDs) in the Caribbean have a high economic burden. Public health and tourism concerns rise along with the increasing number of cases and outbreaks registered over the last 20 years. Salmonella spp., Shigella spp., and Campylobacter spp. are the main bacteria associated with these incidents. In spite of undertaking limited surveillance on FBD in the region, records related to bacterial foodborne zoonoses in food-producing animals and their associated epidemiologic significance are poorly documented, giving rise to concerns about the importance of the livestock, food animal product sectors, and consumption patterns. In this review, we report the available published literature over the last 20 years on selected bacterial foodborne zoonoses in the Caribbean region and also address other food safety-related aspects (e.g., FBD food attribution, importance, surveillance), mainly aiming at recognizing data gaps and identifying possible research approaches in the animal health sector.

21 CFR 109.6 - Added poisonous or deleterious substances.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... Section 109.6 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) FOOD FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION UNAVOIDABLE CONTAMINANTS IN FOOD FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION AND FOOD... poisonous or deleterious substance, other than a pesticide chemical, that is also a food additive, will be...

Outbreak of Staphylococcal food poisoning due to SEA-producing Staphylococcus aureus.

PubMed

Johler, Sophia; Tichaczek-Dischinger, Petra S; Rau, Jörg; Sihto, Henna-Maria; Lehner, Angelika; Adam, Maja; Stephan, Roger

2013-09-01

In 2008, 150 people gathered for a wedding celebration in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Three hours after ingestion of a variety of foods including pancakes filled with minced chicken, several guests exhibited symptoms of acute gastroenteritis such as vomiting, diarrhea, fever, and ague. Twelve guests were reported to have fallen ill, with nine of these seeking medical care in hospitals. At least four patients were admitted to the hospital and received inpatient treatment, among them a 2-year-old child and a woman in the 4th month of pregnancy. Within 24 h of the event, an investigative team collected a variety of samples including refrigerated leftovers, food in the storage unit of the caterer, nasal swabs of the caterer, as well as 21 environmental swabs. Five stool samples from patients were provided by the hospitals. Staphylococcus aureus isolates were gathered from eight samples, among them nasal swabs of the caterer, food samples, and one stool sample. Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy was used for species identification and for primary clustering of the isolates in a similarity tree. The isolates were further characterized by spa typing and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, and a DNA microarray was used to determine the presence/absence of genes involved in virulence and antimicrobial resistance. We were able to match an enterotoxigenic strain from the stool sample of a patient to isolates of the same strain obtained from food and the nasal cavity of a food handler. The strain produced the enterotoxin SEA and the toxic shock syndrome toxin-1, and was also found to exhibit the genes encoding enterotoxins SEG and SEI, as well as the enterotoxin gene cluster egc. This is one of only a few studies that were able to link a staphylococcal food poisoning outbreak to its source.

Bacterial Contamination into Ready-to-Eat Foods Sold in Middle Thailand.

PubMed

Ananchaipattana, Chiraporn; Bari, Md Latiful; Inatsu, Yasuhiro

2016-01-01

　Bacterial contamination in ready-to-eat (RTE) foods prepared and sold by small businesses in middle Thailand was surveyed. The 135 samples were randomly purchased from open markets and supermarkets in Bangkok and Pathum Thani provinces during May 2013 to February 2015. The results indicated that the rate of contamination in cooked pork, chicken meat and cooked aquatic items were 13/39 (33%), 18/45 (40%) and 14/57 (25%), respectively and the rate of bacterial contamination of collected samples from open market and supermarket were 26/67 (39%) and 19/68 (27%), respectively. Therefore, no statistically significant difference of contamination rate between two kinds of market or among three categories of food. The most contaminated pathogenic bacteria was Staphylococcus aureus 27/135 (20%) while that of Salmonella spp. was the lowest 5/135 (4%) in each categories of collected food samples. Implementation of suitable hygienic practices in the small food businesses are thought to be required to reduce the risk of foodborne illnesses caused by the consumption of RTE foods sold in middle Thailand.

21 CFR 109.6 - Added poisonous or deleterious substances.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Added poisonous or deleterious substances. 109.6 Section 109.6 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) FOOD FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION UNAVOIDABLE CONTAMINANTS IN FOOD FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION AND FOOD...

Recognizing the Toxicodendrons (poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac).

PubMed

Guin, J D; Gillis, W T; Beaman, J H

1981-01-01

Poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac are now classified in the genus Toxicodendron which is readily distinguished from Rhus. In the United States, there are two species of poison oak, Toxicodendron diversilobum (western poison oak) and Toxicodendron toxicarium (eastern poison oak). There are also two species of poison ivy, Toxicodendron rydbergii, a nonclimbing subshrub, and Toxicodendron radicans, which may be either a shrub or a climbing vine. There are nine subspecies of T. radicans, six of which are found in the United States. One species of poison sumac, Toxicodendron vernix, occurs in the United States. Distinguishing features of these plants and characteristics that separate Toxicodendron from Rhus are outlined in the text and illustrated in color plates.

Food poisoning associated with ingestion of wild wasp broods in the upstream region of the Lancang river valley, Yunnan province, China.

PubMed

Jiang, Li; Huang, Tian

2018-04-01

Food poisoning due to wild wasp broods ingestion has long been noted in the upstream region of the Lancang river valley, Yunnan province, China. This study describes the epidemiological and clinical features of the poisoning and possible causes. Surveillance data collected between 2008 and 2016 were analyzed to produce demographic data on patients, information on clinical presentations, wasp species identification, and estimations of possible risk factors for symptomatic cases. Eleven poisoning events were associated with the ingestion of wild wasp broods, including 46 exposed persons with 31 symptomatic living cases and 8 deceased cases that were reported in the Yunnan province between 2008 and 2016. Poisoning cases were only detected in the upstream region of the Lancang river valley in the autumn. The severity of the symptoms was correlated with an evident dose-effect relationship regarding the quantity ingested. The mean latent period from wild wasp broods ingestion to the onset of the symptoms was 10 h for symptomatic living cases and 7 h for deceased cases, respectively. Both gastrointestinal and neurological symptoms were commonly observed in the poisoning cases. The toxin source may be indirectly caused by the wasp broods due to the prevalence of local poisonous plants, such as Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F, Tripterygium hypoglaucum Hutch and Vaccinium bracteatum Thunb. Educational programs at the start of wasp harvest season in September in the high-risk area should be carried out to reduce the incidence of poisonings. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Crisis in our hospital kitchens: ancillary staffing levels during an outbreak of food poisoning in a long stay hospital.

PubMed

Pollock, A M; Whitty, P M

1990-02-10

An investigation into an outbreak of food poisoning caused by Clostridium perfringens showed evidence of poor food handling by catering staff. The reasons behind this were explored by interviewing catering staff, analysing shifts and rotas, and looking at staff vacancies. Morale was low because of staff shortages resulting from a long term recruitment problem. In consequence staff were working double shifts and often for weeks on end without a day off. The reasons for the recruitment problem included the difficulty of recruiting semiskilled labour from a middle class area, low wages, lack of management support, and the poor image of the hospital as a place of work. Similar factors affect the recruitment and retention of ancillary staff nationally. The NHS has a poor record as an employer of ancillary staff, paying lower wages than other organisations for equivalent posts. Competitive tendering has further worsened the position of ancillary staff, with the result that good quality of care and service has often not been achieved. The NHS Review, with its emphasis on quality of care, makes no mention of ancillary staff. Yet high standards of ancillary provision are essential if further outbreaks of food poisoning in hospitals are to be prevented.

Crisis in our hospital kitchens: ancillary staffing levels during an outbreak of food poisoning in a long stay hospital.

PubMed Central

Pollock, A M; Whitty, P M

1990-01-01

An investigation into an outbreak of food poisoning caused by Clostridium perfringens showed evidence of poor food handling by catering staff. The reasons behind this were explored by interviewing catering staff, analysing shifts and rotas, and looking at staff vacancies. Morale was low because of staff shortages resulting from a long term recruitment problem. In consequence staff were working double shifts and often for weeks on end without a day off. The reasons for the recruitment problem included the difficulty of recruiting semiskilled labour from a middle class area, low wages, lack of management support, and the poor image of the hospital as a place of work. Similar factors affect the recruitment and retention of ancillary staff nationally. The NHS has a poor record as an employer of ancillary staff, paying lower wages than other organisations for equivalent posts. Competitive tendering has further worsened the position of ancillary staff, with the result that good quality of care and service has often not been achieved. The NHS Review, with its emphasis on quality of care, makes no mention of ancillary staff. Yet high standards of ancillary provision are essential if further outbreaks of food poisoning in hospitals are to be prevented. PMID:2106996

Pattern of acute food, drug, and chemical poisoning in Sari City, Northern Iran.

PubMed

Ahmadi, Amirhossein; Pakravan, Nasrin; Ghazizadeh, Zeynab

2010-09-01

This descriptive and retrospective study was conducted at the poisoning ward of Imam teaching hospital, Sari, Iran, with the aim of evaluating the pattern of poisoning. Hence, the medical profiles of 2057 patients, who were admitted, were carefully reviewed during the period from April 2006 to March 2008 for 2 years. During this period, 2057 cases, 53.9% female and 46.1% male, were admitted with the indication of acute poisoning. The greatest proportion of poisoning occurred between the ages of 18 and 29 years, with suicidal intentions. Most cases of poisoning were intentional (85%). The most common agents involved in acute poisoning were drugs (77.7%), especially sedatives/hypnotics such as benzodiazepines, followed by opioid analgesics. Organophosphate and carbamate insecticides were the third major agent that induced poisoning. Twenty-seven patients (1.3%) who were mostly females and young adults died. Death mostly occurred due to organophosphate and carbamate insecticides (19 cases) poisoning, followed by sedatives/hypnotics like benzodiazepines (3 cases). High prevalence of intentional overdose and mortality among young adults requires considerable attention and further studies to find out the underlying causes. In addition, strict rules must be followed regarding the sale of central nervous system drugs and pesticides, particularly organophosphate and carbamate insecticides. Establishing poison information centers in different parts of the country, preparing national treatment guidelines, training healthcare providers, and ensuring easy availability of the antidotes are also recommended.

Food poisoning prevention

MedlinePlus

... sure cold foods are kept cold and hot foods are kept hot. Use only salad dressings, sauces, and salsas that come in single-serving packages. TIPS FOR TRAVELING WHERE CONTAMINATION IS COMMON: DO NOT eat raw vegetables or ...

Staphylococcus aureus food-poisoning outbreak associated with the consumption of ice-cream.

PubMed

Fetsch, A; Contzen, M; Hartelt, K; Kleiser, A; Maassen, S; Rau, J; Kraushaar, B; Layer, F; Strommenger, B

2014-09-18

In April 2013, a food poisoning outbreak caused by staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs) in ice-cream occurred in Freiburg, Germany, among the 31 participants of a christening party. Of the 13 cases, seven were hospitalized or obtained ambulatory treatment. Different types of ice-cream, which was freshly produced at the hotel where the party took place, were found to contain SE and high amounts of coagulase positive staphylococci. Enterotoxigenic Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from ice-cream and human cases were of the same spa-type (t127), harboured the sea gene and displayed identical phenotypic resistance-, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy- (FT-IR) and microarray-profiles. Despite the strong microbiological and epidemiological evidence of ice-cream being the incriminated food vehicle of the outbreak, a common source of S. aureus from the ice-cream could not be deduced. As none of the employees carried the outbreak strain, either the equipment used for the production of the ice-cream or a contaminated ingredient is the most likely introduction source. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

21 CFR 2.110 - Definition of ammonia under Federal Caustic Poison Act.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Definition of ammonia under Federal Caustic Poison... SERVICES GENERAL GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE RULINGS AND DECISIONS Caustic Poisons § 2.110 Definition of ammonia under Federal Caustic Poison Act. For the purpose of determining whether an article containing ammonia...

21 CFR 2.110 - Definition of ammonia under Federal Caustic Poison Act.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Definition of ammonia under Federal Caustic Poison... SERVICES GENERAL GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE RULINGS AND DECISIONS Caustic Poisons § 2.110 Definition of ammonia under Federal Caustic Poison Act. For the purpose of determining whether an article containing ammonia...

21 CFR 2.110 - Definition of ammonia under Federal Caustic Poison Act.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 1 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Definition of ammonia under Federal Caustic Poison... SERVICES GENERAL GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE RULINGS AND DECISIONS Caustic Poisons § 2.110 Definition of ammonia under Federal Caustic Poison Act. For the purpose of determining whether an article containing ammonia...

21 CFR 2.110 - Definition of ammonia under Federal Caustic Poison Act.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Definition of ammonia under Federal Caustic Poison... SERVICES GENERAL GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE RULINGS AND DECISIONS Caustic Poisons § 2.110 Definition of ammonia under Federal Caustic Poison Act. For the purpose of determining whether an article containing ammonia...

21 CFR 2.110 - Definition of ammonia under Federal Caustic Poison Act.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Definition of ammonia under Federal Caustic Poison... SERVICES GENERAL GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE RULINGS AND DECISIONS Caustic Poisons § 2.110 Definition of ammonia under Federal Caustic Poison Act. For the purpose of determining whether an article containing ammonia...

Bacteriophages as Weapons Against Bacterial Biofilms in the Food Industry.

PubMed

Gutiérrez, Diana; Rodríguez-Rubio, Lorena; Martínez, Beatriz; Rodríguez, Ana; García, Pilar

2016-01-01

Microbiological contamination in the food industry is often attributed to the presence of biofilms in processing plants. Bacterial biofilms are complex communities of bacteria attached to a surface and surrounded by an extracellular polymeric material. Their extreme resistance to cleaning and disinfecting processes is related to a unique organization, which implies a differential bacterial growth and gene expression inside the biofilm. The impact of biofilms on health, and the economic consequences, has promoted the development of different approaches to control or remove biofilm formation. Recently, successful results in phage therapy have boosted new research in bacteriophages and phage lytic proteins for biofilm eradication. In this regard, this review examines the environmental factors that determine biofilm development in food-processing equipment. In addition, future perspectives for the use of bacteriophage-derived tools as disinfectants are discussed.

Scombroid poisoning--recapitulation on the role of histamine.

PubMed

Foo, L Y

1977-05-25

The histamine content and the total vagal stimulating activities in various fish samples involved in an outbreak of food poisoning were compared. There was a close correlation between the two levels and there was lack of potentiation between histamine and other non-active fractions. The role of histamine in scombroid poisoning is discussed in the light of these results.

[Three cases of scombroid poisoning].

PubMed

Harmelin, Y; Hubiche, T; Pharaon, M; Del Giudice, P

2018-01-01

Scombroid poisoning is a poorly known type of food poisoning due to the presence of histamine in spoiled fish of the Scombridae family. We report 3 cases of scombroid poisoning seen at the Fréjus-Saint-Raphaël hospital in the Var region. Within around thirty minutes of eating a meal containing tuna, three patients presented varied symptoms: malaise, itchy rash, headache, and for two of them, nausea. The diagnosis of scombroid poisoning was based on the circumstances in which the clinical signs appeared and on the signs themselves. The patients were given antihistamines and one injection of intravenous corticosteroids, and symptoms regressed rapidly within a few hours. The symptoms of scombroid poisoning appear within a few minutes after eating fish of the Scombridae family and related species. The first symptoms are cutaneous, with flush, pruritus, and erythema of the face and trunk having an urticarial appearance, together with faintness. Gastrointestinal symptoms include nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps and occasionally diarrhea. Symptoms subside within a few hours. Histamine is present in the flesh of these fish due to decarboxylation of histidine through the action of Gram-negative bacteria whose development is enhanced by heat and sun. Scombroid poisoning is one of the most common types of poisoning caused by eating fish but it is underdiagnosed by dermatologists. The diagnosis is made by measuring histamine levels in the incriminated fish or in the patient's plasma. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

VIGILANCE POISON: Illegal poisoning and lead intoxication are the main factors affecting avian scavenger survival in the Pyrenees (France).

PubMed

Berny, Philippe; Vilagines, Lydia; Cugnasse, Jean-Marc; Mastain, Olivier; Chollet, Jean-Yves; Joncour, Guy; Razin, Martine

2015-08-01

A specific surveillance program has been set up to monitor avian scavenger populations in the French Pyrenean Mountains, hosting a high proportion of the French populations. The two main purposes of the study were to identify all causes of death and to investigate poisoning cases. All 170 birds found dead during the 7-year program were submitted to full necropsy, X-Ray, parasitological investigations and consistent analytical toxicology screenings (Cholinesterase inhibitors, anticoagulant rodenticides, organochlorine insecticides, Pb, Cd). Over the study period, 8 Bearded Vultures, 120 Griffon Vultures, 8 Egyptian Vultures and 34 Red kites were eventually collected. Mortality events were often multifactorial, but poisoning was by far the most common cause of death (24.1%), followed by trauma/fall (12%), bacterial diseases and starvation (8%) and electrocution (6%). Illicit use of banned pesticides was identified as a common cause of poisoning (53% of all poisoning cases) and lead poisoning was also identified as a significant toxicant issue (17% of all poisoning cases). Lead isotopic signature could be associated primarily with ammunition. Last, a positive association between trauma and lead contamination was detected, indicating that lead could be a significant contributor to different causes of death. These results urge for severe restrictions on the use of lead ammunition to prevent scavengers from detrimental exposure. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Study of three ciguatera fish poisoning cases in Xiamen city, in 2005].

PubMed

Luo, He-dong; Bai, Yan-yan; Zhou, Na

2011-06-01

To find out the reason of three ciguatera fish poisoning cases in Xiamen in 2005 and identify the fish species. The grouper implicated in food poisoning and seven other coral reef fishes collected from market were tested by mice bioassay and ciguatoxin-test kit. The mtDNA was extracted from toxic grouper meat, and Cty b gene segment was amplified and the PCR products were sequenced. The sequences were compared with those in the GenBank. The result turned out to be positive by the ciguatoxin-test kit, while the toxicity of the toxic grouper implicated in food poisoning was 0.11 mouse unit (MU)/g by mice bioassay. A 475 bp segments of Cty b gene was amplified by PCR and the sequence was 99% homologous with Epinephelus fuscoguttatus (GenBank: AY950695).No ciguatoxin in six grouper species collected from market was detected. All three food poisoning cases were caused by consumption of ciguatoxin-carrying groupers.

Lead Poisoning in Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boeckx, Roger L.

1986-01-01

Urban children are exposed to lead through the air they breathe, the water they drink, and the food and nonfood substances they ingest. The history, diagnosis, and treatment of lead poisoning in these children are discussed. Includes information on the toxicology of lead and the various risk classes. (JN)

Bacteriophages as Weapons Against Bacterial Biofilms in the Food Industry

PubMed Central

Gutiérrez, Diana; Rodríguez-Rubio, Lorena; Martínez, Beatriz; Rodríguez, Ana; García, Pilar

2016-01-01

Microbiological contamination in the food industry is often attributed to the presence of biofilms in processing plants. Bacterial biofilms are complex communities of bacteria attached to a surface and surrounded by an extracellular polymeric material. Their extreme resistance to cleaning and disinfecting processes is related to a unique organization, which implies a differential bacterial growth and gene expression inside the biofilm. The impact of biofilms on health, and the economic consequences, has promoted the development of different approaches to control or remove biofilm formation. Recently, successful results in phage therapy have boosted new research in bacteriophages and phage lytic proteins for biofilm eradication. In this regard, this review examines the environmental factors that determine biofilm development in food-processing equipment. In addition, future perspectives for the use of bacteriophage-derived tools as disinfectants are discussed. PMID:27375566

Survival strategies of Bacillus spores in food.

PubMed

Stecchini, Mara Lucia; Del Torre, Manuela; Polese, Pierluigi

2013-11-01

Control of bacterial spores is one of the major problem in the food preservation. Spores of Bacillus genus are commonly present in different environments, including soil and the gut of insects and animals and, as a result, they can be spread to all kind of foods. Due to their high resistance properties, their complete inactivation in food is often impossible without changing the product characteristics. Surviving spores can germinate and grow out to vegetative cells, with the consequent great risk of food spoilage and food poisoning after consumption. Spores have evolved various mechanisms, including phenotypic variability, to protect themselves from a wide range of damage resulting from food preservation treatments. Even if the phenotypic heterogeneity contributes to increase the chances of survival of Bacillus spore to conventional preservation treatments, in some specific instances, an homogeneous response could be the result of a strategy adopted by the spores to increase resistance to those treatments.

Using Twitter to Identify and Respond to Food Poisoning: The Food Safety STL Project.

PubMed

Harris, Jenine K; Hawkins, Jared B; Nguyen, Leila; Nsoesie, Elaine O; Tuli, Gaurav; Mansour, Raed; Brownstein, John S

Foodborne illness affects 1 in 4 US residents each year. Few of those sickened seek medical care or report the illness to public health authorities, complicating prevention efforts. Citizens who report illness identify food establishments with more serious and critical violations than found by regular inspections. New media sources, including online restaurant reviews and social media postings, have the potential to improve reporting. We implemented a Web-based Dashboard (HealthMap Foodborne Dashboard) to identify and respond to tweets about food poisoning from St Louis City residents. This report examines the performance of the Dashboard in its first 7 months after implementation in the City of St Louis Department of Health. We examined the number of relevant tweets captured and replied to, the number of foodborne illness reports received as a result of the new process, and the results of restaurant inspections following each report. In its first 7 months (October 2015-May 2016), the Dashboard captured 193 relevant tweets. Our replies to relevant tweets resulted in more filed reports than several previously existing foodborne illness reporting mechanisms in St Louis during the same time frame. The proportion of restaurants with food safety violations was not statistically different (P = .60) in restaurants inspected after reports from the Dashboard compared with those inspected following reports through other mechanisms. The Dashboard differs from other citizen engagement mechanisms in its use of current data, allowing direct interaction with constituents on issues when relevant to the constituent to provide time-sensitive education and mobilizing information. In doing so, the Dashboard technology has potential for improving foodborne illness reporting and can be implemented in other areas to improve response to public health issues such as suicidality, spread of Zika virus infection, and hospital quality.

Using Twitter to Identify and Respond to Food Poisoning: The Food Safety STL Project

PubMed Central

Hawkins, Jared B.; Nguyen, Leila; Nsoesie, Elaine O.; Tuli, Gaurav; Mansour, Raed; Brownstein, John S.

2017-01-01

Context: Foodborne illness affects 1 in 4 US residents each year. Few of those sickened seek medical care or report the illness to public health authorities, complicating prevention efforts. Citizens who report illness identify food establishments with more serious and critical violations than found by regular inspections. New media sources, including online restaurant reviews and social media postings, have the potential to improve reporting. Objective: We implemented a Web-based Dashboard (HealthMap Foodborne Dashboard) to identify and respond to tweets about food poisoning from St Louis City residents. Design and Setting: This report examines the performance of the Dashboard in its first 7 months after implementation in the City of St Louis Department of Health. Main Outcome Measures: We examined the number of relevant tweets captured and replied to, the number of foodborne illness reports received as a result of the new process, and the results of restaurant inspections following each report. Results: In its first 7 months (October 2015-May 2016), the Dashboard captured 193 relevant tweets. Our replies to relevant tweets resulted in more filed reports than several previously existing foodborne illness reporting mechanisms in St Louis during the same time frame. The proportion of restaurants with food safety violations was not statistically different (P = .60) in restaurants inspected after reports from the Dashboard compared with those inspected following reports through other mechanisms. Conclusion: The Dashboard differs from other citizen engagement mechanisms in its use of current data, allowing direct interaction with constituents on issues when relevant to the constituent to provide time-sensitive education and mobilizing information. In doing so, the Dashboard technology has potential for improving foodborne illness reporting and can be implemented in other areas to improve response to public health issues such as suicidality, spread of Zika virus

Recent Advances in the Treatment of Organophosphorous Poisonings

PubMed Central

Balali-Mood, Mahdi; Saber, Hamidreza

2012-01-01

Organophosphorous compounds have been employed as pesticides and chemical warfare nerve agents. Toxicity of organophosphorous compounds is a result of excessive cholinergic stimulation through inhibition of acetyl cholinesterase. Clinical manifestations include cholinergic syndromes, central nervous system and cardiovascular disorders. Organophosphorous pesticide poisonings are common in developing worlds including Iran and Sri Lanka. Nerve agents were used during the Iraq-Iran war in 1983-1988 and in a terrorist attack in Japan in 1994-1995. Following decontamination, depending on the severity of intoxication the administration of atropine to counteract muscarinic over-stimulation, and an oxime to reactivate acetyl cholinesterase are indicated. Supportive and intensive care therapy including diazepam to control convulsions and mechanical respiration may be required. Recent investigations have revealed that intravenous infusion of sodium bicarbonate to produce mild to moderate alkalinization is effective. Gacyclidine; an antiglutamatergic compound, was also proved to be beneficial in conjunction with atropine, pralidoxime, and diazepam in nerve agent poisoning. Intravenous magnesium sulfate decreased hospitalization duration and improved outcomes in patients with organophosphorous poisoning. Bio-scavengers including fresh frozen plasma or albumin have recently been suggested as a useful therapy through clearing of free organophosphates. Hemofiltration and antioxidants are also suggested for organophosphorous poisoning. Recombinant bacterial phosphotriesterases and hydrolases that are able to transfer organophosphorous-degrading enzymes are very promising in delayed treatment of organophosphorous poisoning. Recently, encapsulation of drugs or enzymes in nanocarriers has also been proposed. Given the signs and symptoms of organophosphorous poisoning, health professionals should remain updated about the recent advances in treatment of organophosphorous poisoning

"The Dose Makes the Poison": Informing Consumers About the Scientific Risk Assessment of Food Additives.

PubMed

Bearth, Angela; Cousin, Marie-Eve; Siegrist, Michael

2016-01-01

Intensive risk assessment is required before the approval of food additives. During this process, based on the toxicological principle of "the dose makes the poison,ˮ maximum usage doses are assessed. However, most consumers are not aware of these efforts to ensure the safety of food additives and are therefore sceptical, even though food additives bring certain benefits to consumers. This study investigated the effect of a short video, which explains the scientific risk assessment and regulation of food additives, on consumers' perceptions and acceptance of food additives. The primary goal of this study was to inform consumers and enable them to construct their own risk-benefit assessment and make informed decisions about food additives. The secondary goal was to investigate whether people have different perceptions of food additives of artificial (i.e., aspartame) or natural origin (i.e., steviolglycoside). To attain these research goals, an online experiment was conducted on 185 Swiss consumers. Participants were randomly assigned to either the experimental group, which was shown a video about the scientific risk assessment of food additives, or the control group, which was shown a video about a topic irrelevant to the study. After watching the video, the respondents knew significantly more, expressed more positive thoughts and feelings, had less risk perception, and more acceptance than prior to watching the video. Thus, it appears that informing consumers about complex food safety topics, such as the scientific risk assessment of food additives, is possible, and using a carefully developed information video is a successful strategy for informing consumers. © 2015 Society for Risk Analysis.

Rare Death Via Histamine Poisoning Following Crab Consumption: A Case Report.

PubMed

Yu, Yang; Wang, Ping; Bian, Ligong; Hong, Shijun

2018-05-01

Histamine poisoning (scombroid food poisoning) is a toxicity syndrome that results from eating spoiled fish. To date, however, few poisoning (or mortality) cases have been reported in relation to crab consumption. Here, we describe a very uncommon case in which a 37-year-old woman and her 14-year-old son ate cooked crabs (Scylla serrata), resulting in the death of the female. Samples of vomitus, food residue, liver tissue, gastric content, intestinal content, and cardiac blood were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography. Toxicological analysis revealed that histamine concentrations were very high in the cooked crab (47.08 mg/100 g) and intestinal content (22.54 mg/100 g). Comparing our toxicological results, police investigations, and family member statements, it can be assumed that the decedent ingested spoiled crabs, and by excluding other causes of death, lethal intoxication with histamine poisoning was confirmed. © 2017 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

An outbreak of Bacillus cereus food poisoning--are caterers supervised sufficiently.

PubMed Central

Slaten, D D; Oropeza, R I; Werner, S B

1992-01-01

Bacillus cereus is an uncommonly reported cause of foodborne illness in the United States. In May 1989, an outbreak of B. cereus gastroenteritis occurred among 140 guests who had attended a catered wedding reception in Napa, CA. Investigation established Cornish game hens served at the event as the vehicle for disease transmission (OR = 29, P = 0.0001). Although the spores of B. cereus are ubiquitous, large numbers of toxin-producing organisms (more than 10(5) per gram of food) are required for illness to occur. In the Napa outbreak, bacterial multiplication was facilitated at several points during the preparation and transportation of the food. While a licensed restaurant kitchen was used, the facilities were clearly inadequate for the event. At present, the California Health and Safety Code does not address the scope of catering operations. As caterers increase in number, there will be a growing need for governmental oversight to ensure that food production on a large scale is conducted safely. PMID:1641447

Common causes of poisoning: etiology, diagnosis and treatment.

PubMed

Müller, Dieter; Desel, Herbert

2013-10-01

In 2011, German hospitals treated approximately 205 000 patients suffering from acute poisoning. Change is seen over time both in the types of poisoning that occur and in the indications for specific treatment. This article is based on a selective review of the literature, with special attention to the health reports of the German federal government, the annual reports of the GIZ-Nord Poisons Center (the poison information center for the four northwestern states of Germany, i.e. Bremen, Hamburg, Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein), and the recommendations of international medical associations. From 1996 to 2011, the GIZ-Nord Poisons Center answered more than 450 000 inquiries, most of which involved exposures to medical drugs, chemicals, plants, foods, or cosmetics. Poisoning was clinically manifest in only a fraction of these cases. Ethanol intoxication is the commonest type of acute poisoning and suicide by medical drug overdose is the commonest type of suicide by poisoning. Death from acute poisoning is most commonly the result of either smoke inhalation or illegal drug use. Severe poisoning is only rarely due to the ingestion of chemicals (particularly detergents and cleaning products), cosmetics, or plant matter. Medical procedures that are intended to reduce the absorption of a poison or enhance its elimination are now only rarely indicated. Antidotes (e.g., atropine, 4-dimethylaminophenol, naloxone, toluidine blue) are available for only a few kinds of poisoning. Randomized clinical trials of treatment have been carried out for only a few substances. Most exposures to poisons can be treated with general emergency care and, if necessary, with symptomatic intensive-care measures. Poison information centers help ensure that cases of poisoning are dealt with efficiently. The data they collect are a useful aid to toxicological assessment and can serve as a point of departure for research projects.

Noncontiguous Finished Genome Sequence of Staphylococcus aureus KLT6, a Staphylococcal Enterotoxin B-Positive Strain Involved in a Food Poisoning Outbreak in Switzerland

PubMed Central

Tobes, Raquel; Manrique, Marina; Brozynska, Marta; Stephan, Roger; Pareja, Eduardo

2013-01-01

We present the first complete genome sequence of a Staphylococcus aureus strain assigned to clonal complex 12. The strain was isolated in a food poisoning outbreak due to contaminated potato salad in Switzerland in 2009, and it produces staphylococcal enterotoxin B. PMID:23704175

Outsmarting Poison Ivy and Other Poisonous Plants

MedlinePlus

... Consumer Updates Outsmarting Poison Ivy and Other Poisonous Plants Share Tweet Linkedin Pin it More sharing options ... whitish-green fruits hang in loose clusters. Poison Plant Rashes Aren’t Contagious Poison ivy and other ...

Dinoflagellate Toxins Responsible for Ciguatera Food Poisoning

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-12-10

the occurrence and importance of secondary toxins (12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17). Hutner and McLaughlin (18) suggested that the zooxanthellae ...argued that zooxanthellae were unlikely prospects because very few fishes eat coral and saxitoxin (STX = a paralytic shellfish poison which originates...of the toxins was not based on tests of zooxanthellae species but rather on the assumption that all dinoflagellate toxins would be expected to be

Attack Rates of Norovirus and Campylobacter Food Poisonings that Cannot Be Represented by Numeric Constant but by Plotting the Attack Rate against the Number of Patients per Incident in Cartesian Coordinates.

PubMed

Yoshikura, Hiroshi; Takeuchi, Fumihiko

2017-11-22

In norovirus and Campylobacter food poisonings, the frequencies of the number of patients per incident and that of the number of eaters per incident followed a lognormal distribution, with medians of 12-27 and 23-48 for norovirus and 5-8 and 9-21 for Campylobacter food poisonings, respectively. The lognormal frequency distribution of eaters could be simulated by assuming that people find a dish more appealing if that dish has already been found to be appealing to others. The numbers of patients and eaters per incident were not necessarily inter-correlated; the frequencies of the attack rates (number of patients/number of eaters) were distributed evenly from 0.01 to 1; that is, the attack rates of these food poisonings could not be represented by means and standard deviations. The frequency distributions of the attack rates were nevertheless not entirely disordered; plotting the attack rate against the number of patients in individual incidents produced fingerprint-like patterns that were repeatedly produced at the prefectural and national levels.

Application of serological typing to the investigation of outbreaks of Clostridium perfringens food poisoning, 1970-1978.

PubMed Central

Stringer, M. F.; Turnbull, P. C.; Gilbert, R. J.

1980-01-01

Serological typing was used as an epidemiological tool in the investigation of 524 outbreaks of Clostridium perfringens food poisoning in the United Kingdom and 37 outbreaks in other countries. Five thousand five hundred and fifty-four (77%) of 7245 strains of C. perfringens associated with the 561 outbreaks were typable with the 75 Food Hygiene Laboratory antisera; in 354 (63%) of these outbreaks a specific serotype was established as being responsible for the outbreak. An assessment is made of the ability of two additional sets of antisera, prepared against 34 American and 34 Japanese strains of C. perfringens, to increase the number of strains which can be typed. The extent of cross-reaction between the three sets of antisera was determined and the results are discussed in relation to the source and history of the type strains. PMID:6300225

Study of the bacterial diversity of foods: PCR-DGGE versus LH-PCR.

PubMed

Garofalo, Cristiana; Bancalari, Elena; Milanović, Vesna; Cardinali, Federica; Osimani, Andrea; Sardaro, Maria Luisa Savo; Bottari, Benedetta; Bernini, Valentina; Aquilanti, Lucia; Clementi, Francesca; Neviani, Erasmo; Gatti, Monica

2017-02-02

The present study compared two culture-independent methods, polymerase chain reaction denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) and length-heterogeneity polymerase chain reaction (LH-PCR), for their ability to reveal food bacterial microbiota. Total microbial DNA and RNA were extracted directly from fourteen fermented and unfermented foods, and domain A of the variable regions V1 and V2 of the 16S rRNA gene was analyzed through LH-PCR and PCR-DGGE. Finally, the outline of these analyses was compared with bacterial viable counts obtained after bacterial growth on suitable selective media. For the majority of the samples, RNA-based PCR-DGGE revealed species that the DNA-based PCR-DGGE was not able to highlight. When analyzing either DNA or RNA, LH-PCR identified several lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and coagulase negative cocci (CCN) species that were not identified by PCR-DGGE. This phenomenon was particularly evident in food samples with viable loads<5.0 Logcfug -1 . Furthermore, LH-PCR was able to detect a higher number of peaks in the analyzed food matrices relative to species identified by PCR-DGGE. In light of these findings, it may be suggested that LH-PCR shows greater sensitivity than PCR-DGGE. However, PCR-DGGE detected some other species (LAB included) that were not detected by LH-PCR. Therefore, certain LH-PCR peaks not attributed to known species within the LH-PCR database could be solved by comparing them with species identified by PCR-DGGE. Overall, this study also showed that LH-PCR is a promising method for use in the food microbiology field, indicating the necessity to expand the LH-PCR database, which is based, up to now, mainly on LAB isolates from dairy products. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Incidence of Staphylococcus aureus and Analysis of Associated Bacterial Communities on Food Industry Surfaces

PubMed Central

Gutiérrez, Diana; Delgado, Susana; Vázquez-Sánchez, Daniel; Martínez, Beatriz; Cabo, Marta López; Rodríguez, Ana; Herrera, Juan J.

2012-01-01

Biofilms are a common cause of food contamination with undesirable bacteria, such as pathogenic bacteria. Staphylococcus aureus is one of the major bacteria causing food-borne diseases in humans. A study designed to determine the presence of S. aureus on food contact surfaces in dairy, meat, and seafood environments and to identify coexisting microbiota has therefore been carried out. A total of 442 samples were collected, and the presence of S. aureus was confirmed in 6.1% of samples. Sixty-three S. aureus isolates were recovered and typed by random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD). Profiles were clustered into four groups which were related to specific food environments. All isolates harbored some potential virulence factors such as enterotoxin production genes, biofilm formation-associated genes, antibiotic resistance, or lysogeny. PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) fingerprints of bacterial communities coexisting with S. aureus revealed the presence of bacteria either involved in food spoilage or of concern for food safety in all food environments. Food industry surfaces could thus be a reservoir for S. aureus forming complex communities with undesirable bacteria in multispecies biofilms. Uneven microbiological conditions were found in each food sector, which indicates the need to improve hygienic conditions in food processing facilities, particularly the removal of bacterial biofilms, to enhance the safety of food products. PMID:23023749

Incidence of Staphylococcus aureus and analysis of associated bacterial communities on food industry surfaces.

PubMed

Gutiérrez, Diana; Delgado, Susana; Vázquez-Sánchez, Daniel; Martínez, Beatriz; Cabo, Marta López; Rodríguez, Ana; Herrera, Juan J; García, Pilar

2012-12-01

Biofilms are a common cause of food contamination with undesirable bacteria, such as pathogenic bacteria. Staphylococcus aureus is one of the major bacteria causing food-borne diseases in humans. A study designed to determine the presence of S. aureus on food contact surfaces in dairy, meat, and seafood environments and to identify coexisting microbiota has therefore been carried out. A total of 442 samples were collected, and the presence of S. aureus was confirmed in 6.1% of samples. Sixty-three S. aureus isolates were recovered and typed by random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD). Profiles were clustered into four groups which were related to specific food environments. All isolates harbored some potential virulence factors such as enterotoxin production genes, biofilm formation-associated genes, antibiotic resistance, or lysogeny. PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) fingerprints of bacterial communities coexisting with S. aureus revealed the presence of bacteria either involved in food spoilage or of concern for food safety in all food environments. Food industry surfaces could thus be a reservoir for S. aureus forming complex communities with undesirable bacteria in multispecies biofilms. Uneven microbiological conditions were found in each food sector, which indicates the need to improve hygienic conditions in food processing facilities, particularly the removal of bacterial biofilms, to enhance the safety of food products.

Irradiated foods

MedlinePlus

... materials that kill bacteria. The process is called irradiation. It is used to remove germs from food. ... it reduces the risk for food poisoning . Food irradiation is used in many countries. It was first ...

Histamine (Scombroid) Fish Poisoning: a Comprehensive Review.

PubMed

Feng, Charles; Teuber, Suzanne; Gershwin, M Eric

2016-02-01

Histamine fish poisoning, also known as scombroid poisoning, is the most common cause of ichythyotoxicosis worldwide and results from the ingestion of histamine-contaminated fish in the Scombroidae and Scomberesocidae families, including mackerel, bonito, albacore, and skipjack. This disease was first described in 1799 in Britain and re-emerged in the medical literature in the 1950s when outbreaks were reported in Japan. The symptoms associated with histamine fish poisoning are similar to that of an allergic reaction. In fact, such histamine-induced reactions are often misdiagnosed as IgE-mediated fish allergy. Indeed, histamine fish poisoning is still an underrecognized disease. In this review, we discuss the epidemiology, pathophysiology, evaluation, and treatment of scombroid disease. Because more than 80% of fish consumed in the USA is now imported from other countries, the disease is intimately linked with the global fish trade (National Marine Fisheries Service, 2012). Preventing future scombroid outbreaks will require that fishermen, public health officials, restaurant workers, and medical professionals work together to devise international safety standards and increase awareness of the disease. The implications of scombroid poisoning go far beyond that of fish and have broader implications for the important issues of food safety.

Disposable bioluminescence-based biosensor for detection of bacterial count in food.

PubMed

Luo, Jinping; Liu, Xiaohong; Tian, Qing; Yue, Weiwei; Zeng, Jing; Chen, Guangquan; Cai, Xinxia

2009-11-01

A biosensor for rapid detection of bacterial count based on adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) bioluminescence has been developed. The biosensor is composed of a key sensitive element and a photomultiplier tube used as a detector element. The disposable sensitive element consists of a sampler, a cartridge where intracellular ATP is chemically extracted from bacteria, and a microtube where the extracted ATP reacts with the luciferin-luciferase reagent to produce bioluminescence. The bioluminescence signal is transformed into relevant electrical signal by the detector and further measured with a homemade luminometer. Parameters affecting the amount of the extracted ATP, including the types of ATP extractants, the concentrations of ATP extractant, and the relevant neutralizing reagent, were optimized. Under the optimal experimental conditions, the biosensor showed a linear response to standard bacteria in a concentration range from 10(3) to 10(8) colony-forming units (CFU) per milliliter with a correlation coefficient of 0.925 (n=22) within 5min. Moreover, the bacterial count of real food samples obtained by the biosensor correlated well with those by the conventional plate count method. The proposed biosensor, with characteristics of low cost, easy operation, and fast response, provides potential application to rapid evaluation of bacterial contamination in the food industry, environment monitoring, and other fields.

Tetrodotoxin Poisoning Due to Pufferfish and Gastropods, and Their Intoxication Mechanism

PubMed Central

Noguchi, Tamao; Onuki, Kazue; Arakawa, Osamu

2011-01-01

Marine pufferfish generally contain a large amount of tetrodotoxin (TTX) in their skin and viscera, and have caused many incidences of food poisoning, especially in Japan. Edible species and body tissues of pufferfish, as well as their allowable fishing areas, are therefore clearly stipulated in Japan, but still 2 to 3 people die every year due to pufferfish poisoning. TTX is originally produced by marine bacteria, and pufferfish are intoxicated through the food chain that starts with the bacteria. Pufferfish become nontoxic when fed TTX-free diets in a closed environment in which there is no possible invasion of TTX-bearing organisms. On the other hand, TTX poisoning due to marine snails has recently spread through Japan, China, Taiwan, and Europe. In addition, TTX poisoning of dogs due to the ingestion of sea slugs was recently reported in New Zealand. TTX in these gastropods also seems to be exogenous; carnivorous large snails are intoxicated by eating toxic starfish, and necrophagous small-to-medium snails, the viscera of dead pufferfish after spawning. Close attention must be paid to the geographic expansion and/or diversification of TTX-bearing organisms, and to the sudden occurrence of other forms of TTX poisoning due to their ingestion. PMID:23724281

What Poisoned the Apple Juice? A Gram Staining and Selective Media Lab.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hammond, Paul; Brown, Nikole; Hauser, Doug; Pomart, Katrina; Karcher, Sue; Balschweid, Mark

2002-01-01

Introduces an inquiry-based laboratory experiment in which students identify an unknown bacterial species by using techniques such as Gram staining. Uses an authentic problem solving approach in a scenario entitled, "What poisoned the apple juice?" (YDS)

Fungal-to-bacterial dominance of soil detrital food-webs: Consequences for biogeochemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rousk, Johannes; Frey, Serita

2015-04-01

Resolving fungal and bacterial groups within the microbial decomposer community is thought to capture disparate microbial life strategies, associating bacteria with an r-selected strategy for carbon (C) and nutrient use, and fungi with a K-selected strategy. Additionally, food-web models have established a widely held belief that the bacterial decomposer pathway in soil supports high turnover rates of easily available substrates, while the slower fungal pathway supports the decomposition of more complex organic material, thus characterising the biogeochemistry of the ecosystem. Three field-experiments to generate gradients of SOC-quality were assessed. (1) the Detritus Input, Removal, and Trenching - DIRT - experiment in a temperate forest in mixed hardwood stands at Harvard Forest LTER, US. There, experimentally adjusted litter input and root input had affected the SOC quality during 23 years. (2) field-application of 14-C labelled glucose to grassland soils, sampled over the course of 13 months to generate an age-gradient of SOM (1 day - 13 months). (3) The Park Grass Experiment at Rothamsted, UK, where 150-years continuous N-fertilisation (0, 50, 100, 150 kg N ha-1 y-1) has affected the quality of SOM in grassland soils. A combination of carbon stable and radio isotope studies, fungal and bacterial growth and biomass measurements, and C and N mineralisation (15N pool dilution) assays were used to investigate how SOC-quality influenced fungal and bacterial food-web pathways and the implications this had for C and nutrient turnover. There was no support that decomposer food-webs dominated by bacteria support high turnover rates of easily available substrates, while slower fungal-dominated decomposition pathways support the decomposition of more complex organic material. Rather, an association between high quality SOC and fungi emerges from the results. This suggests that we need to revise our basic understanding for soil microbial communities and the processes

Histamine production by Klebsiella pneumoniae and an incident of scombroid fish poisoning.

PubMed Central

Taylor, S L; Guthertz, L S; Leatherwood, M; Lieber, E R

1979-01-01

A histamine-producing strain of Klebsiella pneumoniae was isolated from a sample of tuna sashimi implicated in an outbreak of scombroid fish poisoning. None of the other nine gram-negative bacterial strains isolated from the tuna sashimi was capable of equivalent histamine production. Bacterial histamine production was monitored in a tuna fish infusion broth (TFIB), and the implicated K. pneumoniae was capable of producing 442 mg of histamine per 100 g of tuna in TFIB in 7 h under controlled incubation conditions. Only 12 of 50 other K. pneumoniae strains, representing 5 distinct biochemical types, which had been originally isolated from foods, were able to produce such levels of histamine in TFIB. No correlation was found between histamine production and other biochemical characteristics or antibiotic resistance. Of the 12 histamine-producing strains, 11 belonged to type 2, which is characterized as indole negative with positive reactions in the urea and Voges-Proskauer tests. However, only 50% of the type 2 strains examined produced high levels of histamine in TFIB. Additionally, the implicated K. pneumoniae strain and one other strain belonged to type 1, which is characterized by positive reactions in the indole, urea, and Voges-Proskauer tests. PMID:373626

Something fishy: six patients with an unusual cause of food poisoning!

PubMed

Hall, Michael

2003-06-01

Scombroid fish poisoning is a clinical syndrome attributed to the ingestion of contaminated fish. A toxin or toxins, known as scombrotoxin, result from decomposition by endogenous flora of the amino acid histidine liberating bioactive amines, predominantly histamine. The presentation has features of histamine toxicity, typically with urticaria, flushing, headache, abdominal cramps, diarrhoea and vomiting. The course is usually mild and self-limiting. The author describes six cases of scombroid poisoning after ingestion of fish from the same Canberra restaurant. One case resulted in significant hypotension necessitating a prolonged stay in the ED.

Bacterial-Fungal Interactions: Hyphens between Agricultural, Clinical, Environmental, and Food Microbiologists

PubMed Central

Frey-Klett, P.; Burlinson, P.; Deveau, A.; Barret, M.; Tarkka, M.; Sarniguet, A.

2011-01-01

Summary: Bacteria and fungi can form a range of physical associations that depend on various modes of molecular communication for their development and functioning. These bacterial-fungal interactions often result in changes to the pathogenicity or the nutritional influence of one or both partners toward plants or animals (including humans). They can also result in unique contributions to biogeochemical cycles and biotechnological processes. Thus, the interactions between bacteria and fungi are of central importance to numerous biological questions in agriculture, forestry, environmental science, food production, and medicine. Here we present a structured review of bacterial-fungal interactions, illustrated by examples sourced from many diverse scientific fields. We consider the general and specific properties of these interactions, providing a global perspective across this emerging multidisciplinary research area. We show that in many cases, parallels can be drawn between different scenarios in which bacterial-fungal interactions are important. Finally, we discuss how new avenues of investigation may enhance our ability to combat, manipulate, or exploit bacterial-fungal complexes for the economic and practical benefit of humanity as well as reshape our current understanding of bacterial and fungal ecology. PMID:22126995

Organophosphorus poisoning (acute).

PubMed

2007-03-01

Acute organophosphorus poisoning occurs after dermal, respiratory, or oral exposure to either low-volatility pesticides (e.g. chlorpyrifos, dimethoate) or high-volatility nerve gases (e.g. sarin, tabun). Most cases occur in resource-poor countries as a result of occupational or deliberate exposure to organophosphorus pesticides. We conducted a systematic review and aimed to answer the following clinical question: What are the effects of treatments for acute organophosphorus poisoning? We searched: Medline, Embase, The Cochrane Library and other important databases up to August 2006 (Clinical Evidence reviews are updated periodically, please check our website for the most up-to-date version of this review). We included harms alerts from relevant organisations such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). We found 22 systematic reviews, RCTs, or observational studies that met our inclusion criteria. We performed a GRADE evaluation of the quality of evidence for interventions. In this systematic review we present information relating to the effectiveness and safety of the following interventions: activated charcoal, alpha2 adrenergic receptor agonists, atropine, benzodiazepines, butyrylcholinesterase replacement therapy, cathartics, extracorporeal clearance, gastric lavage, glycopyrronium bromide, ipecacuanha, magnesium sulphate, milk or other home remedies, N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonists, organophosphorus hydrolases, oximes, sodium bicarbonate, washing the poisoned person and removing contaminated clothing.

Photographic fixative poisoning

MedlinePlus

Photographic developer poisoning; Hydroquinone poisoning; Quinone poisoning; Sulfite poisoning ... Poisonous ingredients include: Hydroquinones Quinones Sodium ... fixative can also break down (decompose) to form sulfur dioxide ...

Carbolic acid poisoning

MedlinePlus

Phenol poisoning; Phenylic acid poisoning; Hydroxybenzene poisoning; Phenic acid poisoning; Benzenol poisoning ... measure and monitor the person's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure. Tests that ...

[Fish-caused illness: notify food-related outbreaks to the Municipal Health Services].

PubMed

Morroy, G; Ooms, D; Jansen, H J; Dijkstra, J; van Drunen-Kamp, K J; Batstra-Blokpoel, J

2018-01-01

When two or more people fall ill after eating the same food, this is called an outbreak of food poisoning or food-related infection. In the Netherlands, physicians have to notify the Municipal Health Services (GGD) of such outbreaks. The GGD informs the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA). Two clusters of scombroid poisoning (histamine poisoning in this case after eating tuna) occurred in one month. Due to the quick reporting of patients by physicians, the GGD and the NVWA immediately tracked down the source. In both clusters the NVWA confirmed high histamine levels in tuna. In reaction to these findings and the first cluster, the supplier recalled the tuna batch. This may have prevented other cases of food poisoning. In the second cluster, the implicated tuna batch had already been sold. Timely notification by physicians of food poisoning or food-related outbreaks to the GGD enables swift tracing of the source and appropriate measures by the GGD and the NVWA..

Bivalve molluscs as vectors of marine biotoxins involved in seafood poisoning.

PubMed

Ciminiello, P; Fattorusso, E

2006-01-01

Molluscs of many sorts, which are high in protein and trace minerals, have always been a substantial portion of the human diet. A great variety of mollusc species are therefore of commercial importance throughout the world. Episodes of poisoning occasionally happen to the consumers of molluscs, the main hazard being represented by bivalve molluscs. These organisms are filter-feeders, feeding mainly on a wide range of phytoplankton species. Among the thousands of species of microscopic algae at the base of the marine food chain, there are a few dozen which produce potent toxins. One major category of impact occurs when toxic phytoplankton are filtered from the water as food by shellfish, which then accumulate the algal toxins to levels which can be lethal to humans. Incidences of poisoning related to marine algal toxins come under the main categories of paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP), neurotoxic shellfish poisoning (NSP), diarrhetic shellfish poisoning (DSP), and amnesic shellfish poisoning (ASP), depending upon the toxins and the symptoms that they cause. Since the beginning of the 1990s, a research program has been initiated to examine the toxin profiles in mussels from the Adriatic Sea. Since then, a number of polyether toxins have been isolated and characterized, some of which represent new additions to the DSP class of biotoxins. During this investigation, new types of toxins have also been isolated. The recent application of LC-MS methods for the detection of Adriatic marine biotoxins made it possible to speed up the analysis of toxic samples.

[Food poisoning outbreak due to the consumption of spaghetti a la carbonara caused by Salmonella enteritidis].

PubMed

Godoy, P; Artigues, A; Usera, M A; González, J L; Pablo, N; Agustí, M

2000-01-01

This paper reports a clinico-epidemiological and microbiological investigation conducted into an outbreak of gastrointestinal infection due to Salmonella enteritidis, where the most likely food vehicle was spaghetti a la carbonara. An historic cohort study was conducted out among persons exposed to menus at a school canteen. Data were gathered on age, sex, foods consumed and clinical symptoms. School premises and menus were inspected, food samples obtained (spaghetti and meat balls), and stool samples taken from 30 affected subjects and 8 food handlers. Isolated strains were studied using pulsed-field electrophoresis. Attack rates were computed, and the odds ratio adjusted for the remaining foodstuffs (ORa) used to calculate the independent contribution made by the respective foods to risk of infection. Study coverage was 75.7% (140/185). The overall attack rate was 72.1% (101/140), with 12.9% of those affected requiring hospitalisation. The multivariate analysis showed that, while the spaghetti maintained its association (ORa = 8.4; 95% CI 1.4-51.8), the meat balls registered a reduction in risk (ORa = 1.8; 95% CI 0.4-7.5). S. enteritidis was isolated in stool cultures from 28 affected subjects, and in 2 blood and 6 stool cultures from food handlers (5 of whom were classed as cases). Moreover, S. enteritidis was also isolated in the food samples. On pulsed-field electrophoresis, the strains registered the same electrophoresis pattern. This outbreak serves to underscore the gravity of Salmonella spp. food poisoning, the danger of using inadequately cooked eggs, and the importance of interviewing food handlers to ensure proper classification (i.e., as patients or carriers). Existing recommendations as to the use of pasteurised egg products ought to be extended in scope.

House of Poison: Poisons in the Home.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keller, Rosanne

One of a series of instructional materials produced by the Literacy Council of Alaska, this booklet provides information about common household poisons. Using a simplified vocabulary and shorter sentences, it provides statistics concerning accidental poisonings; a list of the places poisons are usually found in the home; steps to make the home…

Poisons, ruffles and rockets: bacterial pathogens and the host cell cytoskeleton.

PubMed

Steele-Mortimer, O; Knodler, L A; Finlay, B B

2000-02-01

The cytoskeleton of eukaryotic cells is affected by a number of bacterial and viral pathogens. In this review we consider three recurring themes of cytoskeletal involvement in bacterial pathogenesis: 1) the effect of bacterial toxins on actin-regulating small GTP-binding proteins; 2) the invasion of non-phagocytic cells by the bacterial induction of ruffles at the plasma membrane; 3) the formation of actin tails and pedestals by intracellular and extracellular bacteria, respectively. Considerable progress has been made recently in the characterization of these processes. It is becoming clear that bacterial pathogens have developed a variety of sophisticated mechanisms for utilizing the complex cytoskeletal system of host cells. These bacterially-induced processes are now providing unique insights into the regulation of fundamental eukaryotic mechanisms.

Household Food Items Toxic to Dogs and Cats.

PubMed

Cortinovis, Cristina; Caloni, Francesca

2016-01-01

Several foods that are perfectly suitable for human consumption can be toxic to dogs and cats. Food-associated poisoning cases involving the accidental ingestion of chocolate and chocolate-based products, Allium spp. (onion, garlic, leek, and chives), macadamia nuts, Vitis vinifera fruits (grapes, raisins, sultanas, and currants), products sweetened with xylitol, alcoholic beverages, and unbaked bread dough have been reported worldwide in the last decade. The poisoning episodes are generally due to lack of public knowledge of the serious health threat to dogs and cats that can be posed by these products. The present review aims to outline the current knowledge of common food items frequently involved in the poisoning of small animals, particularly dogs, and provides an overview of poisoning episodes reported in the literature.

Food Safety

MedlinePlus

... t been prepared safely may contain bacteria like E. coli . Unsafe food can also spread foodborne illnesses like ... for: Teens Smart Supermarket Shopping Hand Washing Tapeworm E. Coli Why Should I Care About Germs? Food Poisoning ...

Food safety concerns of fast food consumers in urban Ghana.

PubMed

Omari, Rose; Frempong, Godfred

2016-03-01

In Ghana, out-of-home ready-to-eat foods including fast food generally have been associated with food safety problems. Notwithstanding, fast food production and consumption are increasing in Ghana and therefore this study sought to determine the food safety issues of importance to consumers and the extent to which they worry about them. First, through three focus group discussions on consumers' personal opinions about food safety issues, some emergent themes were obtained, which were used to construct an open-ended questionnaire administered face-to-face to 425 respondents systematically sampled from 20 fast food restaurants in Accra. Findings showed that most fast food consumers were concerned about food hazards such as pesticide residue in vegetables, excessive use of artificial flavour enhancers and colouring substances, bacterial contamination, migrated harmful substances from plastic packages, and general unhygienic conditions under which food is prepared and sold. Consumers also raised concerns about foodborne diseases such as cholera, typhoid, food poisoning, diarrhoea, bird flu and swine flu. The logistic regression model showed that being male increased the likelihood of worrying about general food safety issues and excessive use of flavour enhancers than in females while being youthful increased the likelihood of being worried about typhoid fever than in older consumers. These findings imply that consumers in urban Ghana are aware and concerned about current trends of food safety and foodborne disease challenges in the country. Therefore, efforts targeted at improving food safety and reducing incidences of foodborne diseases should not only focus on public awareness creation but should also design more comprehensive programmes to ensure the making of food safety rules and guidelines and enforcing compliance to facilitate availability and consumers' choice of safe foods. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Toxicological Profiles of Poisonous, Edible, and Medicinal Mushrooms

PubMed Central

Jo, Woo-Sik; Hossain, Md. Akil

2014-01-01

Mushrooms are a recognized component of the human diet, with versatile medicinal properties. Some mushrooms are popular worldwide for their nutritional and therapeutic properties. However, some species are dangerous because they cause toxicity. There are many reports explaining the medicinal and/or toxic effects of these fungal species. Cases of serious human poisoning generally caused by the improper identification of toxic mushroom species are reported every year. Different substances responsible for the fatal signs and symptoms of mushroom toxicity have been identified from various poisonous mushrooms. Toxicity studies of mushroom species have demonstrated that mushroom poisoning can cause adverse effects such as liver failure, bradycardia, chest pain, seizures, gastroenteritis, intestinal fibrosis, renal failure, erythromelalgia, and rhabdomyolysis. Correct categorization and better understanding are essential for the safe and healthy consumption of mushrooms as functional foods as well as for their medicinal use. PMID:25346597

Investigation of a Staphylococcal Food Poisoning Outbreak from a Chantilly Cream Dessert, in Umbria (Italy)

PubMed Central

Gallina, Silvia; Nia, Yacine; Auvray, Frédéric; Primavilla, Sara; Guidi, Fabrizia; Pierucci, Benedetta; Graziotti, Catia; Decastelli, Lucia; Scuota, Stefania

2017-01-01

Abstract On August 28, 2015, a staphylococcal food poisoning outbreak occurred in Umbria, Italy, affecting 24 of the 42 customers who had dinner at a local restaurant. About 3 h after ingesting a variety of foods, the customers manifested gastrointestinal symptoms. Within 24 h of notification from the hospital emergency department, Sanitary Inspectors of the local Public Health Unit performed an epidemiological investigation. A retrospective cohort study was conducted among the customers. Food and environmental samples were collected. Due to the rapid onset of symptoms (vomiting, diarrhea), the food samples were analyzed for the presence of toxigenic bacteria and their toxins; nasopharyngeal swabs were collected from the waiters and cooks. Among the food tested, high levels of coagulase-positive staphylococci (CPS) (3.4 × 108 CFU/g) and staphylococcal enterotoxins (2.12 ng SEA/g) were only detected in the Chantilly cream dessert. CPS were also detected on the surface of a kitchen table (10 CFU/swab), and five food handlers were positive for Staphylococcus aureus. In total, five enterotoxigenic S. aureus isolates were recovered from three food handlers, a kitchen surface, and the Chantilly cream dessert. These isolates were further characterized by biotyping, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, and multiplex polymerase chain reaction assays for the detection of eleven enterotoxin encoding genes (sea, seb, sec, sed, see, seg, seh, sei, sej, sep, and ser) and three genes involved in antibiotic resistance (mecA, mecC, and mupA). Three sea-positive strains, isolated from the dessert, environment, and one of the cooks, had the same pulsed-field gel electrophoresis profile and belonged to the human biotype, suggesting that the contamination causing the outbreak most likely originated from a food handler. Moreover, improper storage of the dessert, at room temperature for about 5 h, permitted microbial growth and SEA production. This study underlines the

Tetrahydrozoline poisoning

MedlinePlus

... help if this information is not immediately available. Poison Control Your local poison center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere ...

Kerosene poisoning

MedlinePlus

... if known) Time it was swallowed Amount swallowed Poison Control Your local poison center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere ...

Dieffenbachia poisoning

MedlinePlus

... were eaten, if known Time swallowed Amount swallowed Poison Control Your local poison center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere ...

Detergent poisoning

MedlinePlus

... if known) Time it was swallowed Amount swallowed Poison Control Your local poison center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere ...

Pokeweed poisoning

MedlinePlus

... poisoning URL of this page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002874.htm Pokeweed poisoning To use the sharing features on this page, please enable JavaScript. Pokeweed is a flowering plant. Pokeweed poisoning occurs ...

Philodendron poisoning

MedlinePlus

... poisoning URL of this page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002872.htm Philodendron poisoning To use the sharing features on this page, please enable JavaScript. Philodendron is a flowering houseplant. Philodendron poisoning occurs ...

[Analysis of characteristics of acute poisoning caused by various poisons in Guangxi, China].

PubMed

Hu, De-hong; Zhang, Zhen-ming; Liu, Qing-hua; Jiang, Dong-fang

2013-11-01

To investigate the characteristics of acute poisonings caused by various poisons in Guangxi, China. A retrospective investigation was performed in 5859 cases of acute poisonings who were admitted to 63 hospitals in 11 cities, as well as 531 types of poisons involved. The poisons were categorized into 6 groups; each group of cases was stratified by the rural or urban settings, frequency of poisoning, and cause of poisoning to analyze the numbers of cases and constituent ratios. Most types of poisons (68.74%) belonged to drugs (217 types) and pesticides (148 types). Most cases of poisonings (61.63%) were caused by pesticides (n = 2547) and chemicals (n = 1064). Pesticides, poisons of plant origins, and poisons of animal origins were responsible for most of the cases in rural settings; 88.46%, 79.10%, and 66.74% of the cases of these poison categories happened in rural settings. Chemicals, drugs, and other poisons were responsible for most of the cases in urban settings; 70.20%, 61.74%, and 63.73% of the cases of these poison categories happened in urban settings. The numbers of cases in 5-year-poisoning groups were the highest in all categories of poisons, accounting for 85.24%, 88.57%, 55.16%, 70.79%, 68.36%, and 66.44%of cases of respective categories. Most cases of poisonings by chemicals, poisons of animal origin, and other poisons were accident-related (86.24%, 72.66%, and 46.71%of the poison categories). Most cases of poisonings by pesticides and drugs were suicide-related (59.39% and 33.52% of the poison categories). Most cases by poisons of plant origin were caused by accidental ingestion (70.36% of the poison category). Most of the acute poisonings in Guangxi area are caused by pesticides and chemicals; the most common causes of poisoning are accidents, accidental ingestion, and suicide. There are significant differences in the causes of acute poisonings between the urban and rural settings.

Bacterial contamination of the hands of food handlers as indicator of hand washing efficacy in some convenient food industries in South Africa.

PubMed

Aa, Lambrechts; Is, Human; Jh, Doughari; Jfr, Lues

2014-07-01

Hands of ready-to-eat food service employees have been shown to be vectors in the spread of foodborne disease, mainly because of poor personal hygiene and accounting for approximately 97% of food borne illnesses in food service establishments and homes. Our objective was to evaluate the efficacy of hand washing practices and sanitation before commencing work among food handlers in the convenient food industry in Gauteng, South Africa. A total of 230 samples were collected, involving 100% of the food handlers, in 8 selected convenient food outlets with their main focus on preparing ready-to-eat foods. The workers' cleaned and disinfected dominant hands were sampled for Total Plate Count (TPC), Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Bacteria were isolated and counted using standard methods. The highest bacterial count from the hand samples was 7.4 x 10(3) cfu.cm(-2) and the lowest showed no detectable growth. Although hands with a count of 0 cfu.cm(-2) were found in all of the plants, the results indicated that all the plants exceeded the legal limit for food surfaces or hands of < 100 cfu.cm(-2) when the average bacterial counts on hands were compared. Sixty percent of the TPC analysed exceeded the legal limit and only 18% of the food handlers had no bacteria detectable on their hands. One sample tested positive for E. coli and S. aureus could not be detected on the hands of any of the food handlers. The study revealed that hand hygiene is unsatisfactory and may have serious implications for public health due to contamination of food from food handlers' hands. This therefore underlined the importance of further training to improve food handlers' knowledge of good hand washing practices.

Stable Silver Nanoparticles Synthesis by Citrus Sinensis (Orange) and Assessing Activity Against Food Poisoning Microbes.

PubMed

Naila, Arooj; Nadia, Dar; Zahoor, Qadir Samra

2014-10-01

Silver nanoparticles are considered as good antimicrobial agent. AgNPs were synthesized by mixing silver nitrate solution with citrus sinesis extract for 2 h at 37 °C and analyzed by UV-visible spectra, SEM, XRD, and FTIR. AgNPs were tested against B. subtilis, Shigella, S. aureus, and E. coli. Minimum inhibitory concentration of AgNPs was 20 µg/mL for B. subtilis and Shigella and 30 µg/mL for S. aureus and E. coli. Antibiofilm activity (80% to 90%) was observed at 25 µg/mL. AgNPs were stable for five months with sustained antimicrobial activity. Biosynthesized AgNPs can be used to inhibit food poisoning microbial growth. Copyright © 2014 The Editorial Board of Biomedical and Environmental Sciences. Published by China CDC. All rights reserved.

Following Pathogen Development and Gene Expression in a Food Ecosystem: the Case of a Staphylococcus aureus Isolate in Cheese

PubMed Central

Aigle, Marina; Fleurot, Renaud; Darrigo, Claire; Hennekinne, Jacques-Antoine; Gruss, Alexandra; Borezée-Durant, Elise; Delacroix-Buchet, Agnès

2014-01-01

Human intoxication or infection due to bacterial food contamination constitutes an economic challenge and a public health problem. Information on the in situ distribution and expression of pathogens responsible for this risk is to date lacking, largely because of technical bottlenecks in detecting signals from minority bacterial populations within a complex microbial and physicochemical ecosystem. We simulated the contamination of a real high-risk cheese with a natural food isolate of Staphylococcus aureus, an enterotoxin-producing pathogen responsible for food poisoning. To overcome the problem of a detection limit in a solid matrix, we chose to work with a fluorescent reporter (superfolder green fluorescent protein) that would allow spatiotemporal monitoring of S. aureus populations and targeted gene expression. The combination of complementary techniques revealed that S. aureus localizes preferentially on the cheese surface during ripening. Immunochemistry and confocal laser scanning microscopy enabled us to visualize, in a single image, dairy bacteria and pathogen populations, virulence gene expression, and the toxin produced. This procedure is readily applicable to other genes of interest, other bacteria, and different types of food matrices. PMID:24928871

Antibacterial activity of plant extracts on foodborne bacterial pathogens and food spoilage bacteria

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Bacterial foodborne diseases are caused by consumption of foods contaminated with bacteria and/or their toxins. In this study, we evaluated antibacterial properties of twelve different extracts including turmeric, lemon and different kinds of teas against four major pathogenic foodborne bacteria inc...

Molecular Typing of Staphylococcus Aureus Isolate Responsible for Staphylococcal Poisoning Incident in Homemade Food

PubMed Central

Bellio, Alberto; Bianchi, Daniela Manila; Gallina, Silvia; Adriano, Daniela; Zuccon, Fabio; Chiesa, Francesco; Acutis, Pier Luigi; Casalinuovo, Francesco; Decastelli, Lucia

2016-01-01

In October 2012, two persons fell ill with symptoms consistent with staphylococcal food poisoning after eating home-canned tuna fish and tomatoes. Laboratory investigation detected the enterotoxins in the home-canned tuna and molecular analysis of the isolated Staphylococcus aureus confirmed it carried toxin genes. Qualitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and enzime linked fluorescent assay methods and quantitative assay identified the enterotoxins in the food leftovers, specifically staphylococcal enterotoxins type A (SEA) and D (SED), respectively 0.49 and 2.04 ng/g. The laboratory results are discussed considering the relation to the fish in oil, survival and heat resistance of S. aureus, and presumptive microbial contamination due to improper handling during home-canning procedures. This is the first reported cluster of foodborne illnesses due to staphylococcal enterotoxins in tuna in Italy. In this study, we reported cases described and analysed for their spa-type. Showing a high heterogeneity of isolates, spa-type t13252 is correlated in a node of the minimum spanning tree and it has never been reported as responsible for foodborne outbreak. This case underlines the importance of risk communication and dissemination of home-canning guidelines to reduce the incidence of foodborne outbreaks caused by homemade conserves. PMID:27800449

Molecular Typing of Staphylococcus Aureus Isolate Responsible for Staphylococcal Poisoning Incident in Homemade Food.

PubMed

Macori, Guerrino; Bellio, Alberto; Bianchi, Daniela Manila; Gallina, Silvia; Adriano, Daniela; Zuccon, Fabio; Chiesa, Francesco; Acutis, Pier Luigi; Casalinuovo, Francesco; Decastelli, Lucia

2016-04-19

In October 2012, two persons fell ill with symptoms consistent with staphylococcal food poisoning after eating home-canned tuna fish and tomatoes. Laboratory investigation detected the enterotoxins in the home-canned tuna and molecular analysis of the isolated Staphylococcus aureus confirmed it carried toxin genes. Qualitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and enzime linked fluorescent assay methods and quantitative assay identified the enterotoxins in the food leftovers, specifically staphylococcal enterotoxins type A (SEA) and D (SED), respectively 0.49 and 2.04 ng/g. The laboratory results are discussed considering the relation to the fish in oil, survival and heat resistance of S. aureus , and presumptive microbial contamination due to improper handling during home-canning procedures. This is the first reported cluster of foodborne illnesses due to staphylococcal enterotoxins in tuna in Italy. In this study, we reported cases described and analysed for their spa -type. Showing a high heterogeneity of isolates, spa -type t 13252 is correlated in a node of the minimum spanning tree and it has never been reported as responsible for foodborne outbreak. This case underlines the importance of risk communication and dissemination of home-canning guidelines to reduce the incidence of foodborne outbreaks caused by homemade conserves.

Factors Affecting Bacterial Inactivation during High Hydrostatic Pressure Processing of Foods: A Review.

PubMed

Syed, Qamar-Abbas; Buffa, Martin; Guamis, Buenaventura; Saldo, Jordi

2016-01-01

Although, the High Hydrostatic Pressure (HHP) technology has been gaining gradual popularity in food industry since last two decades, intensive research is needed to explore the missing information. Bacterial inactivation in food by using HHP applications can be enhanced by getting deeper insights of the process. Some of these aspects have been already studied in detail (like pressure, time, and temperature, etc.), while some others still need to be investigated in more details (like pH, rates of compression, and decompression, etc.). Selection of process parameters is mainly dependent on type of matrix and target bacteria. This intensive review provides comprehensive information about the variety of aspects that can determine the bacterial inactivation potential of HHP process indicating the fields of future research on this subject including pH shifts of the pressure treated samples and critical limits of compression and decompression rates to accelerate the process efficacy.

Scombroid fish poisoning after eating seared tuna.

PubMed

Codori, Nancy; Marinopoulos, Spyridon

2010-04-01

Food safety is an increasing concern to Americans. Recent recalls of peanuts and pistachios, and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warnings to pregnant women to avoid eating fish have increased government oversight of food processing and handling. Consumers can play an important role in alerting their healthcare providers to food-related illness. Vigilant healthcare providers can notify public health officials to investigate a suspected foodborne illness. The authors present a case of a healthy postdoctoral fellow who developed symptoms of scombroid fish poisoning immediately after consuming a salad containing seared tuna. The successful diagnosis of this case occurred because the patient, physician, city health department and FDA lab collaborated in a coordinated fashion.

A profile of unintentional poisoning caused by household cleaning products, disinfectants and pesticides.

PubMed

Presgrave, Rosaura de Farias; Camacho, Luiz Antônio Bastos; Villas Boas, Maria Helena Simões

2008-12-01

Unintentional poisoning occurred mainly among children. The leading cause of such poisoning in Brazil, among consumer products was household cleaning products. For this study 2810 calls made to two poison control centers in the State of Rio de Janeiro between January 2000 and December 2002 were analyzed. Children under five were the most vulnerable group. More boys under 10 suffered accidental poisoning than girls, although above this age, the distribution was inverted. The calls received by poison control centers were mainly from health services within the first two hours following poisoning. The most frequent exposure routes were ingestion (90.4%), followed by inhalation (4.3%), skin and eye contact (2.4% and 2% respectively). The products involved were bleach, petroleum derivates, rodenticides and pesticides. The main causes were products within the children's reach, storage in soft drink bottles, food mixed with rodenticides, incorrect product use, and kitchen utensils used for measured cleaning products. The most common outcome was that the patient was cured, although a lot of cases were lost to follow-up. Education programs are necessary in order to avoid these poisonings.

Scombroid fish poisoning. Underreporting and prevention among noncommercial recreational fishers.

PubMed Central

Gellert, G A; Ralls, J; Brown, C; Huston, J; Merryman, R

1992-01-01

Food-borne diseases, including those caused by seafood products, are common and greatly underreported sources of morbidity. In this article we review the epidemiology of scombroid fish poisoning and its possible relationship to the noncommercial and recreational catch and sale of fish. More than 20% of all fish sold in the United States is caught by sport fishers, and outbreaks of scombroid fish poisoning have involved improperly handled fish from private catches. We report an outbreak of scombroid fish poisoning among recreational fishers in California. The unregulated sale of recreationally caught fish for consumption and the prevention of scombrotoxism are discussed from the perspectives of public health agencies, clinicians, and the fishing public. Scientific and policy issues that require further attention are high-lighted. PMID:1475947

Scombroid fish poisoning. Underreporting and prevention among noncommercial recreational fishers.

PubMed

Gellert, G A; Ralls, J; Brown, C; Huston, J; Merryman, R

1992-12-01

Food-borne diseases, including those caused by seafood products, are common and greatly underreported sources of morbidity. In this article we review the epidemiology of scombroid fish poisoning and its possible relationship to the noncommercial and recreational catch and sale of fish. More than 20% of all fish sold in the United States is caught by sport fishers, and outbreaks of scombroid fish poisoning have involved improperly handled fish from private catches. We report an outbreak of scombroid fish poisoning among recreational fishers in California. The unregulated sale of recreationally caught fish for consumption and the prevention of scombrotoxism are discussed from the perspectives of public health agencies, clinicians, and the fishing public. Scientific and policy issues that require further attention are high-lighted.

Botulism as a food poisoning: what is it?

PubMed

El-Bahnasawy, Mamdouh M; Aly, Nagwa Zein-El-Abdeen; Abdel-Fattah, Magda Abdel Hameed; Morsy, Tosson A

2014-04-01

Botulism is a rare but potentially life-threatening neuroparalytic syndrome resulting from the action of a neurotoxin elaborated by the microorganism Clostridium botulinum. This disease has a lengthy history; the first investigation of botulism occurred in the 1820s with a case report on hundreds of patients with "sausage poisoning" in a southern German town. Several decades later in Belgium, the association was demonstrated between a neuromuscular paralysis and ham infected by a spore forming bacillus that was isolated from the ham. The organism was named Bacillus botulinus after the Latin word for sausage, botulus.

Using lytic bacteriophages to eliminate or significantly reduce contamination of food by foodborne bacterial pathogens.

PubMed

Sulakvelidze, Alexander

2013-10-01

Bacteriophages (also called 'phages') are viruses that kill bacteria. They are arguably the oldest (3 billion years old, by some estimates) and most ubiquitous (total number estimated to be 10(30) -10(32) ) known organisms on Earth. Phages play a key role in maintaining microbial balance in every ecosystem where bacteria exist, and they are part of the normal microflora of all fresh, unprocessed foods. Interest in various practical applications of bacteriophages has been gaining momentum recently, with perhaps the most attention focused on using them to improve food safety. That approach, called 'phage biocontrol', typically includes three main types of applications: (i) using phages to treat domesticated livestock in order to reduce their intestinal colonization with, and shedding of, specific bacterial pathogens; (ii) treatments for decontaminating inanimate surfaces in food-processing facilities and other food establishments, so that foods processed on those surfaces are not cross-contaminated with the targeted pathogens; and (iii) post-harvest treatments involving direct applications of phages onto the harvested foods. This mini-review primarily focuses on the last type of intervention, which has been gaining the most momentum recently. Indeed, the results of recent studies dealing with improving food safety, and several recent regulatory approvals of various commercial phage preparations developed for post-harvest food safety applications, strongly support the idea that lytic phages may provide a safe, environmentally-friendly, and effective approach for significantly reducing contamination of various foods with foodborne bacterial pathogens. However, some important technical and nontechnical problems may need to be addressed before phage biocontrol protocols can become an integral part of routine food safety intervention strategies implemented by food industries in the USA. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

The power of poison: pesticide poisoning of Africa's wildlife.

PubMed

Ogada, Darcy L

2014-08-01

Poisons have long been used to kill wildlife throughout the world. An evolution has occurred from the use of plant- and animal-based toxins to synthetic pesticides to kill wildlife, a method that is silent, cheap, easy, and effective. The use of pesticides to poison wildlife began in southern Africa, and predator populations were widely targeted and eliminated. A steep increase has recently been observed in the intensity of wildlife poisonings, with corresponding population declines. However, the majority of poisonings go unreported. Under national laws, it is illegal to hunt wildlife using poisons in 83% of African countries. Pesticide regulations are inadequate, and enforcement of existing legislation is poor. Few countries have forensic field protocols, and most lack storage and testing facilities. Methods used to poison wildlife include baiting carcasses, soaking grains in pesticide solution, mixing pesticides to form salt licks, and tainting waterholes. Carbofuran is the most widely abused pesticide in Africa. Common reasons for poisoning are control of damage-causing animals, harvesting fish and bushmeat, harvesting animals for traditional medicine, poaching for wildlife products, and killing wildlife sentinels (e.g., vultures because their aerial circling alerts authorities to poachers' activities). Populations of scavengers, particularly vultures, have been decimated by poisoning. Recommendations include banning pesticides, improving pesticide regulations and controlling distribution, better enforcement and stiffer penalties for offenders, increasing international support and awareness, and developing regional pesticide centers. © 2014 New York Academy of Sciences.

Bacterial and Fungal Counts of Dried and Semi-Dried Foods Collected from Dhaka, Bangladesh, and Their Reduction Methods.

PubMed

Feroz, Farahnaaz; Shimizu, Hiromi; Nishioka, Terumi; Mori, Miho; Sakagami, Yoshikazu

2016-01-01

　Food is a basic necessity for human survival, but it is still the vehicle for the transmission of food borne disease. Various studies have examined the roles of spices, herbs, nuts, and semi-dried fruits, making the need for safe and convenient methods of decontamination a necessity. The current study determined the bacterial and fungal loads of 26 spices and herbs, 5 nuts, 10 semi-dried fruits and 5 other foods. Spices, herbs and semi-dried foods demonstrated the highest bacterial and fungal loads with the majority showing over 10 4 CFU/mL. Nuts and other foods showed growths ranging from 10 2 to 10 6 CFU/mL. The current study also attempted to determine the effects of heat and plasma treatment. The log reduction of bacterial growth after heat treatment (maximum: 120 min for 60℃) was between 0.08 to 4.47, and the log reduction after plasma treatment (maximum: 40 min) ranged from 2.37 to 5.75. Spices showed the lowest rates of reduction, whereas the semi-dried and other foods showed moderate to high levels of decrease after heat treatment. The log reduction of fungal growth after heat treatment ranged from 0.27 to 4.40, and log reduction after plasma treatment ranged from 2.15 to 5.91．Furthermore, we validated the sterilization effect of plasma treatment against Bacillus spp. and Staphylococcus spp. by using scanning electron microscopy. Both treatment methods could prove to be advantageous in the agriculture related fields, enhancing the quality of the foods.

HPLC determination of pheophorbide a and pyropheophorbide a in dried laver product implicated in food poisoning.

PubMed

Hwang, Deng-Fwu; Tsai, Yu-Shia; Chou, Shin-Shoug; Liu, Shiu-Mei; Wu, Jiunn-Tzong; Lin, Shin-Jung; Tu, Wei-Chun

2005-04-01

In an outbreak of food poisoning involving a dried purple laver product (called nori), four persons had allergic-like symptoms such as inflammation and red rash on their face, mouth and belly. The causative nori was extracted and smeared on the arm-skin of five volunteers. Three out of five volunteers had a slight allergic reaction after 5 to 30 min when they were exposed to sunlight. The levels of the chlorophyll derivatives, pheophorbide a and pyropheophorbide a, measured by HPLC were 851-906 and 5,460-5,624 microg/g, respectively, in the causative samples. Judging from the high contents of pyropheophorbide a and pheophorbide a and the symptoms of patients and volunteers, the causative agents were concluded to be the photosensitizers pyropheophorbide a and pheophorbide a.

21 CFR 2.25 - Grain seed treated with poisonous substances; color identification to prevent adulteration of...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

...; color identification to prevent adulteration of human and animal food. 2.25 Section 2.25 Food and Drugs... RULINGS AND DECISIONS Human and Animal Foods § 2.25 Grain seed treated with poisonous substances; color... the natural color of the food seed as to make admixture of treated, denatured seeds with good food...

21 CFR 2.25 - Grain seed treated with poisonous substances; color identification to prevent adulteration of...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

...; color identification to prevent adulteration of human and animal food. 2.25 Section 2.25 Food and Drugs... RULINGS AND DECISIONS Human and Animal Foods § 2.25 Grain seed treated with poisonous substances; color... the natural color of the food seed as to make admixture of treated, denatured seeds with good food...

21 CFR 2.25 - Grain seed treated with poisonous substances; color identification to prevent adulteration of...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

...; color identification to prevent adulteration of human and animal food. 2.25 Section 2.25 Food and Drugs... RULINGS AND DECISIONS Human and Animal Foods § 2.25 Grain seed treated with poisonous substances; color... the natural color of the food seed as to make admixture of treated, denatured seeds with good food...

21 CFR 2.25 - Grain seed treated with poisonous substances; color identification to prevent adulteration of...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

...; color identification to prevent adulteration of human and animal food. 2.25 Section 2.25 Food and Drugs... RULINGS AND DECISIONS Human and Animal Foods § 2.25 Grain seed treated with poisonous substances; color... the natural color of the food seed as to make admixture of treated, denatured seeds with good food...

FATAL HONEY POISONING IN SOUTHWEST CHINA: A CASE SERIES OF 31 CASES.

PubMed

Zhang, Qiang; Chen, Xinguang; Chen, Shunan; Ye, Yinlong; Luo, Jiancheng; Li, Juanjuan; Yu, Siyang; Liu, Hui; Liu, Zhitao

2017-01-01

Honey poisoning cases occur in southwestern China. In this case series, we attempted to determine the symptoms and causes of honey poisoning from 2007 to 2012 in southwestern China. We also conducted a quantitative melissopalynological analysis of honey samples. During the study period, 31 honey poisoning cases occurred in the study location, all during July to August. All the cases occurred after consuming at least 100 grams of honey. The most frequent symptoms were nausea and vomiting (100%), abdominal pain (90.3%), diarrhea (74.2%), palpitations (61.3%), dizziness (54.8%), chest congestion (48.4%) and dyspnea (48.4%). Severe cases developed oliguria/anuria, twitch, hematuria, ecchymosis or hematochezia. The median time from ingestion to onset of symptoms was 29 hours. Eight patients died (mortality rate: 25.8%). The pollen of Tripterygium hypoglaucum (a plant with poisonous nectar and pollen) was detected in 22 of 29 honey samples examined (75.9%). The results of pollen analysis were consistent with the clinical findings of previous cases. T. hypoglaucum appears to be the cause of honey poisoning in southwestern China. Honey poisoning should be included in the differential diagnosis of patients who consume honey in this region and develop symptoms of food poisoning.

Lectin-based food poisoning: a new mechanism of protein toxicity.

PubMed

Miyake, Katsuya; Tanaka, Toru; McNeil, Paul L

2007-08-01

Ingestion of the lectins present in certain improperly cooked vegetables can result in acute GI tract distress, but the mechanism of toxicity is unknown. In vivo, gut epithelial cells are constantly exposed to mechanical and other stresses and consequently individual cells frequently experience plasma membrane disruptions. Repair of these cell surface disruptions allows the wounded cell to survive: failure results in necrotic cell death. Plasma membrane repair is mediated, in part, by an exocytotic event that adds a patch of internal membrane to the defect site. Lectins are known to inhibit exocytosis. We therefore tested the novel hypothesis that lectin toxicity is due to an inhibitory effect on plasma membrane repair. Repair of plasma membrane disruptions and exocytosis of mucus was assessed after treatment of cultured cell models and excised segments of the GI tract with lectins. Plasma membrane disruptions were produced by focal irradiation of individual cells, using a microscope-based laser, or by mechanical abrasion of multiple cells, using a syringe needle. Repair was then assessed by monitoring the cytosolic penetration of dyes incapable of crossing the intact plasma membrane. We found that cell surface-bound lectins potently inhibited plasma membrane repair, and the exocytosis of mucus that normally accompanies the repair response. Lectins potently inhibit plasma membrane repair, and hence are toxic to wounded cells. This represents a novel form of protein-based toxicity, one that, we propose, is the basis of plant lectin food poisoning.

21 CFR 2.25 - Grain seed treated with poisonous substances; color identification to prevent adulteration of...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... the natural color of the food seed as to make admixture of treated, denatured seeds with good food... 21 Food and Drugs 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Grain seed treated with poisonous substances; color identification to prevent adulteration of human and animal food. 2.25 Section 2.25 Food and Drugs...

Food Safety for Warmer Weather

MedlinePlus

... Fight Off Food Poisoning Food Safety for Warmer Weather En español Send us your comments In warm-weather months, who doesn’t love to get outside ... to keep foods safe to eat during warmer weather. If you’re eating or preparing foods outside, ...

Shaving cream poisoning

MedlinePlus

... if known) Time it was swallowed Amount swallowed Poison Control Your local poison center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere ...

Oven cleaner poisoning

MedlinePlus

... if known) Time it was swallowed Amount swallowed Poison Control Your local poison center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere ...

Lighter fluid poisoning

MedlinePlus

... if known) Time it was swallowed Amount swallowed Poison Control Your local poison center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere ...

Lip moisturizer poisoning

MedlinePlus

... poisoning URL of this page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002723.htm Lip moisturizer poisoning To use the sharing features on this page, please enable JavaScript. This poisoning results from eating or swallowing lip ...

Face powder poisoning

MedlinePlus

... poisoning URL of this page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002700.htm Face powder poisoning To use the sharing features on this page, please enable JavaScript. Face powder poisoning occurs when someone swallows or ...

Rhubarb leaves poisoning

MedlinePlus

... poisoning URL of this page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002876.htm Rhubarb leaves poisoning To use the sharing features on this page, please enable JavaScript. Rhubarb leaves poisoning occurs when someone eats pieces ...

Nail polish poisoning

MedlinePlus

... poisoning URL of this page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002722.htm Nail polish poisoning To use the sharing features on this page, please enable JavaScript. This poisoning is from swallowing or breathing in ( ...

Developing a national food defense guideline based on a vulnerability assessment of intentional food contamination in Japanese food factories using the CARVER+Shock vulnerability assessment tool.

PubMed

Kanagawa, Yoshiyuki; Akahane, Manabu; Hasegawa, Atsushi; Yamaguchi, Kentaro; Onitake, Kazuo; Takaya, Satoshi; Yamamoto, Shigeki; Imamura, Tomoaki

2014-12-01

The awareness of food terrorism has increased following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in New York City, United States, and many measures and policies dealing with this issue have been established worldwide. Suspected deliberate food-poisoning crimes have occurred in Japan, although they are not regarded as acts of food terrorism. One area of concern is that the small- to medium-sized companies that dominate Japan's food industry are extremely vulnerable to deliberate food poisoning. We conducted a literature research on food defense measures undertaken by the World Health Organization and in the United States and Europe. Using the Carver+Shock vulnerability assessment tool, eight food factories and related facilities in Japan were evaluated and we found the level of awareness of food defense to be low and the measures inappropriate. On the basis of this evaluation, we developed a set of guidelines that Japanese food companies can use to help develop their food defense strategies and to serve as a reference in considering specific measures.

Poison Control Centers

MedlinePlus

... 1222 immediately. Name State American Association of Poison Control Centers Address AAPCC Central Office NOT A POISON ... not for emergency use. Arkansas ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center Address 1717 S. Philo Road, Suite 36 Urbana, ...

Scombroid poisoning. Case series of 10 incidents involving 22 patients.

PubMed

Müller, G J; Lamprecht, J H; Barnes, J M; De Villiers, R V; Honeth, B R; Hoffman, B A

1992-04-18

Scombroid poisoning is a form of ichthyosarcotoxism caused by the consumption of 'spoiled' fish of the dark meat varieties. It can be considered a mild-to-moderate form of 'food poisoning' and it occurs world-wide. Ten incidents, involving 22 patients, were reported to Tygerberg Hospital Pharmacology and Toxicology Consultation Centre in the first quarter of 1990. Cape yellowtail (Seriola lalandii) was involved in all the cases. The presenting symptoms and signs (in order of frequency) were: skin rash, diarrhoea, palpitations, headache, nausea and abdominal cramps, paraesthesia, an unusual taste sensation and breathing difficulties. The patients responded well to anti-histamines and, in most, the condition resolved within 12-24 hours. Although histamine plays an important role in the pathogenesis of scombroid poisoning, the exact mechanism is still unresolved. The condition should be recognised and not confused with a true seafood allergy. Health workers are urged to alert the authorities when outbreaks of suspected cases of scombroid poisoning are encountered in order to establish the possible cause and to prevent further cases.

Bacterial communities on food court tables and cleaning equipment in a shopping mall.

PubMed

Dingsdag, S; Coleman, N V

2013-08-01

The food court at a shopping mall is a potential transfer point for pathogenic microbes, but to date, this environment has not been the subject of detailed molecular microbiological study. We used a combination of culture-based and culture-independent approaches to investigate the types and numbers of bacteria present on food court tables, and on a food court cleaning cloth. Bacteria were found at 10²-10⁵ c.f.u./m² on food court tables and 10¹⁰ c.f.u./m² on the cleaning cloth. Tag-pyrosequencing of amplified 16S rRNA genes revealed that the dominant bacterial types on the cleaning cloth were genera known to include pathogenic species (Stenotrophomonas, Aeromonas), and that these genera were also evident at lower levels on table surfaces, suggesting possible cross-contamination. The evidence suggests a public health threat is posed by bacteria in the food court, and that this may be due to cross-contamination between cleaning equipment and table surfaces.

Fatal Honey Poisoning Caused by Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F in Southwest China: A Case Series.

PubMed

Zhang, Qiang; Chen, Xinguang; Chen, Shunan; Liu, Zhitao; Wan, Rong; Li, Juanjuan

2016-06-01

Mad honey poisoning has been reported in many countries, and it seldom results in death. We describe a rare case series of fatal honey poisoning caused by Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F (TwHF) in Southwest China. Three male construction workers were delivered to the emergency department with symptoms of food poisoning after ingestion of wild raw honey. Laboratory results showed that the 3 patients were at different degrees of renal damage, and 1 patient with severe symptoms died of acute renal failure 1 day after admission. Pollen analysis indicated that the suspected honey was heavily contaminated with TwHF pollen. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment are crucial for such poisoning. Pollen analysis is a practical approach to help diagnosis in remote areas where such honey poisoning occurs. Copyright © 2016 Wilderness Medical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Bacterial diversity of floor drain biofilms and drain waters in a Listeria monocytogenes contaminated food processing environment.

PubMed

Dzieciol, Monika; Schornsteiner, Elisa; Muhterem-Uyar, Meryem; Stessl, Beatrix; Wagner, Martin; Schmitz-Esser, Stephan

2016-04-16

Sanitation protocols are applied on a daily basis in food processing facilities to prevent the risk of cross-contamination with spoilage organisms. Floor drain water serves along with product-associated samples (slicer dust, brine or cheese smear) as an important hygiene indicator in monitoring Listeria monocytogenes in food processing facilities. Microbial communities of floor drains are representative for each processing area and are influenced to a large degree by food residues, liquid effluents and washing water. The microbial communities of drain water are steadily changing, whereas drain biofilms provide more stable niches. Bacterial communities of four floor drains were characterized using 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing to better understand the composition and exchange of drain water and drain biofilm communities. Furthermore, the L. monocytogenes contamination status of each floor drain was determined by applying cultivation-independent real-time PCR quantification and cultivation-dependent detection according to ISO11290-1. Pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA genes of drain water and drain biofilm bacterial communities yielded 50,611 reads, which were clustered into 641 operational taxonomic units (OTUs), affiliated to 16 phyla dominated by Proteobacteria, Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes. The most abundant OTUs represented either product- (Lactococcus lactis) or fermentation- and food spoilage-associated phylotypes (Pseudomonas mucidolens, Pseudomonas fragi, Leuconostoc citreum, and Acetobacter tropicalis). The microbial communities in DW and DB samples were distinct in each sample type and throughout the whole processing plant, indicating the presence of indigenous specific microbial communities in each processing compartment. The microbiota of drain biofilms was largely different from the microbiota of the drain water. A sampling approach based on drain water alone may thus only provide reliable information on planktonic bacterial cells but might not allow conclusions

Intentional and unintentional poisoning in Pakistan: a pilot study using the Emergency Departments surveillance project.

PubMed

Khan, Nadeem; Pérez-Núñez, Ricardo; Shamim, Nudrat; Khan, Uzma; Naseer, Naureen; Feroze, Asher; Razzak, Junaid; Hyder, Adnan A

2015-01-01

Acute poisoning is one of the most common reasons for emergency department visits around the world. In Pakistan, the epidemiological data on poisoning is limited due to an under developed poison information surveillance system. We aim to describe the characteristics associated with intentional and unintentional poisoning in Pakistan presenting to emergency departments. The data was extracted from the Pakistan National Emergency Department Surveillance (Pak-NEDS) which was an active surveillance conducted between November 2010 and March 2011. All patients, regardless of age, who presented with poisoning to any of Pakistan's seven major tertiary care centers' emergency departments, were included. Information about patient demographics, type of poisoning agent, reason for poisoning and outcomes were collected using a standard questionnaire. Acute poisoning contributed to 1.2% (n = 233) of patients with intentional and unintentional injuries presenting to EDs of participating centers. Of these, 68% were male, 54% were aged 19 to 44 and 19% were children and adolescents (<18 years). Types of poisoning included chemical/gas (43.8%), drug/medicine (27%), alcohol (16.7%) and food/plant (6%). In half of all patients the poisoning was intentional. A total of 11.6% of the patients were admitted and 6.6% died. Poisoning causes more morbidity and mortality in young adults in Pakistan compared to other age groups, half of which is intentional. Improving mental health, regulatory control for hazardous chemicals and better access to care through poison information centers and emergency departments will potentially help control the problem.

Starch poisoning

MedlinePlus

Cooking starch poisoning; Laundry starch poisoning ... Cooking and laundry starch are both made from vegetable products, most commonly: Corn Potatoes Rice Wheat Both are usually considered nonpoisonous (nontoxic), but ...

Critical evaluation of post-consumption food waste composting employing thermophilic bacterial consortium.

PubMed

Awasthi, Mukesh Kumar; Selvam, Ammaiyappan; Lai, Ka Man; Wong, Jonathan W C

2017-12-01

Effect of single-function (oil degrading) and multi-functional bacterial consortium with zeolite as additive for post-consumption food waste (PCFW) composting was investigated through assessing the oil content reduction in a computer controlled 20-L composter. Three treatments of PCFWs combined with 10% zeolite were developed: Treatment-2 and Treatment-3 were inoculated with multi-functional (BC-1) and oil degrading bacterial consortium (BC-2), respectively, while T-1 was without bacterial inoculation and served as control. Results revealed that BC-2 inoculated treatment (T-3) was superior to control treatment and marginally better than T-2 in terms of oil degradation. The reduction of oil content was >97.8% in T-3 and 92.27% in T-2, while total organic matter degradation was marginally higher in T-2 (42.95%) than T-3 (41.67%). Other parameters of compost maturity including germination test indicated that T-2 was marginally better than T-3 and significantly enhanced the oily PCFW decomposition and shortened the composting period by 20days. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Aconitum Alkaloid Poisoning Related to the Culinary Uses of Aconite Roots

PubMed Central

Chan, Thomas Y. K.

2014-01-01

Aconite roots (roots or root tubers of the Aconitum species) are eaten as root vegetables and used to prepare herbal soups and meals, mainly for their purported health benefits. Aconite roots contain aconitine and other Aconitum alkaloids, which are well known cardiotoxins and neurotoxins. To better understand why Aconitum alkaloid poisoning related to the culinary uses of aconite roots can occur and characterize the risks posed by these “food supplements”, relevant published reports were reviewed. From 1995 to 2013, there were eight reports of aconite poisoning after consumption of these herbal soups and meals, including two reports of large clusters of cases (n = 19–45) and two reports of cases (n = 15–156) managed by two hospitals over a period of 4.5 to 5 years. The herbal formulae used did not adhere to the suggested guidelines, with regarding to the doses (50–500 g instead of 3–30 g per person) and types (raw instead of processed) of aconite roots used. The quantities of Aconitum alkaloids involved were huge, taking into consideration the doses of aconite roots used to prepare herbal soups/meals and the amounts of aconite roots and herbal soups/meals consumed. In a large cluster of cases, despite simmering raw “caowu” (the root tuber of A. kusnezoffii) in pork broth for 24 h, all 19 family members who consumed this soup and boiled “caowu” developed poisoning. Severe or even fatal aconite poisoning can occur after consumption of herbal soups and foods prepared from aconite roots. Even prolonged boiling may not be protective if raw preparations and large quantities of aconite roots are used. The public should be warned of the risk of severe poisoning related to the culinary and traditional medicinal uses of aconite roots. PMID:25184557

Aconitum alkaloid poisoning related to the culinary uses of aconite roots.

PubMed

Chan, Thomas Y K

2014-09-02

Aconite roots (roots or root tubers of the Aconitum species) are eaten as root vegetables and used to prepare herbal soups and meals, mainly for their purported health benefits. Aconite roots contain aconitine and other Aconitum alkaloids, which are well known cardiotoxins and neurotoxins. To better understand why Aconitum alkaloid poisoning related to the culinary uses of aconite roots can occur and characterize the risks posed by these "food supplements", relevant published reports were reviewed. From 1995 to 2013, there were eight reports of aconite poisoning after consumption of these herbal soups and meals, including two reports of large clusters of cases (n = 19-45) and two reports of cases (n = 15-156) managed by two hospitals over a period of 4.5 to 5 years. The herbal formulae used did not adhere to the suggested guidelines, with regarding to the doses (50-500 g instead of 3-30 g per person) and types (raw instead of processed) of aconite roots used. The quantities of Aconitum alkaloids involved were huge, taking into consideration the doses of aconite roots used to prepare herbal soups/meals and the amounts of aconite roots and herbal soups/meals consumed. In a large cluster of cases, despite simmering raw "caowu" (the root tuber of A. kusnezoffii) in pork broth for 24 h, all 19 family members who consumed this soup and boiled "caowu" developed poisoning. Severe or even fatal aconite poisoning can occur after consumption of herbal soups and foods prepared from aconite roots. Even prolonged boiling may not be protective if raw preparations and large quantities of aconite roots are used. The public should be warned of the risk of severe poisoning related to the culinary and traditional medicinal uses of aconite roots.

Outbreak of food-poisoning caused by Salmonella virchow in spit-roasted chicken.

PubMed

Semple, A B; Turner, G C; Lowry, D M

1968-12-28

Salmonella virchow food-poisoning acquired from eating chicken caused illness in at least 50 people who attended a tennis club function in Liverpool, and in many other people in the Merseyside area. In some cases the illness was severe, with positive blood cultures, and 35 people were admitted to hospital.The source of infection was a retail shop which received deep-frozen chickens already contaminated with S. virchow from a packing-station in Cheshire. These chickens were spit-roasted after inadequate thawing and subsequently handled under unhygienic conditions. The result was a massive build-up of salmonella contamination in the shop and in the chicken portions sold.S. virchow was isolated from over 160 patients and contacts in the Merseyside area during the outbreak and many continued to excrete the organism in the faeces after four months. Antibiotic treatment was not recomended because there was no evidence that it shortened the duration of excretion.A high rate of contamination of chickens from a packing-station by a salmonella type capable of causing serious disease in man is clearly a public health problem which cannot be ignored.The use of rotary spits for roasting chickens requires thorough investigation and appraisal, because as operated at present they evidently constitute a public health hazard.

Outbreak of Food-poisoning Caused by Salmonella Virchow in Spit-roasted Chicken

PubMed Central

Semple, A. B.; Turner, G. C.; Lowry, D. M. O.

1968-01-01

Salmonella virchow food-poisoning acquired from eating chicken caused illness in at least 50 people who attended a tennis club function in Liverpool, and in many other people in the Merseyside area. In some cases the illness was severe, with positive blood cultures, and 35 people were admitted to hospital. The source of infection was a retail shop which received deep-frozen chickens already contaminated with S. virchow from a packing-station in Cheshire. These chickens were spit-roasted after inadequate thawing and subsequently handled under unhygienic conditions. The result was a massive build-up of salmonella contamination in the shop and in the chicken portions sold. S. virchow was isolated from over 160 patients and contacts in the Merseyside area during the outbreak and many continued to excrete the organism in the faeces after four months. Antibiotic treatment was not recomended because there was no evidence that it shortened the duration of excretion. A high rate of contamination of chickens from a packing-station by a salmonella type capable of causing serious disease in man is clearly a public health problem which cannot be ignored. The use of rotary spits for roasting chickens requires thorough investigation and appraisal, because as operated at present they evidently constitute a public health hazard. PMID:5750404

Protecting Yourself from Poisonous Plants

MedlinePlus

... NIOSH NIOSH Fast Facts: Protecting Yourself from Poisonous Plants Language: English (US) Español (Spanish) Kreyol Haitien (Hatian ... outdoors is at risk of exposure to poisonous plants, such as poison ivy, poison oak, and poison ...

Can poison control data be used for pharmaceutical poisoning surveillance?

PubMed

Naun, Christopher A; Olsen, Cody S; Dean, J Michael; Olson, Lenora M; Cook, Lawrence J; Keenan, Heather T

2011-05-01

To determine the association between the frequencies of pharmaceutical exposures reported to a poison control center (PCC) and those seen in the emergency department (ED). A statewide population-based retrospective comparison of frequencies of ED pharmaceutical poisonings with frequencies of pharmaceutical exposures reported to a regional PCC. ED poisonings, identified by International Classification of Diseases, Version 9 (ICD-9) codes, were grouped into substance categories. Using a reproducible algorithm facilitated by probabilistic linkage, codes from the PCC classification system were mapped into the same categories. A readily identifiable subset of PCC calls was selected for comparison. Correlations between frequencies of quarterly exposures by substance categories were calculated using Pearson correlation coefficients and partial correlation coefficients with adjustment for seasonality. PCC reported exposures correlated with ED poisonings in nine of 10 categories. Partial correlation coefficients (r(p)) indicated strong associations (r(p)>0.8) for three substance categories that underwent large changes in their incidences (opiates, benzodiazepines, and muscle relaxants). Six substance categories were moderately correlated (r(p)>0.6). One category, salicylates, showed no association. Limitations Imperfect overlap between ICD-9 and PCC codes may have led to miscategorization. Substances without changes in exposure frequency have inadequate variability to detect association using this method. PCC data are able to effectively identify trends in poisonings seen in EDs and may be useful as part of a pharmaceutical poisoning surveillance system. The authors developed an algorithm-driven technique for mapping American Association of Poison Control Centers codes to ICD-9 codes and identified a useful subset of poison control exposures for analysis.

Ethanol poisoning

MedlinePlus

... this page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002644.htm Ethanol poisoning To use the sharing features on this page, please enable JavaScript. Ethanol poisoning is caused by drinking too much alcohol. ...

When ice cream was poisonous: adulteration, ptomaines, and bacteriology in the United States, 1850-1910.

PubMed

Geist, Edward

2012-01-01

With the increasing popularity of ice cream in the nineteenth century, the incidence of foodborne illness attributed to this dessert exploded. Struggling to understand the causes of the mysterious and sometimes lethal ailment called "ice cream poisoning," Victorian doctors and scientists advanced theories including toxic vanilla, galvanism in ice cream freezers, and extreme indigestion. In the late 1880s Victor C. Vaughan's argument that ice cream poisoning could be attributed to the ptomaine "tyrotoxicon" received widespread acceptance. To date historians have neglected the role played by the ptomaine theory of food poisoning in shaping the evolution of both scientific thinking and public health in the late nineteenth century. The case of ice cream poisoning illustrates the emergence, impact, and decline of the ptomaine idea.

Paradichlorobenzene poisoning

MedlinePlus

... poisoning URL of this page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002902.htm Paradichlorobenzene poisoning To use the sharing features on this page, please enable JavaScript. Paradichlorobenzene is a white, solid chemical with a ...

Yew poisoning

MedlinePlus

... poisoning URL of this page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002877.htm Yew poisoning To use the sharing features on this page, please enable JavaScript. The yew plant is a shrub with evergreen- ...

Using Poison Center Exposure Calls to Predict Methadone Poisoning Deaths

PubMed Central

Dasgupta, Nabarun; Davis, Jonathan; Jonsson Funk, Michele; Dart, Richard

2012-01-01

Purpose There are more drug overdose deaths in the Untied States than motor vehicle fatalities. Yet the US vital statistics reporting system is of limited value because the data are delayed by four years. Poison centers report data within an hour of the event, but previous studies suggested a small proportion of poisoning deaths are reported to poison centers (PC). In an era of improved electronic surveillance capabilities, exposure calls to PCs may be an alternate indicator of trends in overdose mortality. Methods We used PC call counts for methadone that were reported to the Researched Abuse, Diversion and Addiction-Related Surveillance (RADARS®) System in 2006 and 2007. US death certificate data were used to identify deaths due to methadone. Linear regression was used to quantify the relationship of deaths and poison center calls. Results Compared to decedents, poison center callers tended to be younger, more often female, at home and less likely to require medical attention. A strong association was found with PC calls and methadone mortality (b = 0.88, se = 0.42, t = 9.5, df = 1, p<0.0001, R2 = 0.77). These findings were robust to large changes in a sensitivity analysis assessing the impact of underreporting of methadone overdose deaths. Conclusions Our results suggest that calls to poison centers for methadone are correlated with poisoning mortality as identified on death certificates. Calls received by poison centers may be used for timely surveillance of mortality due to methadone. In the midst of the prescription opioid overdose epidemic, electronic surveillance tools that report in real-time are powerful public health tools. PMID:22829925

Poison Ivy

MedlinePlus

... leaves of the plants. Look Out for Poison Plants These plants can be anywhere — from the woods ... pill or liquid form. Preventing Rashes From Poison Plants The best approach is to avoid getting the ...

Poisonous Plants

MedlinePlus

... Publications and Products Programs Contact NIOSH NIOSH POISONOUS PLANTS Recommend on Facebook Tweet Share Compartir Photo courtesy ... U.S. Department of Agriculture Many native and exotic plants are poisonous to humans when ingested or if ...

New Weapons to Fight Old Enemies: Novel Strategies for the (Bio)control of Bacterial Biofilms in the Food Industry.

PubMed

Coughlan, Laura M; Cotter, Paul D; Hill, Colin; Alvarez-Ordóñez, Avelino

2016-01-01

Biofilms are microbial communities characterized by their adhesion to solid surfaces and the production of a matrix of exopolymeric substances, consisting of polysaccharides, proteins, DNA and lipids, which surround the microorganisms lending structural integrity and a unique biochemical profile to the biofilm. Biofilm formation enhances the ability of the producer/s to persist in a given environment. Pathogenic and spoilage bacterial species capable of forming biofilms are a significant problem for the healthcare and food industries, as their biofilm-forming ability protects them from common cleaning processes and allows them to remain in the environment post-sanitation. In the food industry, persistent bacteria colonize the inside of mixing tanks, vats and tubing, compromising food safety and quality. Strategies to overcome bacterial persistence through inhibition of biofilm formation or removal of mature biofilms are therefore necessary. Current biofilm control strategies employed in the food industry (cleaning and disinfection, material selection and surface preconditioning, plasma treatment, ultrasonication, etc.), although effective to a certain point, fall short of biofilm control. Efforts have been explored, mainly with a view to their application in pharmaceutical and healthcare settings, which focus on targeting molecular determinants regulating biofilm formation. Their application to the food industry would greatly aid efforts to eradicate undesirable bacteria from food processing environments and, ultimately, from food products. These approaches, in contrast to bactericidal approaches, exert less selective pressure which in turn would reduce the likelihood of resistance development. A particularly interesting strategy targets quorum sensing systems, which regulate gene expression in response to fluctuations in cell-population density governing essential cellular processes including biofilm formation. This review article discusses the problems associated

New Weapons to Fight Old Enemies: Novel Strategies for the (Bio)control of Bacterial Biofilms in the Food Industry

PubMed Central

Coughlan, Laura M.; Cotter, Paul D.; Hill, Colin; Alvarez-Ordóñez, Avelino

2016-01-01

Biofilms are microbial communities characterized by their adhesion to solid surfaces and the production of a matrix of exopolymeric substances, consisting of polysaccharides, proteins, DNA and lipids, which surround the microorganisms lending structural integrity and a unique biochemical profile to the biofilm. Biofilm formation enhances the ability of the producer/s to persist in a given environment. Pathogenic and spoilage bacterial species capable of forming biofilms are a significant problem for the healthcare and food industries, as their biofilm-forming ability protects them from common cleaning processes and allows them to remain in the environment post-sanitation. In the food industry, persistent bacteria colonize the inside of mixing tanks, vats and tubing, compromising food safety and quality. Strategies to overcome bacterial persistence through inhibition of biofilm formation or removal of mature biofilms are therefore necessary. Current biofilm control strategies employed in the food industry (cleaning and disinfection, material selection and surface preconditioning, plasma treatment, ultrasonication, etc.), although effective to a certain point, fall short of biofilm control. Efforts have been explored, mainly with a view to their application in pharmaceutical and healthcare settings, which focus on targeting molecular determinants regulating biofilm formation. Their application to the food industry would greatly aid efforts to eradicate undesirable bacteria from food processing environments and, ultimately, from food products. These approaches, in contrast to bactericidal approaches, exert less selective pressure which in turn would reduce the likelihood of resistance development. A particularly interesting strategy targets quorum sensing systems, which regulate gene expression in response to fluctuations in cell-population density governing essential cellular processes including biofilm formation. This review article discusses the problems associated

Intentional and unintentional poisoning in Pakistan: a pilot study using the Emergency Departments surveillance project

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Background Acute poisoning is one of the most common reasons for emergency department visits around the world. In Pakistan, the epidemiological data on poisoning is limited due to an under developed poison information surveillance system. We aim to describe the characteristics associated with intentional and unintentional poisoning in Pakistan presenting to emergency departments. Methods The data was extracted from the Pakistan National Emergency Department Surveillance (Pak-NEDS) which was an active surveillance conducted between November 2010 and March 2011. All patients, regardless of age, who presented with poisoning to any of Pakistan's seven major tertiary care centers' emergency departments, were included. Information about patient demographics, type of poisoning agent, reason for poisoning and outcomes were collected using a standard questionnaire. Results Acute poisoning contributed to 1.2% (n = 233) of patients with intentional and unintentional injuries presenting to EDs of participating centers. Of these, 68% were male, 54% were aged 19 to 44 and 19% were children and adolescents (<18 years). Types of poisoning included chemical/gas (43.8%), drug/medicine (27%), alcohol (16.7%) and food/plant (6%). In half of all patients the poisoning was intentional. A total of 11.6% of the patients were admitted and 6.6% died. Conclusion Poisoning causes more morbidity and mortality in young adults in Pakistan compared to other age groups, half of which is intentional. Improving mental health, regulatory control for hazardous chemicals and better access to care through poison information centers and emergency departments will potentially help control the problem. PMID:26691609

Foxglove poisoning

MedlinePlus

Foxglove poisoning most often occurs from sucking the flowers or eating the seeds, stems, or leaves of ... The poisonous substances are found in: Flowers, leaves, stems, and seeds of the foxglove plant Heart medicine (digitalis glycoside)

Cologne poisoning

MedlinePlus

... Winchester's Clinical Management of Poisoning and Drug Overdose . 4th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2007:chap 100. ... Winchester's Clinical Management of Poisoning and Drug Overdose . 4th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2007:chap 32. ...

Features of ciguatera fish poisoning cases in Hong Kong 2004-2007.

PubMed

Wong, Chun-Kwan; Hung, Patricia; Lee, Kellie L H; Mok, Tina; Chung, Thomas; Kam, Kai-Man

2008-12-01

To review the clinical features and laboratory investigations of ciguatera patients in Hong Kong between 2004 and 2007 in order to show the timely sampling of implicated fish from ciguatera victims and application of validated mouse bioassay for confirming suspected clinical cases of ciguatera. Diagnosis of the ciguatera victims was based on history of coral fish consumption and clinical presentations stated in official guidelines for clinical diagnosis of ciguatera fish poisoning in Hong Kong. Food remnants of coral fish samples were collected swiftly from ciguatera victims between 2004 and 2007 for ciguatoxins (CTXs) analysis. Major clinical symptoms in ciguatera patients included gastrointestinal and neurological effects including limb numbness and diarrhoea, which developed at 0.5 to 15 hours after consumption of fish. In most cases, neurological symptoms were more common than gastrointestinal symptoms. A broad range of attack rate (10%-100%) was observed in each ciguatera outbreak. Validated mouse bioassay on ether extracts of the food remnant samples confirmed that all were CTXs-positive (<0.5 - 4.3 MU/20 mg ether extract) and directly linked to the corresponding ciguatera cases. Consistency between clinical and laboratory analysis for ciguatera poisoning illustrates the application of laboratory mouse bioassay in a timely fashion for confirming ciguatera poisoning cases and implementing effective public health measures. With further improvement in laboratory techniques, features of ciguatera fish poisoning cases can be better defined. Further studies are needed to determine the risk of each class of CTXs (Pacific-, Indian- and Caribbean-CTXs) in Hong Kong.

Microbiological standards and handling codes for chilled and frozen foods. A review.

PubMed

ELLIOTT, R P; MICHENER, H D

1961-09-01

The usefulness of microbiological standards for frozen foods is now a controversy in the trade and scientific literature. Most reviewers have given arguments both for and against, and have concluded that they should be applied with great caution. Such standards have the advantage of putting questions of safety on a convenient numerical basis. Canadian workers have reported that promulgation of standards has invariably raised the hygienic level of the products controlled. Bacteriological standards have often been associated with the question of safety to the consumer. Everyone recognizes that food poisoning bacteria are a potential danger in any food. But many have argued that the history of food poisoning outbreaks from frozen foods is excellent and that there is no need for standards; on the other hand, proponents of standards have pointed to the incomplete investigation and reporting of outbreaks, and have argued that there may be more outbreaks than we realize. They have pointed to laboratory studies that have shown grossly mishandled precooked frozen foods to be truly dangerous. Some have proposed that pathogens should be absent from foods; but others have questioned that a microbiological standard can accomplish this end. Some pathogens, such as Salmonella or Staphylococcus have been shown to be so ubiquitous that their presence in some commercial foods is unavoidable. Also, sampling and analytical methods have been described as inadequate to guarantee that pathogens present will be detected. Some have argued that control at the source is a better way-through inspections of the plant operation, by enforcement of handling codes, or by processing procedures such as pasteurization, which would be more certain to result in a pathogen-free food.A most important part of any of the proposed standards is a "total count" of viable aerobic bacteria. English workers have found that foods causing poisoning outbreaks usually had total viable counts above 10 million per

Lithium Poisoning.

PubMed

Baird-Gunning, Jonathan; Lea-Henry, Tom; Hoegberg, Lotte C G; Gosselin, Sophie; Roberts, Darren M

2017-05-01

Lithium is a commonly prescribed treatment for bipolar affective disorder. However, treatment is complicated by lithium's narrow therapeutic index and the influence of kidney function, both of which increase the risk of toxicity. Therefore, careful attention to dosing, monitoring, and titration is required. The cause of lithium poisoning influences treatment and 3 patterns are described: acute, acute-on-chronic, and chronic. Chronic poisoning is the most common etiology, is usually unintentional, and results from lithium intake exceeding elimination. This is most commonly due to impaired kidney function caused by volume depletion from lithium-induced nephrogenic diabetes insipidus or intercurrent illnesses and is also drug-induced. Lithium poisoning can affect multiple organs; however, the primary site of toxicity is the central nervous system and clinical manifestations vary from asymptomatic supratherapeutic drug concentrations to clinical toxicity such as confusion, ataxia, or seizures. Lithium poisoning has a low mortality rate; however, chronic lithium poisoning can require a prolonged hospital length of stay from impaired mobility and cognition and associated nosocomial complications. Persistent neurological deficits, in particular cerebellar, are described and the incidence and risk factors for its development are poorly understood, but it appears to be uncommon in uncomplicated acute poisoning. Lithium is readily dialyzable, and rationale support extracorporeal treatments to reduce the risk or the duration of toxicity in high-risk exposures. There is disagreement in the literature regarding factors that define patients most likely to benefit from treatments that enhance lithium elimination, including specific plasma lithium concentration thresholds. In the case of extracorporeal treatments, there are observational data in its favor, without evidence from randomized controlled trials (none have been performed), which may lead to conservative practices and

Oral hyposensitization to poison ivy and poison oak.

PubMed

Marks, J G; Trautlein, J J; Epstein, W L; Laws, D M; Sicard, G R

1987-04-01

We evaluated the safety and efficacy of a 1:1 mixture of pentadecylcatechol (PDC) and heptadecylcatechol (HDC) diacetate in reducing hypersensitivity to poison ivy and poison oak. The study was double-blind, parallel, randomized, and placebo controlled. The 44 subjects receiving the active drug ingested a cumulative dose of 306.5 mg over a five-week period. Subsequently, 14 patients were continued on a maintenance phase, ingesting an additional 960 mg of drug. The PDC-HDC diacetate was well tolerated, with no significant side effects. Evaluation of efficacy compared poststudy and prestudy reactions to patch tests using urushiol in doses of 0.025, 0.05, 0.125, 0.25, and 0.5 micrograms applied to the forearm. The results indicated that the induction phase as well as the maintenance phase did not induce a statistically significant hyposensitivity to urushiol, and we were thus unable to decrease sensitivity to poison ivy and poison oak in humans using orally ingested PDC-HDC diacetate.

Foodborne Illness-Causing Organisms in the U.S.: What You Need to Know

MedlinePlus

... 48 million cases of foodborne illness annually–the equivalent of sickening 1 in 6 Americans each year. ... Noroviruses Variously called viral gastroenteritis, winter diarrhea, acute non- bacterial gastroenteritis, food poisoning, and food infection 12- ...

[Development and application of poison databank and poisonous animal and plants sample databank].

PubMed

Yin, Yu; Jiang, Shao-Feng; Cai, Jun; Luo, Tao; Xie, Li-Jing; Zhou, Jing; Sun, Cheng-Ye

2008-03-01

To establish a comprehensive,easily approached, operated, and searched internet poison databank as to providing professional poison data and knowledge of effective treatment for those consented such as medical staff, and emergency response team in the shortest time. We established a computer poison databank, by adopting B/S structure, using SQL Server databank, and explore technology, in which all information may easily be explored and obtained by users. The database integrated the information in relating to the substances identifiers, physical and chemical properties, toxicology data, clinical manifestation while intoxication, emergency response guides, effective treatment, anything related to the special antidotes, preventive measures, poison analysis, and manufacturers of chemicals, pharmaceuticals, herbs, pesticides, animal, plant, bacteria, fungi, productions and toxins. Otherwise some information about poison control organizations and experts, literatures about poison case reports, poison incidents, were also involved in the system, which can also provide a shortcut, convenient, and exact search. The databank might be easily used on several fields, providing important information with acute poison incidents disposal and clinic treatment.

Ricin poisoning: a comprehensive review.

PubMed

Audi, Jennifer; Belson, Martin; Patel, Manish; Schier, Joshua; Osterloh, John

2005-11-09

The recent discoveries of ricin, a deadly biologic toxin, at a South Carolina postal facility, a White House mail facility, and a US senator's office has raised concerns among public health officials, physicians, and citizens. Ricin is one of the most potent and lethal substances known, particularly when inhaled. The ease with which the native plant (Ricinus communis) can be obtained and the toxin extracted makes ricin an attractive weapon. To summarize the literature on ricin poisoning and provide recommendations based on our best professional judgment for clinicians and public health officials that are faced with deliberate release of ricin into the environment. LITERATURE ACQUISITION: Using PubMed, we searched MEDLINE and OLDMEDLINE databases (January 1950-August 2005). The Chemical and Biological Information Analysis Center database was searched for historical and military literature related to ricin toxicity. Book chapters, unpublished reports, monographs, relevant news reports, and Web material were also reviewed to find nonindexed articles. Most literature on ricin poisoning involves castor bean ingestion and experimental animal research. Aerosol release of ricin into the environment or adulteration of food and beverages are pathways to exposure likely to be exploited. Symptoms after ingestion (onset within 12 hours) are nonspecific and may include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain and may progress to hypotension, liver failure, renal dysfunction, and death due to multiorgan failure or cardiovascular collapse. Inhalation (onset of symptoms is likely within 8 hours) of ricin is expected to produce cough, dyspnea, arthralgias, and fever and may progress to respiratory distress and death, with few other organ system manifestations. Biological analytic methods for detecting ricin exposure are undergoing investigation and may soon be available through reference laboratories. Testing of environmental samples is available through federal reference

Transmission of Bacterial Zoonotic Pathogens between Pets and Humans: The Role of Pet Food.

PubMed

Lambertini, Elisabetta; Buchanan, Robert L; Narrod, Clare; Pradhan, Abani K

2016-01-01

Recent Salmonella outbreaks associated with dry pet food and treats raised the level of concern for these products as vehicle of pathogen exposure for both pets and their owners. The need to characterize the microbiological and risk profiles of this class of products is currently not supported by sufficient specific data. This systematic review summarizes existing data on the main variables needed to support an ingredients-to-consumer quantitative risk model to (1) describe the microbial ecology of bacterial pathogens in the dry pet food production chain, (2) estimate pet exposure to pathogens through dry food consumption, and (3) assess human exposure and illness incidence due to contact with pet food and pets in the household. Risk models populated with the data here summarized will provide a tool to quantitatively address the emerging public health concerns associated with pet food and the effectiveness of mitigation measures. Results of such models can provide a basis for improvements in production processes, risk communication to consumers, and regulatory action.

Non-Traditional Vectors for Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning

PubMed Central

Deeds, Jonathan R.; Landsberg, Jan H.; Etheridge, Stacey M.; Pitcher, Grant C.; Longan, Sara Watt

2008-01-01

Paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP), due to saxitoxin and related compounds, typically results from the consumption of filter-feeding molluscan shellfish that concentrate toxins from marine dinoflagellates. In addition to these microalgal sources, saxitoxin and related compounds, referred to in this review as STXs, are also produced in freshwater cyanobacteria and have been associated with calcareous red macroalgae. STXs are transferred and bioaccumulate throughout aquatic food webs, and can be vectored to terrestrial biota, including humans. Fisheries closures and human intoxications due to STXs have been documented in several non-traditional (i.e. non-filter-feeding) vectors. These include, but are not limited to, marine gastropods, both carnivorous and grazing, crustacea, and fish that acquire STXs through toxin transfer. Often due to spatial, temporal, or a species disconnection from the primary source of STXs (bloom forming dinoflagellates), monitoring and management of such non-traditional PSP vectors has been challenging. A brief literature review is provided for filter feeding (traditional) and non-filter feeding (non-traditional) vectors of STXs with specific reference to human effects. We include several case studies pertaining to management actions to prevent PSP, as well as food poisoning incidents from STX(s) accumulation in non-traditional PSP vectors. PMID:18728730

Prevention of poison ivy and poison oak allergic contact dermatitis by quaternium-18 bentonite.

PubMed

Marks, J G; Fowler, J F; Sheretz, E F; Rietschel, R L

1995-08-01

Poison ivy and poison oak are the most common causes of allergic contact dermatitis in North America. We investigated whether a new topical lotion containing 5% quaternium-18 bentonite prevents experimentally induced poison ivy and poison oak allergic contact dermatitis. A single-blind, paired comparison, randomized, multicenter investigation was used to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of quaternium-18 bentonite lotion in preventing experimentally induced poison ivy and poison oak allergic contact dermatitis in susceptible volunteers. One hour before both forearms were patch tested with urushiol, the allergenic resin from poison ivy and poison oak, 5% quaternium-18 bentonite lotion was applied on one forearm. The test patches were removed after 4 hours and the sites interpreted for reaction 2, 5, and 8 days later. The difference in reactions between treated and untreated patch test sites was statistically analyzed. Two hundred eleven subjects with a history of allergic contact dermatitis to poison ivy and poison oak were studied. One hundred forty-four subjects had positive reactions to urushiol. The test sites pretreated with quaternium-18 bentonite lotion had absent or significantly reduced reactions to the urushiol compared with untreated control sites (p < 0.0001) on all test days. When it occurred, the reaction consistently appeared later on treated than on control sites (p < 0.0001). One occurrence of mild, transient erythema at the application site was the only side effect from the quaternium-18 bentonite lotion. Quaternium-18 bentonite lotion was effective in preventing or diminishing experimentally produced poison ivy and poison oak allergic contact dermatitis.

Lead poison prevention: a comparative review of brochures.

PubMed

Endres, Jeannette; Montgomery, Joe; Welch, Patricia

2002-01-01

Although eliminating lead from the environment is the most effective way to prevent lead poisoning, outreach and education also must be addressed. This study reports a consensus summary of lead-poisoning prevention topics and reading levels derived from state brochures. This information may be useful in the evaluation and design of future lead prevention brochures. A point system was used to assess the readability and topic content of 20 brochures from 11 states. Only half of the brochures were written at the targeted grade level. Frequently covered topics were wash hands and face, provide foods that contain good sources of key nutrients, and use damp cleaning methods when dusting and mopping. The findings about topics and reading levels can be used throughout the development of lead-hazard prevention brochures.

Possible association between celiac disease and bacterial transglutaminase in food processing: a hypothesis

PubMed Central

Matthias, Torsten

2015-01-01

The incidence of celiac disease is increasing worldwide, and human tissue transglutaminase has long been considered the autoantigen of celiac disease. Concomitantly, the food industry has introduced ingredients such as microbial transglutaminase, which acts as a food glue, thereby revolutionizing food qualities. Several observations have led to the hypothesis that microbial transglutaminase is a new environmental enhancer of celiac disease. First, microbial transglutaminase deamidates/transamidates glutens such as the endogenous human tissue transglutaminase. It is capable of crosslinking proteins and other macromolecules, thereby changing their antigenicity and resulting in an increased antigenic load presented to the immune system. Second, it increases the stability of protein against proteinases, thus diminishing foreign protein elimination. Infections and the crosslinked nutritional constituent gluten and microbial transglutaminase increase the permeability of the intestine, where microbial transglutaminases are necessary for bacterial survival. The resulting intestinal leakage allows more immunogenic foreign molecules to induce celiac disease. The increased use of microbial transglutaminase in food processing may promote celiac pathogenesis ex vivo, where deamidation/transamidation starts, possibly explaining the surge in incidence of celiac disease. If future research substantiates this hypothesis, the findings will affect food product labeling, food additive policies of the food industry, and consumer health education. PMID:26084478

Cold wave lotion poisoning

MedlinePlus

... if known) Time it was swallowed Amount swallowed Poison Control Your local poison center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere ...

A review of insecticide poisonings among domestic livestock in southern Ontario, Canada, 1982-1989

PubMed Central

Frank, Richard; Braun, Heinz E.; Wilkie, Ian; Ewing, Ronald

1991-01-01

From 1982 to 1989, inclusive, 20 poisonings were investigated by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food following ingestion by domestic livestock of granular insecticides including terbufos (13 poisonings), disulfoton (two poisonings), fonofos (two poisonings), phorate (two poisonings), and carbofuran (one poisoning); all are used for rootworm (Diabrotica spp.) control in corn. A further three poisonings of livestock occurred following the ingestion of the foliar insecticide, endosulfan (two poisonings), and the seed protectant insecticides diazinon plus lindane (one poisoning). There were six poisoning cases as a result of excessive topical applications of the three insecticides coumpahos, fenthion, and lindane as dusts or sprays to control external parasites. Together, these events caused the deaths of 258 domestic animals of which 200 were cattle, 23 were swine, and 35 were sheep. Not all deaths are reported to the Ministry and the cases reported here may only represent 30-50% of the actual deaths over the period. Based on total populations of livestock, the percent losses were very small but they represent serious losses to individual growers. The economic loss is estimated at $160,000 over the eight years, or $20,000 per annum, and this does not include veterinary costs. Some of the poisoned animals died within as little as three to four hours of ingestion while others were sick but survived for several days. Lethal doses of insecticide were found in the rumen, abomasum, or stomach of dead animals. Signs typical of cholinesterase inhibition caused by organophosphorus poisoning were observed in most cases. Cholinesterase readings were found to be zero in dying animals. Necropsy findings were rarely more than pulmonary edema or myocardial hemorrhage. Where organochlorine insecticides were ingested, convulsions were the major manifestation. Contamination of feed was most often accidental, and chemical analysis was most helpful in identifying both potent and

Organophosphorus poisoning (acute).

PubMed

Blain, Peter G

2011-05-17

Acetylcholinesterase inhibition by organophosphorus pesticides or organophosphate nerve agents can cause acute parasympathetic system dysfunction, muscle weakness, seizures, coma, and respiratory failure. Prognosis depends on the dose and relative toxicity of the specific compound, as well as pharmacokinetic factors. We conducted a systematic review and aimed to answer the following clinical question: What are the effects of treatments for acute organophosphorus poisoning? We searched: Medline, Embase, The Cochrane Library, and other important databases up to April 2010 (Clinical Evidence reviews are updated periodically; please check our website for the most up-to-date version of this review). We included harms alerts from relevant organisations such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). We found 62 systematic reviews, RCTs, or observational studies that met our inclusion criteria. We performed a GRADE evaluation of the quality of evidence for interventions. In this systematic review we present information relating to the effectiveness and safety of the following interventions: activated charcoal (single or multiple doses), alpha(2) adrenergic receptor agonists, atropine, benzodiazepines, butyrylcholinesterase replacement therapy, cathartics, extracorporeal clearance, gastric lavage, glycopyrronium bromide (glycopyrrolate), ipecacuanha (ipecac), magnesium sulphate, milk or other home remedy immediately after ingestion, N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonists, organophosphorus hydrolases, oximes, removing contaminated clothes and washing the poisoned person, and sodium bicarbonate.

Yam bean seed poisoning mimicking cyanide intoxication.

PubMed

Hung, Y-M; Hung, S-Y; Olson, K R; Chou, K-J; Lin, S-L; Chung, H-M; Tung, C-N; Chang, J-C

2007-02-01

Yam bean is a common food in southern Taiwan. However, its seeds are rarely consumed. We describe five patients of yam bean seed poisoning in Taiwan, one of them life-threatening. The five patients presented with perioral numbness, nausea and vomiting after eating a same soup made from yam bean seeds. One of them, a 54-year-old woman, had difficulty breathing and lost consciousness. Physical examination showed dilated pupils and coma with no focal neurological signs. The initial blood pressure was normal. Laboratory data showed a severe anion gap metabolic acidosis, with a serum lactate level of 185 mg/dL. An initial diagnosis of cyanide intoxication was considered and she was given sodium nitrite and sodium thiosulfate i.v. Hypotension ensued shortly afterwards and pulmonary artery catheterization showed a decreased cardiac index. Aggressive fluid and inotropic therapy were given and the patient eventually recovered. The other four patients suffered only minor gastrointestinal and neurological symptoms and received supportive treatment. Cyanide levels were negative in all five patients. Yam bean seed poisoning can cause acute metabolic acidosis and altered mental status, which could be confused with acute cyanide intoxication from a cyanogenic glycoside-containing plant. To our knowledge, this is the first outbreak of yam bean seed poisoning reported in the English published work.

Look Out! It's Poison Ivy!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Darlington, Elizabeth, Day

1986-01-01

Provides background information on poison ivy and offers suggestions for instructional activities. Includes illustrations of the varieties of poison ivy leaf forms and poison ivy look-alikes. Highlights interesting facts and cases associated with poison ivy and its relatives. (ML)

Identification of tetrodotoxin and fish species in a dried dressed fish fillet implicated in food poisoning.

PubMed

Hwang, Deng-Fwu; Hsieh, Yu-Wen; Shiu, Yu-Cheng; Chen, Shu-Kong; Cheng, Chao-An

2002-02-01

There were five victims of neurotoxic food poisoning from a dried dressed fish fillet in Changhua County, Taiwan, in February 2000. The toxicity of the dried dressed fish fillets was 243 mouse units per g according to a tetrodotoxin bioassay. The partially purified toxin was identified as tetrodotoxin and anhydrotetrodotoxin. The sequence of the 376-nucleotide region in the cytochrome b gene of the mitochondrial DNA exhibited the same genotype as that of the toxic puffer fish Lagocephalus lunaris. The same single restriction site for Hinfl was found in the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products from the dried dressed fish fillet and the muscle of L. lunaris, yielding two DNA fragments of 170 and 206 bp. However, no restriction site for Hinfl was found in the PCR products from other toxic puffer fishes, including Takifugu niphobles, Takifugu oblongus, and Takifugu rubripes. Therefore, the species of the dried dressed fish fillet was identified as L. lunaris and its causative agent was identified as tetrodotoxin.

Evaluation of poison information services provided by a new poison information center.

PubMed

Churi, Shobha; Abraham, Lovin; Ramesh, M; Narahari, M G

2013-01-01

The aim of this study is to assess the nature and quality of services provided by poison information center established at a tertiary-care teaching hospital, Mysore. This was a prospective observational study. The poison information center was officially established in September 2010 and began its functioning thereafter. The center is equipped with required resources and facility (e.g., text books, Poisindex, Drugdex, toll free telephone service, internet and online services) to provide poison information services. The poison information services provided by the center were recorded in documentation forms. The documentation form consists of numerous sections to collect information on: (a) Type of population (children, adult, elderly or pregnant) (b) poisoning agents (c) route of exposure (d) type of poisoning (intentional, accidental or environmental) (e) demographic details of patient (age, gender and bodyweight) (f) enquirer details (background, place of call and mode of request) (g) category and purpose of query and (h) details of provided service (information provided, mode of provision, time taken to provide information and references consulted). The nature and quality of poison information services provided was assessed using a quality assessment checklist developed in accordance with DSE/World Health Organization guidelines. Chi-Square test (χ(2)). A total of 419 queries were received by the center. A majority (n = 333; 79.5%) of the queries were asked by the doctors to provide optimal care (n = 400; 95.5%). Most of the queries were received during ward rounds (n = 201; 48.0%), followed by direct access (n = 147; 35.1%). The poison information services were predominantly provided through verbal communication (n = 352; 84.0%). Upon receipt of queries, the required service was provided immediately (n = 103; 24.6%) or within 10-20 min (n = 296; 70.6%). The queries were mainly related to intentional poisoning (n = 258; 64.5%), followed by accidental poisoning

Out-of-hospital and emergency department management of epidemic scombroid poisoning.

PubMed

Eckstein, M; Serna, M; DelaCruz, P; Mallon, W K

1999-09-01

To report two epidemic outbreaks of scombroid food poisoning and their emergency medical services (EMS) response and emergency department (ED) treatment, analyzing the impact of early physician involvement and on-line medical control. Retrospective case series of two multiple-casualty incidents (MCIs) involving scombroid food poisoning. A total 57 patients were treated from two separate incidents, with 30 patients transported to area hospitals. One patient required treatment with a cardiac medication in the field and another patient eventually required hospital admission. On-scene medical control (incident 1) and early identification of the index case (incident 2) were instrumental to out-of-hospital care interventions and conservation of resources. Patient triage, field treatment, and hospital transport were expedited, with some patients treated and released from the scene. Immediate diagnosis of a food-borne illness in the out-of-hospital setting allows rapid treatment at the scene and allows for the efficient transport of multiple patients to a single receiving facility. EMS medical directors should be able to immediately respond to such incidents to make presumptive diagnoses and accurately direct patient care. When this is not possible, early identification of the index case facilitates early diagnosis and treatment.

Pediatric Minoxidil Exposures Reported to Texas Poison Centers.

PubMed

Forrester, Mathias B

2018-06-01

It has been suggested that ingestion of even small amounts of minoxidil by young children may result in serious adverse effects. The intent of this study was to describe pediatric minoxidil exposures reported to a statewide poison center system. Cases were minoxidil exposures among patients 5 years or younger reported to Texas poison centers during 2000 to 2014. The distribution by various demographic and clinical factors was determined. Of 125 total cases, 58% were male and 78% aged 1 to 2 years. Ingestion alone was reported in 92% of the exposures. Ninety-eight percent of the exposures were unintentional, and 94% occurred at the patient's own residence. Sixty-two percent of the patients were managed on site. The outcome was not serious (no effect, minor effect, not followed [nontoxic], not followed [minimal effects]) in 88% of the exposures. The most common adverse effect was vomiting, reported in 8% of the exposures. The most common treatments were dilution/irrigation/wash (53%), activated charcoal (18%), food/snack (17%), and intravenous fluids (8%). Few pediatric minoxidil exposures were reported to Texas poison centers. Of these exposures, most involved ingestion, were unintentional, and involved patients who were male and aged 1 to 2 years. Although it has been suggested that pediatric minoxidil ingestions might result in serious adverse effects, this study suggests that most pediatric minoxidil exposures reported to poison centers are not likely to have serious outcomes and may be managed at home.

Chemical poisoning

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Binns, W.

1956-01-01

The toxicity of a number of chemicals are discussed in relation to their effects on farm animals. Arsenic has been a common cause of accidental poisoning of animals because it often is used to kill insects, parasites, weeds and rodents. It may be acute or chronic, depending on the amount consumed. The common symptoms are loss of flesh; a bright-red coloration of the mucous membranes; digestive disturbance, irregular pulse, and depression. Livestock may be affected by excess amounts of fluorides. An excessive amount of F interferes with the normal calcification of the bones and teeth. Animals may get lead poisoningmore » by chewing or licking lead-painted objects, lead storage batteries, and discarded painting materials. Orchard sprays also contain lead compounds. Symptoms include inflammation of the mucous membranes, loss of appetite, diarrhea, grinding of teeth, and salivation. Lead may also affect the nervous system causing animals to walk in circles and run into objects because of blindness. Molybdenum poisoning may occur in animals that graze on forage plants containing excessive amounts of the element. Some of the symptoms of chronic molybdenum poisoning are profuse diarrhea, and general weakness. Nitrate poisoning may be produced by a number of plants and fertilizer. The symptoms include staggering gait, tremors, rapid breathing and marked dilation of pupils. Salt poisoning may occur from the excessive consumption of sodium chloride. Symptoms include hypersensitivity to touch, loss of appetite and loss of coordination. Selenium poisoning is caused by the ingestion of plants that have absorbed selenium from the soils. Symptoms include loss of hair and rough horns, long and deformed hoofs, and sloughing of hoofs.« less

EPIDEMIOLOGY OF ACCIDENTAL POISONING

PubMed Central

Bissell, D. M.; McInnes, Robert S.

1960-01-01

In San Jose, California, studies of cases of accidental poisoning showed that the greatest hazard was to children 1 through 3 years of age. Drugs accounted for half the cases, household products for another third, and insecticides and rodenticides and others for the remainder. Most often poison material was within easy reach of the children. An analysis of families in which an accident occurred indicated that accidental poisoning might happen to any family. Since there was little after-effect of poisoning in cases in which treatment was obtained promptly, education directed toward getting prompt treatment seems most advisable. Community agencies interested in poison control need to focus their attention on parents of pre-school children. PMID:13801023

[Outbreak due to butterfish consumption: keriorrhea and histamine poisoning].

PubMed

Fariñas Cabrero, Maria Azucena; Berbel Hernández, Clara; Allué Tango, Marta; Díez Hillera, Margarita; Herrero Marcos, Juan Antonio

2015-01-01

The consumption of butterfish is spreading in our country; if appropriate standards of conservation and preparation of this type of food are not met may cause poisoning. The objective is to describe an outbreak of histamine poisoning and double cerous esters after consumption butterfish. A descriptive study of the double intoxication at a banquet held in July 2013 in Valladolid. It was studied by filling a specific survey, by phone or by the medical centers who treated the guests. The database and subsequent descriptive statistical analyzes were performed with Microsoft Excel Professional Plus 2010 program. Of the 27 cases reported in 24 we obtained information on symptoms. The attack rate was 22.5 %, with a clinical picture in which predominant diarrhea (75%), headache (46%), abdominal pain (38%) and sweating (38%), highlighting its specificity itching/burning of mouth (29%). Four patients had orange and oily stools (keriorrhea). The average time from the start of dinner to onset of symptoms was 119 minutes. The mean duration of symptoms was 14 hours. Analytical served fish showed histamine levels above 2,000 mg / kg. A double poisoning (histamine and cerous esters) was produced by consumption of butterfish. The picture was mild and self-limiting. You need to know this type of poison to properly handle avoiding unnecessary tests, and to notify the health authority for investigation and subsequent adoption of appropriate measures.

Bacterial contamination of stored water and stored food: a potential source of diarrhoeal disease in West Africa.

PubMed Central

Mølbak, K.; Højlyng, N.; Jepsen, S.; Gaarslev, K.

1989-01-01

The food and water hygiene in two Liberian communities was studied in a house-to-house diarrhoea survey. The level of contamination with enterobacteria of drinking water stored in the households was significantly higher than at the water sources. Food hygiene standards were low, particularly in the urban slum where storage of cooked food for long periods led to bacterial multiplication at high levels. Infant foods were particularly heavily contaminated. It is concluded that when water supply programmes are planned, the presence of other risk factors for water-related diseases should be investigated. To ensure maximum health benefits, water projects should as a rule be accompanied by other interventions. PMID:2703024

Pick your poison: what's new in poison control for the preschooler.

PubMed

Glenn, Lauren

2015-01-01

Accidental childhood poisonings are a major public health concern despite many efforts to alleviate this problem. While the rate of pediatric fatalities due to poisonings have decreased over the last two decades, poison control centers around the US have collectively fielded over one million calls with regard to toxic exposures in the preschool age group. According to the American Association of Poison Control Centers nearly half of all human exposures reported last year involved children under six. By focusing poison prevention efforts on the preschooler, we can attempt to decrease morbidity and mortality in the most vulnerable age group affected. Although the subject is still prevalent, current discussion on this topic is limited. Newer literature discusses past initiatives such as child resistant packaging and sticker deterrent programs and addresses their efficacy. This article revisits older mechanisms of prevention as well as the science behind the human motivation to change one's own practice and behavior. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Possible association between celiac disease and bacterial transglutaminase in food processing: a hypothesis.

PubMed

Lerner, Aaron; Matthias, Torsten

2015-08-01

The incidence of celiac disease is increasing worldwide, and human tissue transglutaminase has long been considered the autoantigen of celiac disease. Concomitantly, the food industry has introduced ingredients such as microbial transglutaminase, which acts as a food glue, thereby revolutionizing food qualities. Several observations have led to the hypothesis that microbial transglutaminase is a new environmental enhancer of celiac disease. First, microbial transglutaminase deamidates/transamidates glutens such as the endogenous human tissue transglutaminase. It is capable of crosslinking proteins and other macromolecules, thereby changing their antigenicity and resulting in an increased antigenic load presented to the immune system. Second, it increases the stability of protein against proteinases, thus diminishing foreign protein elimination. Infections and the crosslinked nutritional constituent gluten and microbial transglutaminase increase the permeability of the intestine, where microbial transglutaminases are necessary for bacterial survival. The resulting intestinal leakage allows more immunogenic foreign molecules to induce celiac disease. The increased use of microbial transglutaminase in food processing may promote celiac pathogenesis ex vivo, where deamidation/transamidation starts, possibly explaining the surge in incidence of celiac disease. If future research substantiates this hypothesis, the findings will affect food product labeling, food additive policies of the food industry, and consumer health education. © The Author(s) 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Life Sciences Institute.

Mildew remover poisoning

MedlinePlus

Poisonous ingredients include: Detergents Hydrogen peroxide Sodium hypochlorite Sodium perborate Sodium percarbonate ... for recovery. Swallowing such poisons can have severe effects on many parts of the body. The ultimate ...

Characterization of Bacterial Cellulose by Gluconacetobacter hansenii CGMCC 3917.

PubMed

Feng, Xianchao; Ullah, Niamat; Wang, Xuejiao; Sun, Xuchun; Li, Chenyi; Bai, Yun; Chen, Lin; Li, Zhixi

2015-10-01

In this study, comprehensive characterization and drying methods on properties of bacterial cellulose were analyzed. Bacterial cellulose was prepared by Gluconacetobacter hansenii CGMCC 3917, which was mutated by high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) treatment. Bacterial cellulose is mainly comprised of cellulose Iα with high crystallinity and purity. High-water holding and absorption capacity were examined by reticulated structure. Thermogravimetric analysis showed high thermal stability. High tensile strength and Young's modulus indicated its mechanical properties. The rheological analysis showed that bacterial cellulose had good consistency and viscosity. These results indicated that bacterial cellulose is a potential food additive and also could be used for a food packaging material. The high textural stability during freeze-thaw cycles makes bacterial cellulose an effective additive for frozen food products. In addition, the properties of bacterial cellulose can be affected by drying methods. Our results suggest that the bacterial cellulose produced from HHP-mutant strain has an effective characterization, which can be used for a wide range of applications in food industry. © 2015 Institute of Food Technologists®

Lead Poisoning in Childhood.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pueschel, Siegfried M., Ed.; Linakis, James G., Ed.; Anderson, Angela C., Ed.

The magnitude of childhood lead poisoning has been inexplicably neglected by modern medicine and by legislators. However, since the 1970s, increased attention has been focused on lead poisoning, and advances have been made in several areas, including understanding of the neurodevelopmental and behavioral ramifications of lead poisoning, and…

Mortality due to poisoning in a developing agricultural country: trends over 20 years.

PubMed

Senanayake, N; Peiris, H

1995-10-01

The cause of death as recorded in 37,125 death certificates (DCs) issued in the Kandy District over 20 years at 5-year intervals beginning in 1967 were analysed to determine the trends in mortality caused by poisoning in the community. Poisoning accounted for 718 (19.3 per 1000) deaths, the highest number being in the third decade of life (41.9%). Male:female ratio was 3:1. The agent responsible for 77% of the deaths was pesticides. Acids and chemicals accounted for 6.9% of the deaths. Other poisons each contributing to less than 1% of the deaths were: plant poisons, food items, drugs, kerosine oil and alcohol. Nearly half the deaths had occurred outside the town area, at home or in small hospitals in the periphery. Mortality due to poisoning showed an increasing trend during the 20 years, from 11.8 to 43/1000 deaths, and this increase was most marked in the periphery, from 8/1000 to 70/1000. This increase paralleled the increase in suicide figures in the country. Our findings call for a shift in emphasis in public education towards first-aid management of intoxication. Health services of developing countries should provide appropriate resuscitative equipment, and ensure a regular supply of antidotes and other medication to all rural hospitals. Management of pesticide poisoning should be emphasised in the curricula for medical graduates, nurses, and paramedics.

Hair straightener poisoning

MedlinePlus

... this page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002706.htm Hair straightener poisoning To use the sharing features on this page, please enable JavaScript. Hair straightener poisoning occurs when someone swallows products that ...

Hair spray poisoning

MedlinePlus

... this page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002705.htm Hair spray poisoning To use the sharing features on this page, please enable JavaScript. Hair spray poisoning occurs when someone breathes in (inhales) ...

Mercuric chloride poisoning

MedlinePlus

... page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002474.htm Mercuric chloride poisoning To use the sharing features on this page, please enable JavaScript. Mercuric chloride is a very poisonous form of mercury. It ...

Poisoning due to tutin in honey-a report of an outbreak in New Zealand.

PubMed

Beasley, Michael; Hood, Dell; Anderson, Philippa; Reeve, John; Slaughter, Robin J

2018-04-13

In autumn 2008, an outbreak of toxic honey poisoning was identified. The outbreak was not recognised initially until three cases from one family group presented to hospital, with a common factor of recent consumption of locally produced honey. The aim of this study was to investigate potential cases of this honey poisoning and determine which toxin was involved. The incident was investigated retrospectively by Waikato District Health Board's Population Health unit and the New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA). Identified patients were followed up by questionnaire to gather case information. HortResearch (now Plant and Food Research) tested honey samples for toxins. The causative agent was identified as tutin, which comes from the New Zealand native plant tutu (Coriaria arborea) which has long been known as a potential source of contamination of honey produced in the warmer parts of New Zealand. Retrospective case investigation identified a total of 22 possible or probable cases, based on a clinical case definition. The spectrum of toxic effects reported were broadly similar to those previously described for tutin, derived either directly from the plant itself or indirectly from honey. There were 13 samples of honey, linked to symptomatic individuals, which were available for testing. Of these, 10 were positive for tutin and its hydroxy metabolite hyenanchin (hydroxytutin) and one was positive for hyenanchin alone. Toxic honey production is a significant risk in parts of New Zealand. Beekeepers and health professionals need to be informed of this risk and know how best to manage it. Due to this poisoning incident, public and professional awareness of honey poisoning has been substantially enhanced. This incident led to development of new food safety standards for New Zealand honey.

Origin and ecological selection of core and food-specific bacterial communities associated with meat and seafood spoilage

PubMed Central

Chaillou, Stéphane; Chaulot-Talmon, Aurélie; Caekebeke, Hélène; Cardinal, Mireille; Christieans, Souad; Denis, Catherine; Hélène Desmonts, Marie; Dousset, Xavier; Feurer, Carole; Hamon, Erwann; Joffraud, Jean-Jacques; La Carbona, Stéphanie; Leroi, Françoise; Leroy, Sabine; Lorre, Sylvie; Macé, Sabrina; Pilet, Marie-France; Prévost, Hervé; Rivollier, Marina; Roux, Dephine; Talon, Régine; Zagorec, Monique; Champomier-Vergès, Marie-Christine

2015-01-01

The microbial spoilage of meat and seafood products with short shelf lives is responsible for a significant amount of food waste. Food spoilage is a very heterogeneous process, involving the growth of various, poorly characterized bacterial communities. In this study, we conducted 16S ribosomal RNA gene pyrosequencing on 160 samples of fresh and spoiled foods to comparatively explore the bacterial communities associated with four meat products and four seafood products that are among the most consumed food items in Europe. We show that fresh products are contaminated in part by a microbiota similar to that found on the skin and in the gut of animals. However, this animal-derived microbiota was less prevalent and less abundant than a core microbiota, psychrotrophic in nature, mainly originated from the environment (water reservoirs). We clearly show that this core community found on meat and seafood products is the main reservoir of spoilage bacteria. We also show that storage conditions exert strong selective pressure on the initial microbiota: alpha diversity in fresh samples was 189±58 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) but dropped to 27±12 OTUs in spoiled samples. The OTU assemblage associated with spoilage was shaped by low storage temperatures, packaging and the nutritional value of the food matrix itself. These factors presumably act in tandem without any hierarchical pattern. Most notably, we were also able to identify putative new clades of dominant, previously undescribed bacteria occurring on spoiled seafood, a finding that emphasizes the importance of using culture-independent methods when studying food microbiota. PMID:25333463

Origin and ecological selection of core and food-specific bacterial communities associated with meat and seafood spoilage.

PubMed

Chaillou, Stéphane; Chaulot-Talmon, Aurélie; Caekebeke, Hélène; Cardinal, Mireille; Christieans, Souad; Denis, Catherine; Desmonts, Marie Hélène; Dousset, Xavier; Feurer, Carole; Hamon, Erwann; Joffraud, Jean-Jacques; La Carbona, Stéphanie; Leroi, Françoise; Leroy, Sabine; Lorre, Sylvie; Macé, Sabrina; Pilet, Marie-France; Prévost, Hervé; Rivollier, Marina; Roux, Dephine; Talon, Régine; Zagorec, Monique; Champomier-Vergès, Marie-Christine

2015-05-01

The microbial spoilage of meat and seafood products with short shelf lives is responsible for a significant amount of food waste. Food spoilage is a very heterogeneous process, involving the growth of various, poorly characterized bacterial communities. In this study, we conducted 16S ribosomal RNA gene pyrosequencing on 160 samples of fresh and spoiled foods to comparatively explore the bacterial communities associated with four meat products and four seafood products that are among the most consumed food items in Europe. We show that fresh products are contaminated in part by a microbiota similar to that found on the skin and in the gut of animals. However, this animal-derived microbiota was less prevalent and less abundant than a core microbiota, psychrotrophic in nature, mainly originated from the environment (water reservoirs). We clearly show that this core community found on meat and seafood products is the main reservoir of spoilage bacteria. We also show that storage conditions exert strong selective pressure on the initial microbiota: alpha diversity in fresh samples was 189±58 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) but dropped to 27±12 OTUs in spoiled samples. The OTU assemblage associated with spoilage was shaped by low storage temperatures, packaging and the nutritional value of the food matrix itself. These factors presumably act in tandem without any hierarchical pattern. Most notably, we were also able to identify putative new clades of dominant, previously undescribed bacteria occurring on spoiled seafood, a finding that emphasizes the importance of using culture-independent methods when studying food microbiota.

Black-spot poison ivy.

PubMed

Schram, Sarah E; Willey, Andrea; Lee, Peter K; Bohjanen, Kimberly A; Warshaw, Erin M

2008-01-01

In black-spot poison ivy dermatitis, a black lacquerlike substance forms on the skin when poison ivy resin is exposed to air. Although the Toxicodendron group of plants is estimated to be the most common cause of allergic contact dermatitis in the United States, black-spot poison ivy dermatitis is relatively rare.

Lead poisoning: An overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gendel, Neil

1993-01-01

A problem that should be of great concern to all of us is the lead poisoning of children. First, I would like to present a short overview concerning the reasons everyone should care about lead poisoning, then discuss the history of lead poisoning, what is happening today across the country, and the future.

Poison Ivy Dermatitis

MedlinePlus

... Favorite Name: Category: Share: Yes No, Keep Private Poison Ivy Dermatitis Share | "Leaves of three - let it ... has a longer stem than the other two. Poison ivy clings to tree trunks and other vertical ...

The bacterial composition within the Sarracenia purpurea model system: local scale differences and the relationship with the other members of the food web.

PubMed

Gray, Sarah M; Akob, Denise M; Green, Stefan J; Kostka, Joel E

2012-01-01

The leaves of the carnivorous pitcher plant, Sarracenia purpurea, contain a microscopic aquatic food web that is considered a model system in ecological research. The species identity of the intermediate and top trophic level of this food web, as well the detritivore midge, are highly similar across the native geographic range of S. purpurea and, in some cases, appear to have co-evolved with the plant. However, until recently, the identity, geographic variation, and diversity of the bacteria in the bottom trophic level of this food web have remained largely unknown. This study investigated bacterial community composition inside the leaves of S. purpurea to address: 1) variation in bacterial communities at the beginning of succession at the local scale in different areas of the plant's native geographic range (southern and mid-regional sites) and 2) the impacts of bacterial consumers and other members of the aquatic food web (i.e., insects) on bacterial community structure. Communities from six leaves (one leaf per plant) from New York and Florida study sites were analyzed using 16S ribosomal RNA gene cloning. Each pitcher within each site had a distinct community; however, there was more overlap in bacterial composition within each site than when communities were compared across sites. In contrast, the identity of protozoans and metazoans in this community were similar in species identity both within a site and between the two sites, but abundances differed. Our results indicate that, at least during the beginning of succession, there is no strong selection for bacterial taxa and that there is no core group of bacteria required by the plant to start the decomposition of trapped insects. Co-evolution between the plant and bacteria appears to not have occurred as it has for other members of this community.

The Bacterial Composition within the Sarracenia purpurea Model System: Local Scale Differences and the Relationship with the Other Members of the Food Web

PubMed Central

Gray, Sarah M.; Akob, Denise M.; Green, Stefan J.; Kostka, Joel E.

2012-01-01

The leaves of the carnivorous pitcher plant, Sarracenia purpurea, contain a microscopic aquatic food web that is considered a model system in ecological research. The species identity of the intermediate and top trophic level of this food web, as well the detritivore midge, are highly similar across the native geographic range of S. purpurea and, in some cases, appear to have co-evolved with the plant. However, until recently, the identity, geographic variation, and diversity of the bacteria in the bottom trophic level of this food web have remained largely unknown. This study investigated bacterial community composition inside the leaves of S. purpurea to address: 1) variation in bacterial communities at the beginning of succession at the local scale in different areas of the plant’s native geographic range (southern and mid-regional sites) and 2) the impacts of bacterial consumers and other members of the aquatic food web (i.e., insects) on bacterial community structure. Communities from six leaves (one leaf per plant) from New York and Florida study sites were analyzed using 16S ribosomal RNA gene cloning. Each pitcher within each site had a distinct community; however, there was more overlap in bacterial composition within each site than when communities were compared across sites. In contrast, the identity of protozoans and metazoans in this community were similar in species identity both within a site and between the two sites, but abundances differed. Our results indicate that, at least during the beginning of succession, there is no strong selection for bacterial taxa and that there is no core group of bacteria required by the plant to start the decomposition of trapped insects. Co-evolution between the plant and bacteria appears to not have occurred as it has for other members of this community. PMID:23227224

Experience in estimating neutron poison worths

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chiang, R.T.; Congdon, S.P.

1989-01-01

Gadolinia, {sup 135}Xe, {sup 149}Sm, control rod, and soluble boron are five neutron poisons that may appear in light water reactor assemblies. Reliable neutron poison worth estimation is useful for evaluating core operating strategies, fuel cycle economics, and reactor safety design. Based on physical presence, neutron poisons can be divided into two categories: local poisons and global poisons. Gadolinia and control rod are local poisons, and {sup 135}Xe, {sup 149}Sm, and soluble boron are global poisons. The first-order perturbation method is commonly used to estimate nuclide worths in fuel assemblies. It is well known, however, that the first-order perturbation methodmore » was developed for small perturbations, such as the perturbation due to weak absorbers, and that neutron poisons are not weak absorbers. The authors have developed an improved method to replace the first-order perturbation method, which yields very poor results, for estimating local poison worths. It has also been shown that the first-order perturbation method seems adequate to estimate worths for global poisons caused by flux compensation.« less

Cardiovascular Abnormalities in Carbon Monoxide Poisoning.

PubMed

Garg, Jalaj; Krishnamoorthy, Parasuram; Palaniswamy, Chandrasekar; Khera, Sahil; Ahmad, Hasan; Jain, Diwakar; Aronow, Wilbert S; Frishman, William H

Acute carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is the most common cause of poisoning and poisoning-related death in the United States. It manifests as broad spectrum of symptoms ranging from mild headache, nausea, and fatigue to dizziness, syncope, coma, seizures resulting in cardiovascular collapse, respiratory failure, and death. Cardiovascular complications of CO poisoning has been well reported and include myocardial stunning, left ventricular dysfunction, pulmonary edema, and arrhythmias. Acute myocardial ischemia has also been reported from increased thrombogenicity due to CO poisoning. Myocardial toxicity from CO exposure is associated with increased short-term and long-term mortality. Carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) levels do not correlate well with the clinical severity of CO poisoning. Supplemental oxygen remains the cornerstone of therapy for CO poisoning. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy increases CO elimination and has been used with wide variability in patients with evidence of neurological and myocardial injury from CO poisoning, but its benefit in limiting or reversing cardiac injury is unknown. We present a comprehensive review of literature on cardiovascular manifestations of CO poisoning and propose a diagnostic algorithm for managing patients with CO poisoning.

Recreational phenethylamine poisonings reported to a French poison control center.

PubMed

Le Roux, Gaël; Bruneau, Chloé; Lelièvre, Bénédicte; Bretaudeau Deguigne, Marie; Turcant, Alain; Harry, Patrick; Boels, David

2015-09-01

Over the last decade, use of phenethylamines has become increasingly prevalent. This study aimed to describe typical aspects of phenethylamine poisoning in order to better inform patient care. Phenethylamine poisoning cases reported to the Poison Control Center of Angers, France, from January, 2007 to December, 2013 were examined. Clinical findings were examined in 105 patients, including phenethylamine used, symptoms and final outcome. Patients were predominantly male (80%), with mean age 26±8 years. MDMA (38%), amphetamine (18%) and methamphetamine (14%) were the most commonly reported. Synthetic cathinones (10%) and the 2C series (7%) were also found. Substances most commonly associated with phenethylamine poisoning were cannabis (27%), ethanol (20%) and cocaine (9%). The most frequently reported symptoms included anxiety and hallucinations (49%), mydriasis and headache (41%), tachycardia (40%) and hypertension (15%). Complications such as seizures (7%), cardiac arrest (5%), toxic myocarditis (1%) and hemorrhagic stroke (1%) were also observed. Of the cases, the Poison Severity Score was: null or low, 66%, moderate, 21%, severe or fatal, 13%. Of the patients, 77% received hospital care and 12.4% were admitted to an intensive care unit. Analytical confirmations were obtained for all severe cases. While 93% of patients recovered, there were 5 deaths and 2 patients presented with neurological sequelae. Phenethylamine poisonings may be severe in young and healthy individuals. Physicians, toxicologists and analysts should be aware of new phenethylamine consumption trends in order to inform management of patient care and to contribute to a more responsive drug policy. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Poisoning first aid

MedlinePlus

... page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/article/007579.htm Poisoning first aid To use the sharing features on this page, ... burns Stupor Unconsciousness (coma) Unusual breath odor Weakness First Aid Seek immediate medical help. For poisoning by swallowing ...

Treatment of toxicodendron dermatitis (poison ivy and poison oak).

PubMed

Guin, J D

2001-04-01

Toxicodendron dermatitis results from a reaction to an oil soluble oleoresin that is present in many parts of the poison ivy and poison oak plants. Prophylactic measures include avoidance, protective clothing, barrier creams and hyposensitization. Treatments include washing the area immediately with a solvent suitable for lipids and the use of anti-inflammatory agents, especially corticosteroids.

Ciguatera fish poisoning--Texas, 1998, and South Carolina, 2004.

PubMed

2006-09-01

Ciguatera fish poisoning is characterized by gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea and neurologic symptoms such as weakness, tingling, and pruritus (itching). The condition is caused by eating fish containing toxins produced by the dinoflagellate Gambierdiscus toxicus, a one-celled plantlike organism that grows on algae in tropical waters worldwide. Because these toxins are lipid soluble, they accumulate through the food chain as carnivorous fish consume contaminated herbivorous reef fish; toxin concentrations are highest in large, predatory fish such as barracuda, grouper, amberjack, snapper, and shark. Because fish caught in ciguatera-endemic areas are shipped nationwide, ciguatera fish poisoning can occur anywhere in the United States. This report describes ciguatera fish poisoning in four persons (two in 1998, two in 2004) who ate fish caught by recreational fishers in waters outside of ciguatera-endemic areas (e.g., the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic and Gulf Coast waters off southern Florida). These cases underscore the need for physicians, regardless of whether they are in a ciguatera-endemic area, to consider ciguatera in patients who have gastrointestinal or neurologic symptoms after eating large, predatory fish.

Jack-in-the-pulpit poisoning

MedlinePlus

... if known Time it was swallowed Amount swallowed Poison Control Your local poison center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere ...

Bracken fern poisoning

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum) is found throughout the world and enzootic hematuria, bright blindness, and bracken staggers. This chapter reviews the plant, the various poisoning syndrome that it produces, the current strategies to prevent poisoning, and recommended treatments....

The lead-poisoned genius: saturnism in famous artists across five centuries.

PubMed

Montes-Santiago, Julio

2013-01-01

Lead poisoning (saturnism) has been present throughout the history of mankind. In addition to possible ingestion from contaminated food, one of the most important ways in which poisoning caused morbid processes was by occupational exposure. This exposition was pandemic in the Roman Empire, and it has been claimed that it contributed to its fall, but it also caused numerous epidemics in Western countries until the nineteenth century. In the case of artists, and since the Renaissance period, this toxicity has been called painter's colic or painter's madness. The latter term is partly due to the mental disorders displayed by some of the great masters, including Michelangelo and Caravaggio, although it was long recognized that even house and industrial painters were prone to the disorder. This chapter examines the historical evidence of recognition of such toxicity and discusses the controversies raised by the possibility of professional lead poisoning in great artists. In addition to those mentioned above, many other artists across several centuries will be discussed, some being Rubens, Goya, Fortuny, Van Gogh, Renoir, Dufy, Klee, Frida Kahlo, and Portinari. This chapter also briefly mentions the possibility of lead poisoning in two famous composers: Beethoven and Handel. Whether suffering from lead poisoning or not, about which we cannot always be sure, we should still highlight and admire such geniuses fighting their disorders to bequeath us their immortals works. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Enteric pathogen-plant interactions: molecular connections leading to colonization and growth and implications for food safety.

PubMed

Martínez-Vaz, Betsy M; Fink, Ryan C; Diez-Gonzalez, Francisco; Sadowsky, Michael J

2014-01-01

Leafy green vegetables have been identified as a source of foodborne illnesses worldwide over the past decade. Human enteric pathogens, such as Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella, have been implicated in numerous food poisoning outbreaks associated with the consumption of fresh produce. An understanding of the mechanisms responsible for the establishment of pathogenic bacteria in or on vegetable plants is critical for understanding and ameliorating this problem as well as ensuring the safety of our food supply. While previous studies have described the growth and survival of enteric pathogens in the environment and also the risk factors associated with the contamination of vegetables, the molecular events involved in the colonization of fresh produce by enteric pathogens are just beginning to be elucidated. This review summarizes recent findings on the interactions of several bacterial pathogens with leafy green vegetables. Changes in gene expression linked to the bacterial attachment and colonization of plant structures are discussed in light of their relevance to plant-microbe interactions. We propose a mechanism for the establishment and association of enteric pathogens with plants and discuss potential strategies to address the problem of foodborne illness linked to the consumption of leafy green vegetables.

TRPV1 as a key determinant in ciguatera and neurotoxic shellfish poisoning

PubMed Central

Cuypers, Eva; Yanagihara, Angel; Rainier, Jon D.; Tytgat, Jan

2007-01-01

Ciguatera fish poisoning and neurotoxic shellfish poisoning are distinct clinical entities characterized by gastrointestinal and neurological disturbances, following the consumption of certain reef fish and shellfish containing toxic polyether compounds sporadically present in certain toxic marine dinoflagellates. The biotransformation and bioaccumulation of gambierol and brevetoxin, and their congeners, are believed to be involved in the pathogenesis of these “food-chain diseases”, for which no effective treatments are available. Here, we describe for the first time the potent effect of gambierol and brevetoxin on TRPV1 channels, a key player in thermal and pain sensation. Our findings may lead to promising new therapeutic interventions. PMID:17659256

American Association of Poison Control Centers

MedlinePlus

... all alerts right left NEW! Check out PoisonHelp.org Now there are two ways to get help ... AAPCC's new interactive online poison information tool, PoisonHelp.org. PoisonHelp.org Make your smartphone even smarter. Text " ...

[Electronic poison information management system].

PubMed

Kabata, Piotr; Waldman, Wojciech; Kaletha, Krystian; Sein Anand, Jacek

2013-01-01

We describe deployment of electronic toxicological information database in poison control center of Pomeranian Center of Toxicology. System was based on Google Apps technology, by Google Inc., using electronic, web-based forms and data tables. During first 6 months from system deployment, we used it to archive 1471 poisoning cases, prepare monthly poisoning reports and facilitate statistical analysis of data. Electronic database usage made Poison Center work much easier.

The Importance of Bacterial Culture to Food Microbiology in the Age of Genomics.

PubMed

Gill, Alexander

2017-01-01

Culture-based and genomics methods provide different insights into the nature and behavior of bacteria. Maximizing the usefulness of both approaches requires recognizing their limitations and employing them appropriately. Genomic analysis excels at identifying bacteria and establishing the relatedness of isolates. Culture-based methods remain necessary for detection and enumeration, to determine viability, and to validate phenotype predictions made on the bias of genomic analysis. The purpose of this short paper is to discuss the application of culture-based analysis and genomics to the questions food microbiologists routinely need to ask regarding bacteria to ensure the safety of food and its economic production and distribution. To address these issues appropriate tools are required for the detection and enumeration of specific bacterial populations and the characterization of isolates for, identification, phylogenetics, and phenotype prediction.

Detection of Staphylococcal Enterotoxin in Food

PubMed Central

Casman, Ezra P.; Bennett, Reginald W.

1965-01-01

Methods are described for the extraction and serological detection of trace amounts of enterotoxins A and B in foods incriminated in outbreaks of staphylococcal food poisoning. Evidence is presented for the probable applicability of the methods for the detection of unidentified enterotoxins. PMID:14325876

Fight Bac! | Partnership for Food Safety Education

Science.gov Websites

Games & Activities School Lunches Free Resources Be Food Safe Resources Brand Assets Brochures & Spanish Free Resources For Consumers, Retailers and Educators The Four Core Practices Food Safety Basics workers and parents Free Resources The Core Four Food Poisoning Child Care Training schoolchildren Hands

Sensitive Monitoring of Enterobacterial Contamination of Food Using Self-Propelled Janus Microsensors.

PubMed

Pacheco, M; Jurado-Sánchez, B; Escarpa, A

2018-02-20

Food poisoning caused by bacteria is a major cause of disease and death worldwide. Herein we describe the use of Janus micromotors as mobile sensors for the detection of toxins released by enterobacteria as indicators of food contamination. The micromotors are prepared by a Pickering emulsion approach and rely on the simultaneous encapsulation of platinum nanoparticles for enhanced bubble-propulsion and receptor-functionalized quantum dots (QDs) for selective binding with the 3-deoxy-d-manno-oct-2-ulosonic acid target in the endotoxin molecule. Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) from Salmonella enterica were used as target endotoxins, which upon interaction with the QDs induce a rapid quenching of the native fluorescence of the micromotors in a concentration-dependent manner. The micromotor assay can readily detect concentrations as low as 0.07 ng mL -1 of endotoxin, which is far below the level considered toxic to humans (275 μg mL -1 ). Micromotors have been successfully applied for the detection of Salmonella toxin in food samples in 15 min compared with several hours required by the existing Gold Standard method. Such ultrafast and reliable approach holds considerable promise for food contamination screening while awaiting the results of bacterial cultures in a myriad of food safety and security defense applications.

Genetics of Taste and Smell: Poisons and Pleasures

PubMed Central

Reed, Danielle Renee; Knaapila, Antti

2012-01-01

Eating is dangerous. While food contains nutrients and calories that animals need to produce heat and energy, it may also contain harmful parasites, bacteria, or chemicals. To guide food selection, the senses of taste and smell have evolved to alert us to the bitter taste of poisons and the sour taste and off-putting smell of spoiled foods. These sensory systems help people and animals to eat defensively, and they provide the brake that helps them avoid ingesting foods that are harmful. But choices about which foods to eat are motivated by more than avoiding the bad; they are also motivated by seeking the good, such as fat and sugar. However, just as not everyone is equally capable of sensing toxins in food, not everyone is equally enthusiastic about consuming high-fat, high-sugar foods. Genetic studies in humans and experimental animals strongly suggest that the liking of sugar and fat is influenced by genotype; likewise, the abilities to detect bitterness and the malodors of rotting food are highly variable among individuals. Understanding the exact genes and genetic differences that affect food intake may provide important clues in obesity treatment by allowing caregivers to tailor dietary recommendations to the chemosensory landscape of each person. PMID:21036327

Genetics of taste and smell: poisons and pleasures.

PubMed

Reed, Danielle Renee; Knaapila, Antti

2010-01-01

Eating is dangerous. While food contains nutrients and calories that animals need to produce heat and energy, it may also contain harmful parasites, bacteria, or chemicals. To guide food selection, the senses of taste and smell have evolved to alert us to the bitter taste of poisons and the sour taste and off-putting smell of spoiled foods. These sensory systems help people and animals to eat defensively, and they provide the brake that helps them avoid ingesting foods that are harmful. But choices about which foods to eat are motivated by more than avoiding the bad; they are also motivated by seeking the good, such as fat and sugar. However, just as not everyone is equally capable of sensing toxins in food, not everyone is equally enthusiastic about consuming high-fat, high-sugar foods. Genetic studies in humans and experimental animals strongly suggest that the liking of sugar and fat is influenced by genotype; likewise, the abilities to detect bitterness and the malodors of rotting food are highly variable among individuals. Understanding the exact genes and genetic differences that affect food intake may provide important clues in obesity treatment by allowing caregivers to tailor dietary recommendations to the chemosensory landscape of each person. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Sweet clover poisoning

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Sweet clover poisoning occurs when spoiled sweet clover (Melilotus officinalis and M. alva) hay or silage that contain dicumarol are consumed by livestock. This updated chapter is a succinct review of the clinical disease and pathologic lesions of poisoning. It also reviews current strategies and ...

Food to some, poison to others - honeybee royal jelly and its growth inhibiting effect on European Foulbrood bacteria.

PubMed

Vezeteu, Thomas V; Bobiş, Otilia; Moritz, Robin F A; Buttstedt, Anja

2017-02-01

Honeybee colonies (Apis mellifera) serve as attractive hosts for a variety of pathogens providing optimal temperatures, humidity, and an abundance of food. Thus, honeybees have to deal with pathogens throughout their lives and, even as larvae they are affected by severe brood diseases like the European Foulbrood caused by Melissococcus plutonius. Accordingly, it is highly adaptive that larval food jelly contains antibiotic compounds. However, although food jelly is primarily consumed by bee larvae, studies investigating the antibiotic effects of this jelly have largely concentrated on bacterial human diseases. In this study, we show that royal jelly fed to queen larvae and added to the jelly of drone and worker larvae, inhibits not only the growth of European Foulbrood-associated bacteria but also its causative agent M. plutonius. This effect is shown to be caused by the main protein (major royal jelly protein 1) of royal jelly. © 2016 The Authors. MicrobiologyOpen published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Phosphorus poisoning in waterfowl

USGS Publications Warehouse

Coburn, D.R.; DeWitt, J.B.; Derby, J.V.; Ediger, E.

1950-01-01

Black ducks and mallards were found to be highly susceptible to phosphorus poisoning. 3 mg. of white phosphorus per kg. of body weight given in a single dose resulted in death of a black duck in 6 hours. Pathologic changes in both acute and chronic poisoning were studied. Data are presented showing that diagnosis can be made accurately by chemical analysis of stored tissues in cases of phosphorus poisoning.

Occupational poison ivy and oak dermatitis.

PubMed

Epstein, W L

1994-07-01

Among the growing and diverse groups of outdoor and environmental workers, poison ivy and poison oak continue to be the major cause of occupational contact dermatitis. This article reviews the practical and theoretic means to prevent poison ivy and poison oak dermatitis in workers occupationally exposed to these weeds.

Review of the trends and causes of food borne outbreaks in Malaysia from 1988 to 1997.

PubMed

Meftahuddin, T

2002-03-01

This paper examines the trend and possible contributing factors for the occurrence of the food borne diseases outbreaks in Malaysia. These diseases mainly are cholera, typhoid fever, hepatitis A, dysentery and food poisoning. The outbreaks still occur sporadically in certain high risk areas throughout the country. The incidence rate of all the other three major food borne diseases steadily declined from the year 1988 to 1997 except for food poisoning and cholera. Statistic of food poisoning from the year 1996 to 1997 showed that 66.5% of the outbreak occurred in schools whereas only 0.4% originated from the contaminated food sold at various public food outlets. The school age group is always more affected than the general population. Amongst the contributing factors identified are related to unhygienic food handling practices followed by inadequate safe water supply and poor environmental sanitation. A multisectoral approach between Ministry of Health and other government agencies or private agents needs to be undertaken in the management of the food borne diseases in order to curb the incidences of food borne diseases in Malaysia.

Fermented corn flour poisoning in rural areas of China. III. Isolation and identification of main toxin produced by causal microorganisms.

PubMed

Hu, W J; Chen, X M; Meng, H D; Meng, Z H

1989-03-01

Flavotoxin A was isolated from Pseudomonas cocovenenans subsp. farinofermentans culture in semisolid potato-dextrose-agar medium, which was isolated from fermented corn meal that had caused food poisoning outbreaks in China. The isolation, purification, and chemical structure of this toxin were studied. The NMR spectra, the uv spectra, and molar extinction coefficients, and the mass spectra of Flavotoxin A are in good agreement with those reported for bongkrekic acid. Therefore, Flavotoxin A and bongkrekic acid are the same organic chemical compound; the molecular formula is C28H38O7. The oral LD50 of the purified Flavotoxin A in mice was 3.16 mg/kg (1.53-6.15 mg/kg). The existence of bongkrekic acid in toxic fermented corn samples collected during food poisoning outbreaks was also confirmed. It is concluded that bongkrekic acid has played an important role in the outbreaks of fermented corn poisoning.

Poisoning in Israel: annual report of the Israel Poison Information Center, 2012.

PubMed

Bentur, Yedidia; Lurie, Yael; Cahana, Alfred; Kovler, Nona; Bloom-Krasik, Anna; Gurevych, Bella; Klein-Schwartz, Wendy

2014-11-01

The Israel National Poison Information Center (IPIC), Rambam Health Care Campus, provides 24 hour telephone consultations in clinical toxicology as well as drug and teratogen information. It participates in research, teaching and regulatory activities, and also provides laboratory services. To report data on the epidemiology of poisonings and poison exposures in Israel. We made computerized queries and descriptive analyses of the medical records database of the IPIC during 2012. A total of 31,519 poison exposure cases were recorded, a 157.6% increase compared with 1995. Children < 6 years of age were involved in 43.1% of cases; 74.0% of calls were made by the public and 23.7% by physicians; 74.8% of exposures were unintentional and 9.1% intentional. Chemicals were involved in 35.8% of all cases (single and multiple substances), pharmaceuticals in 48.8%, bites and stings in 3.8%, and plants and mushrooms in 1.6%. Substances most frequently involved were analgesics, cleaning products and antimicrobials. Clinical severity was moderate/major in 3.4%. Substances most frequently involved in moderate/major exposures were corrosives, insecticides and snake venom. Four fatalities were recorded; all were intentional exposures in adults (corrosive, medications, energy drink). Poison exposures and poisonings have increased significantly and have contributed substantially to morbidity and mortality in Israel. The IPIC database is a valuable national resource for the collection and monitoring of poisoning exposure cases. It can be used as a real-time surveillance system for the benefit of public health. It is recommended that reporting to the IPIC become mandatory and its activities be adequately supported by national resources.

Clinical diagnosis and chemical confirmation of ciguatera fish poisoning in New South Wales, Australia.

PubMed

Farrell, Hazel; Zammit, Anthony; Manning, Jennifer; Shadbolt, Craig; Szabo, Lisa; Harwood, D Tim; McNabb, Paul; Turahui, John A; van den Berg, Debra J

2016-03-31

Ciguatera fish poisoning is common in tropical and sub-tropical areas and larger fish (> 10 kg) are more susceptible to toxin accumulation with age. Although the coastal climate of northern New South Wales is considered sub-tropical, prior to 2014 there has only been 1 documented outbreak of ciguatera fish poisoning from fish caught in the region. During February and March 2014, 2 outbreaks of ciguatera fish poisoning involved 4 and 9 individuals, respectively, both following consumption of Spanish mackerel from northern New South Wales coastal waters (Evans Head and Scotts Head). Affected individuals suffered a combination of gastrointestinal and neurological symptoms requiring hospital treatment. At least 1 individual was symptomatic up to 7 months later. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry detected the compound Pacific ciguatoxin-1B at levels up to 1.0 µg kg(-1) in fish tissue from both outbreaks. During April 2015, another outbreak of ciguatera fish poisoning was reported in 4 individuals. The fish implicated in the outbreak was caught further south than the 2014 outbreaks (South West Rocks). Fish tissue was unavailable for analysis; however, symptoms were consistent with ciguatera fish poisoning. To our knowledge, these cases are the southernmost confirmed sources of ciguatera fish poisoning in Australia. Educational outreach to the fishing community, in particular recreational fishers was undertaken after the Evans Head outbreak. This highlighted the outbreak, species of fish involved and the range of symptoms associated with ciguatera fish poisoning. Further assessment of the potential for ciguatoxins to occur in previously unaffected locations need to be considered in terms of food safety.

What is the definition of a poisoning?

PubMed

Uges, D R

2001-03-01

New insights in medicine and acceptable treatments necessitates an adjustment of the existing definition of clinical or forensic poisoning to: 'An individual's medical or social unacceptable condition as a consequence of being under influence of an exogenous substance in a dose too high for the person concerned'. For medical and legal purposes it is important to know how the victim became poisoned. In general, there are three ways of causing medical poisoning: accidental poisoning, including iatrogenic poisoning, experimental and intentional poisoning. Nowadays iatrogenic intoxication, poisoning caused by the Münchhausen's syndrome (by proxy) and experimental poisoning (designer drugs) have a major place in contemporary toxicology. Although some toxicologists use the word 'intoxication' only overdoses with central effects, in this article 'intoxication' and 'poisoning' are considered to be synonymous.

Morphodynamics of growing bacterial colony

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghosh, Pushpita; Perlekar, Prasad; Rana, Navdeep

Self-organization into multicellular communities is a natural trend of most of the bacteria. Mutual interactions and competition among the bacterial cells in such multicellular organization play essential role in governing the spatiotemporal dynamics. We here present the spatiotemporal dynamics of growing bacterial colony using theory and a particle-based or individual-based simulation model of nonmotile cells growing utilizing a diffusing nutrient/food on a semi-solid surface by their growth and division forces and by pushing each-other through sliding motility. We show how the resource competition over a fixed amount of food, the diffusion coefficient of the nutrient and the random genetic noise govern the morphodynamics of a single species and a well-mixed two-species bacterial colonies. Our results show that for a very low initial food concentrations, colony develops fingering pattern at the front, while for intermediate values of initial food sources, the colony undergoes transitions to branched structures at the periphery and for very high values of food colony develops smoother fronts.

Poison prevention practices and medically attended poisoning in young children: multicentre case-control study.

PubMed

Kendrick, Denise; Majsak-Newman, Gosia; Benford, Penny; Coupland, Carol; Timblin, Clare; Hayes, Mike; Goodenough, Trudy; Hawkins, Adrian; Reading, Richard

2017-04-01

Childhood poisonings are common, placing a substantial burden on health services. Case-control studies have found inconsistent evidence about modifiable risk factors for poisonings among children aged 0-4 years. This study quantifies associations between poison prevention practices and medically attended poisonings in children aged 0-4 years. Multicentre case-control study conducted at hospitals, minor injury units and family practices from four study centres in England between 2010 and 2013. Participants comprised 567 children presenting with unintentional poisoning occurring at home and 2320 community control participants matched on age, sex, date of event and study centre. Parents/caregivers provided data on safety practices, safety equipment use, home hazards and potential confounders by means of self-completion questionnaires. Data were analysed using conditional logistic regression. Compared with community controls, parents of poisoned children were significantly more likely not to store medicines out of reach (adjusted OR (AOR) 1.59; 95% CI 1.21 to 2.09; population attributable fraction (PAF) 15%), not to store medicines safely (locked or out of reach (AOR 1.83; 95% CI 1.38 to 2.42; PAF 16%) and not to have put all medicines (AOR 2.11; 95% CI 1.54 to 2.90; PAF 20%) or household products (AOR 1.79, 95% CI 1.29 to 2.48; PAF 11%) away immediately after use. Not storing medicines out of reach or locked away and not putting medicines and household products away immediately after use increased the odds of secondary care attended poisonings in children aged 0-4 years. If associations are causal, implementing these poison prevention practices could each prevent between 11% and 20% of poisonings. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

21 CFR 868.5260 - Breathing circuit bacterial filter.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Breathing circuit bacterial filter. 868.5260 Section 868.5260 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES... filter. (a) Identification. A breathing circuit bacterial filter is a device that is intended to remove...

21 CFR 868.5260 - Breathing circuit bacterial filter.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Breathing circuit bacterial filter. 868.5260 Section 868.5260 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES... filter. (a) Identification. A breathing circuit bacterial filter is a device that is intended to remove...

21 CFR 868.5260 - Breathing circuit bacterial filter.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Breathing circuit bacterial filter. 868.5260 Section 868.5260 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES... filter. (a) Identification. A breathing circuit bacterial filter is a device that is intended to remove...

21 CFR 868.5260 - Breathing circuit bacterial filter.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Breathing circuit bacterial filter. 868.5260 Section 868.5260 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES... filter. (a) Identification. A breathing circuit bacterial filter is a device that is intended to remove...

21 CFR 868.5260 - Breathing circuit bacterial filter.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Breathing circuit bacterial filter. 868.5260 Section 868.5260 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES... filter. (a) Identification. A breathing circuit bacterial filter is a device that is intended to remove...

Poison Ivy Rash

MedlinePlus

... Poison ivy rash is a type of allergic contact dermatitis caused by an oily resin called urushiol. It's ... so can help reduce the severity of the rash. If you think your pet may be ... think you've come into contact with poison ivy, wash your clothing promptly with ...

GLC analysis of poison ivy and poison oak urushiol components in vegetable oil preparations.

PubMed

Elsohly, M A; Turner, C E

1980-05-01

A procedure is described for the analysis of urushiol content of pharmaceutical preparations containing extracts of poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) and poison oak (T. diversilobum) in vegetable oils. The procedure involves extraction of the urushiols from the oily solutions using 90% methanol in water followed by GLC analysis of the extracts. Recoveries of both poison ivy and poison oak urushiols from solutions in corn oil, olive oil, sesame seed oil, and cottonseed oil were calculated. Correlation coefficients (r2) ranged from 0.97 to 1.00, and the coefficients of variations ranged from 3.08 to 7.90%.

49 CFR 172.554 - POISON placard.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 49 Transportation 2 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false POISON placard. 172.554 Section 172.554... SECURITY PLANS Placarding § 172.554 POISON placard. (a) Except for size and color, the POISON placard must be as follows: EC02MR91.057 (b) In addition to complying with § 172.519, the background on the POISON...

49 CFR 172.430 - POISON label.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 49 Transportation 2 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false POISON label. 172.430 Section 172.430... SECURITY PLANS Labeling § 172.430 POISON label. (a) Except for size and color, the POISON label must be as follows: EC02MR91.029 (b) In addition to complying with § 172.407, the background on the POISON label must...

49 CFR 172.430 - POISON label.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 49 Transportation 2 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false POISON label. 172.430 Section 172.430... SECURITY PLANS Labeling § 172.430 POISON label. (a) Except for size and color, the POISON label must be as follows: EC02MR91.029 (b) In addition to complying with § 172.407, the background on the POISON label must...

49 CFR 172.554 - POISON placard.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 49 Transportation 2 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false POISON placard. 172.554 Section 172.554... SECURITY PLANS Placarding § 172.554 POISON placard. (a) Except for size and color, the POISON placard must be as follows: EC02MR91.057 (b) In addition to complying with § 172.519, the background on the POISON...

49 CFR 172.554 - POISON placard.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 49 Transportation 2 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false POISON placard. 172.554 Section 172.554... SECURITY PLANS Placarding § 172.554 POISON placard. (a) Except for size and color, the POISON placard must be as follows: EC02MR91.057 (b) In addition to complying with § 172.519, the background on the POISON...

49 CFR 172.554 - POISON placard.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 49 Transportation 2 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false POISON placard. 172.554 Section 172.554... SECURITY PLANS Placarding § 172.554 POISON placard. (a) Except for size and color, the POISON placard must be as follows: EC02MR91.057 (b) In addition to complying with § 172.519, the background on the POISON...

49 CFR 172.430 - POISON label.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 49 Transportation 2 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false POISON label. 172.430 Section 172.430... SECURITY PLANS Labeling § 172.430 POISON label. (a) Except for size and color, the POISON label must be as follows: EC02MR91.029 (b) In addition to complying with § 172.407, the background on the POISON label must...

49 CFR 172.554 - POISON placard.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false POISON placard. 172.554 Section 172.554... SECURITY PLANS Placarding § 172.554 POISON placard. (a) Except for size and color, the POISON placard must be as follows: EC02MR91.057 (b) In addition to complying with § 172.519, the background on the POISON...

49 CFR 172.430 - POISON label.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 49 Transportation 2 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false POISON label. 172.430 Section 172.430... SECURITY PLANS Labeling § 172.430 POISON label. (a) Except for size and color, the POISON label must be as follows: EC02MR91.029 (b) In addition to complying with § 172.407, the background on the POISON label must...

49 CFR 172.430 - POISON label.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false POISON label. 172.430 Section 172.430... SECURITY PLANS Labeling § 172.430 POISON label. (a) Except for size and color, the POISON label must be as follows: EC02MR91.029 (b) In addition to complying with § 172.407, the background on the POISON label must...

Microorganisms in Food--Their Significance and Methods of Enumeration.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andrews, S.

1980-01-01

Described are laboratory methods for enumerating microorganisms in food. These methods are utilized to determine if foods are potentially hazardous to the consumer due to high concentrations of microorganisms. Discussed are indicator organisms, including coliforms, interococci, yeasts, and molds; food poisoning organisms (staphylococci and…

Scombroid fish poisoning associated with tuna steaks--Louisiana and Tennessee, 2006.

PubMed

2007-08-17

Scombroid fish poisoning is an acute illness that occurs after eating fish containing high levels of histamine or other biogenic amines. Symptoms typically include facial flushing, sweating, rash, a burning or peppery taste in the mouth, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps and usually resolve within several hours without medical intervention. More severe symptoms (e.g., respiratory distress, swelling of the tongue and throat, and blurred vision) can occur and require medical treatment with antihistamines. In late 2006, two outbreaks of scombroid fish poisoning occurred, one in Louisiana and one in Tennessee. To determine the source of the outbreaks and to implement control measures, CDC and the state health departments in Louisiana and Tennessee conducted epidemiologic investigations, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) conducted traceback investigations of the product. This report describes the results of those investigations, which indicated that the outbreaks in Louisiana and Tennessee were associated with tuna steaks from Indonesia and Vietnam, respectively. The majority of seafood eaten in the United States is imported. FDA programs to identify and prevent seafood hazards such as scombroid fish poisoning have made substantial progress but are able to inspect only a small proportion of seafood entering the United States. The only effective method for prevention of scombroid fish poisoning is consistent temperature control of fish at

Dermoscopy of black-spot poison ivy.

PubMed

Rader, Ryan K; Mu, Ruipu; Shi, Honglan; Stoecker, William V; Hinton, Kristen A

2012-10-15

Black-spot poison ivy is an uncommon presentation of poison ivy (Toxicodendron) allergic contact dermatitis. A 78-year-old sought evaluation of a black spot present on her right hand amid pruritic vesicles. The presentation of a black spot on the skin in a clinical context suggesting poison ivy is indicative of black-spot poison ivy. Dermoscopy revealed a jagged, centrally homogeneous, dark brown lesion with a red rim. A skin sample was obtained and compared against a poison ivy standard using ultra-fast liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UFLC-MS/MS). This finding confirmed the presence of multiple urushiol congeners in the skin sample. Black-spot poison ivy may be added to the list of diagnoses that show a specific dermoscopic pattern.

Criminal poisoning of commuters in Bangladesh: prospective and retrospective study.

PubMed

Majumder, M Mahbub Alam; Basher, Ariful; Faiz, M Abul; Kuch, Ulrich; Pogoda, Werner; Kauert, Gerold F; Toennes, Stefan W

2008-08-25

Travel-related poisoning is an emerging social and public health emergency in Bangladesh but its cause and significance have not been determined. To investigate this syndrome we performed a prospective clinical study and retrospective analysis of hospital records in a general medicine unit of a public tertiary care teaching hospital in Dhaka, Bangladesh, using toxicological analysis by fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA) and liquid chromatography coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-TOF MS). The participants of the prospective study were 130 consecutive patients aged 16-80 years who were admitted with central nervous system depression (Glasgow Coma Score 3-14) after using public transportation, in the absence of other abnormalities, from January through June 2004, and a convenience sample of 15 such patients admitted during 3 days in May 2006. In 2004-2006, travel-related poisoning increased from 6.1 to 9.5% of all admissions (210-309 of 3266-3843 per year), representing 46.6-55.7% of all admitted poisoning cases. Incidents were associated with bus (76%), taxi, train, and air travel, or local markets; 98% of patients remembered buying or accepting food or drinks before losing consciousness. Direct financial damage (missing property) was diverse and frequently existential. Among 94 urine samples analyzed by FPIA, 74% tested positive for benzodiazepines. Among 15 urine samples analyzed by LC-TOF MS, lorazepam was detected in all; five also contained diazepam or metabolites; nitrazepam was present in three. FPIA results obtained for these 15 samples were below the recommended cut-off in eight (53%; lorazepam only). Our findings show that the massive medicosocial emergency of travel-related poisoning in Bangladesh is the result of drug-facilitated organized crime and that benzodiazepine drugs are used to commit these crimes, suggesting modifications to the local emergency management of the victims of this type of poisoning. They also highlight the

Bubble bath soap poisoning

MedlinePlus

... medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002762.htm Bubble bath soap poisoning To use the sharing features on this page, please enable JavaScript. Bubble bath soap poisoning occurs when someone swallows bubble bath soap. ...

[Acute poisonings in Poland during the period 1997-1999. An analysis of files from the Krakow Poison Information Center].

PubMed

Kotwica, Małgorzata; Rogaczewska, Anna

2002-01-01

This work analyses the 1997-1999 data received from Polish poison units at Gdańsk, Kraków, Lublin, Łódź, Poznań, Rzeszów, Tarnów, Sosnowiec, Warszawa, Wrocław on patients hospitalised there and patients treated at other hospitals but consulted by specialists of those centres. The analysis shows that drugs constituted the most frequent cause of the poisonings (over 45% all poisonings). Poisonings with: alcohols accounted for 17.6%, gases (primarily by carbon monoxide) for 5.3%, pesticides for 4.5%, substances of abuse for 4.1%, and with organic solvents for 4.0% total poisonings. Suicidal poisonings constituted about 36% total poisonings, accidental over 25%, poisonings resulting for street-drugs and alcohol abuse over 23%, chemical emergency or fire 1%, while occupational poisonings constituted only 0.9% total poisonings. In 1997-1999, the highest numbers of deaths were recorded after intake of: drugs (102), ethylene glycol (39), alcohols (49, including 16 after intake of methanol and 33 after intake of ethanol), pesticides (15 deaths).

Fragments of the bacterial toxin microcin B17 as gyrase poisons.

PubMed

Collin, Frédéric; Thompson, Robert E; Jolliffe, Katrina A; Payne, Richard J; Maxwell, Anthony

2013-01-01

Fluoroquinolones are very important drugs in the clinical antibacterial arsenal; their success is principally due to their mode of action: the stabilisation of a gyrase-DNA intermediate (the cleavage complex), which triggers a chain of events leading to cell death. Microcin B17 (MccB17) is a modified peptide bacterial toxin that acts by a similar mode of action, but is unfortunately unsuitable as a therapeutic drug. However, its structure and mechanism could inspire the design of new antibacterial compounds that are needed to circumvent the rise in bacterial resistance to current antibiotics. Here we describe the investigation of the structural features responsible for MccB17 activity and the identification of fragments of the toxin that retain the ability to stabilise the cleavage complex.

[Acute accidental poisoning in children: aspects of their epidemiology, aetiology, and outcome at the Charles de Gaulle Paediatric Hospital in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso)].

PubMed

Kouéta, Fla; Dao, Lassina; Yé, Diarra; Fayama, Zéinabou; Sawadogo, Alphonse

2009-01-01

Accidents are a daily concern in the paediatric ward because of their frequency, diversity and severity. Acute accidental poisoning (AAP) accounts for an important portion of these. To help improvement management of AAP, we conducted a retrospective study covering a period of 2 years from January 2005 to December 2006 at Charles de Gaulle Paediatric University Hospital in Ouagadougou. Of 9390 admissions during the study period, 123 children, or 1.3%, were admitted for poisoning. A cumulative average of 11 were admitted monthly, with a peak of 16 patients in April 2005 and 2006, together. AAP was most common among children aged 1 to 4 years. Their mean age was 3 years and ranged from 6 days to 12 years. Boys outnumbered girls, with a sex ratio of 1.2. Mothers of more than half (61%) of the children poisoned worked in the home. Household products accounted for 44.7% of AAPs, followed by drug (22.7%) and food (22%) poisoning. Kerosene and other petroleum products topped the list of household products, with 54.5%. Tranquilizers (46.4%) and dairy products (37%) dominated the drug and food poisoning categories. Immediate outcome was fatal in 3% of cases, and three quarters of these deaths occurred during drug poisoning of children aged 1 to 4 years. The mean hospital stay was 2 days, and ranged from 0 to 9 days. Health officials, the media, and community outreach must all help to increase awareness about the dangers of poisoning and of preventive measures.

Baseline knowledge survey of restaurant food handlers in suburban Chicago: do restaurant food handlers know what they need to know to keep consumers safe?

PubMed

Manes, Mindi R; Liu, Li C; Dworkin, Mark S

2013-01-01

In the U.S., foodborne disease causes millions of illnesses annually, resulting in thousands of deaths. To reduce food poisoning, restaurant food handlers need accurate knowledge of food safety principles as a starting point for the outcome of optimal food safety behavior. The study described in this article determined food safety knowledge gaps among suburban Chicago restaurant food handlers. A cross-sectional survey of 729 food handlers at 211 suburban Chicago restaurants was conducted from June 2009 through February 2010. A 50-question survey was administered by a trained interviewer in either English or Spanish. Mixed-effects regression analysis identified risk factors associated with an overall food safety knowledge score. The mean overall knowledge score was only 72% and substantial knowledge gaps related to cross contamination, cooking, and holding and storage of food were identified. Spanish-speaking food handlers scored significantly lower than English-speaking food handlers (p < .05). Although certified food managers scored significantly higher than noncertified food handlers, their score was only 79%. These data provide targets for educational interventions to remedy knowledge gaps in food handlers in order to prevent food poisoning from restaurants.

Tips to Prevent Poisonings

MedlinePlus

... CDC: Prescription Drug Overdose Poison Help (Department of Health & Human Services) American Association of Poison Control Centers, Inc. ... 232-6348 Email CDC-INFO U.S. Department of Health & Human Services HHS/Open USA.gov Top

Defending the Military Food Supply Acquisition, Preparation, and Protection of Food at U.S. Military Installations

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-09-01

former KGB official, with polonium - 210 in 2006.25 However, a number of factors make radiological contamination of food unlikely. First, it is...attempts to poison the military food supply,1,2 one cannot ignore the fact that contaminated food could rapidly and effectively reduce the combat readiness...peppers from Mexico in the summer of 2008)5 can be an effective vector for illness. The cases mentioned above are due to lapses in food safety, so what

The first report of pyrrolizidine alkaloid poisoning in a gazelle (Gazella Subgutturosa) - histopathologic diagnosis.

PubMed

Khordadmehr, Monireh; Rezazadeh, Fereydoon; Ashrafi-Helan, Javad; Hosseini-Ghomi, Mir Mohsen

2016-03-01

Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) are natural phytotoxins found in thousands of plant species around the world. They are probably the most common poisonous plants affecting livestock, wildlife and humans. The disease occurs almost entirely as a consequence of chronic poisoning and in general ends fatally. In the present study, PAs poisoning was investigated in a gazelle with hepatic encephalopathy associated with severe neurologic signs. The main clinical signs included head pressing, progressive depression and weakness, ataxia and reluctance to move, turn the head to the left and to paddle, hyperesthesia and decreased food intake. Histopathological examination revealed major lesions in the liver consisting of severe hepatocyte megalocytosis and hypertrophy with nuclei enlargement, mild bile duct hyperplasia, centriacinar fatty change and hepatocellular necrosis. Moreover, pulmonary congestion and edema with endothelium necrosis and alveolar septa thickening, severe congestion in vessels of the brain and meninges, and myocardial necrosis were observed.

Poison exposures in young Israeli military personnel: a National Poison Center Data analysis.

PubMed

Lavon, Ophir; Bentur, Yedidia

2017-06-01

To characterize poison exposures in young Israeli military personnel as reported to the national poison center. Retrospective poison center chart review over a 14-year period. Cases included were Israeli soldiers aged 18-21 years, the compulsory military service age required by the Israeli law. 1770 records of poison exposures in young military personnel were identified. Most exposed individuals involved males (n = 1268, 71.6%). Main routes of exposure were ingestion (n = 854, 48.3%), inhalation (n = 328, 18.6%) and ocular (n = 211, 11.9%). Accidents or misuse (n = 712, 40.2%) were the most frequently reported circumstances, followed by suicide attempts (370, 20.9%), and bites and stings (161, 9.1%). More than half of the cases involved chemicals (n = 939, 53.1%); hydrocarbons, gases and corrosives were the main causative agents. Pharmaceuticals (mainly analgesics) were involved in 519 (29.3%) cases, venomous animals (mainly scorpions, centipedes, and snakes) in 79 (4.5%). Clinical manifestations were reported in 666 (37.6%) cases, mostly gastrointestinal, neurologic, and respiratory. The vast majority of cases (1634, 92.3%) were asymptomatic or mildly affected; no fatalities were recorded. In 831 (46.9%) cases the clinical toxicologist recommended referral to an emergency department; ambulatory observation was recommended in 563 (31.8%) cases, and hospitalization in 86 (4.9%). Our data show that poison exposures among young soldiers involve mainly males, accidents, misuse and suicides, oral route and chemicals; most exposures were asymptomatic or with mild severity. Repeated evaluations of poison center data pertaining to military personnel is advised for identifying trends in poison exposure and characteristics in this particular population.

Glycemic Status in Organophosphorus Poisoning.

PubMed

Panda, S; Nanda, R; Mangaraj, M; Rathod, P K; Mishra, P K

2015-01-01

Organophosphorus(OP) poisoning, in addition to its cholinergic manifestations shows metabolic derangements leading to hyperglycemia. Apart from inhibiting acetylcholinesterase it also induces oxidative stress to exhibit this manifestation. The present study aims to assess the glycemic status of OP poisoned patients and its association with various factors in OP poisoning like oxidative stress and dose of atropine. This is a prospective study which recruited 102 patients above 18 years of age with history of OP poisoning. They were categorized into 3 grades-mild, moderate and severe based on the Peradeniya Organophosphorus Poisining Scale. The routine biochemical parameters along with serum malondialdehyde (MDA) and cholinesterase were estimated in the study group. Hyperglycemia and glycosuria were observed, with majority cases of hyperglycemia (57%) noticed in the severe group. There was a rise in the random plasma glucose (RPG), serum malondialdehyde (MDA), total dose of atropine across the groups along with a fall in the serum cholinesterase with increase in severity of poisoning. The fall in plasma glucose at the time of discharge was significant in all three groups when compared to the admission random plasma glucose(RPG) level. This transient hyperglycemia exhibited a significant positive association with serum MDA and dose of atropine administered during treatment (p<0.05). Glycemic status in OP poisoning may play a role in identifying the severity of poisoning at the time of admission.

Fragments of the Bacterial Toxin Microcin B17 as Gyrase Poisons

PubMed Central

Collin, Frédéric; Thompson, Robert E.; Jolliffe, Katrina A.; Payne, Richard J.; Maxwell, Anthony

2013-01-01

Fluoroquinolones are very important drugs in the clinical antibacterial arsenal; their success is principally due to their mode of action: the stabilisation of a gyrase-DNA intermediate (the cleavage complex), which triggers a chain of events leading to cell death. Microcin B17 (MccB17) is a modified peptide bacterial toxin that acts by a similar mode of action, but is unfortunately unsuitable as a therapeutic drug. However, its structure and mechanism could inspire the design of new antibacterial compounds that are needed to circumvent the rise in bacterial resistance to current antibiotics. Here we describe the investigation of the structural features responsible for MccB17 activity and the identification of fragments of the toxin that retain the ability to stabilise the cleavage complex. PMID:23593482

Cardiological aspects of carbon monoxide poisoning.

PubMed

Marchewka, Jakub; Gawlik, Iwona; Dębski, Grzegorz; Popiołek, Lech; Marchewka, Wojciech; Hydzik, Piotr

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to assess cardiological manifestations of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. Background/introduction: Carbon monoxide intoxication is one of the most important toxicological causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Early clinical manifestation of CO poisoning is cardiotoxicity. We enrolled 75 patients (34 males and 41 females, mean age 37.6 ± 17.7 y/o) hospitalized due to CO poisoning. Laboratory tests including troponin I, blood pressure measurements, HR and electrocardiograms (ECG) were collected. Pach's scale scoring and grading system was used to establish severity of poisoning. Grade of poisoning is positively correlated with troponin I levels and systolic blood pressure. Moreover, troponin levels are significantly correlated with exposition time, lactates and are higher in tachycardiac, hypertensive and positive ECG subpopulations. COHb levels are indicative of exposure but do not correlate with grade of poisoning. The main cause of CO poisoning were bathroom heaters - 83%, only 11% of examined intoxicated population were equipped with CO detectors. Complex cardiological screening covering troponin levels, ECG, blood pressure and heart rate measurements as well as complete blood count with particular attention to platelet parameters should be performed in each case where CO intoxication is suspected. More emphasis on education on CO poisoning is needed.

Identification and treatment of poison ivy dermatitis.

PubMed

Briant, D; Brouder, G

1983-01-01

Poison ivy dermatitis is an acute self-limiting problem of two or three weeks' duration that can cause significant discomfort. Poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac cause more cases of allergic contact dermatitis than all the other contact allergens combined. Treatment of poison ivy dermatitis depends on the severity of the reaction. The nurse practitioner can manage the majority of poison ivy cases. However, if there is systemic involvement, a physician consultation is necessary. The patient can best be assisted by assessing the severity of the dermatitis, prescribing an appropriate supportive therapy and teaching preventive measures.

Circumstances of Accidental Poisoning in Childhood

PubMed Central

Jackson, R. H.; Walker, J. H.; Wynne, N. A.

1968-01-01

Of 377 children with accidental poisoning, the commonest ages were 1, 2, and 3. The most important contributory factor was that the poison was kept in an inappropriate place. Most containers were closed, but the children found them easy to open. In some cases the container itself was unsuitable for the contents. The frequency of poisoning in childhood might be reduced in six main ways: (1) a reduction in the quantity of drugs kept in the home; (2) the provision of drug cupboards; (3) the provision of containers that are difficult for children to open, or individually foil-wrapping tablets; (4) making tablets less attractive to children; (5) clear identification of potential poisons; and (6) increasing parental awareness of the circumstances under which poisoning occurs. A plea is made for further sociomedical research into the prevention of poisoning. PMID:5682329

Childhood self-poisoning: a one-year review.

PubMed

Neilson, Z E; Morrison, W

2012-11-01

Self-poisoning in children is a serious health concern accounting for 2% and 5% of childhood deaths in the developed and developing world, respectively. Type of poison and intent varies between age groups, with alcohol poisoning becoming increasingly common in teenagers. The aim of the study was to identify the characteristics of paediatric self-poisoning at Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, as a function of age, sex, intent and type of poison. Data from patients under the age of 17 presenting to Ninewells Hospital's Emergency Department with self-poisoning from 1 December 2008 to 30 November 2009 inclusive were identified, classified and analysed using chi-square testing. Overall there was no significant difference in gender. However, females significantly dominated in the ≥12<17 years age group, with older females also significantly more likely to deliberately self-poison. Alcohol was the sole cause of accidental self-poisoning in this age group while paracetamol was used in the majority of cases of deliberate self-poisoning. In the <6 years age group, household chemical ingestion and over-the-counter medications were the most common poisons. The findings reflect previous published data and national trends. The prevalence of alcohol abuse in the ≥12<17 years age group is a major public health issue that must be addressed.

In silico modeling and synthesis of phenyl and thienyl analogs of chalcones for potential leads as anti-bacterial agents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kar, Swayamsiddha; Mishra, Rohit Kumar; Pathak, Ashutosh; Dikshit, Anupam; Golakoti, Nageswara Rao

2018-03-01

In the recent times, the common diseases like food poisoning, pneumonia, diarrhea etc. have been observed to be drug resistant. The present study deals with the synthesis of known chalcone derivatives using the Claisen-Schmidt condensation and further characterization using UV-vis, IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR and mass spectrometry. These derivatives were first simulated for their anti-bacterial efficacy in silico and consequently confirmed in vitro to confirm the findings. One of the chalcones, 4-NDM-2‧-HC showed excellent in-vitro antibacterial activity with an IC90 0.43 mg/mL against Vibrio cholerae as compared to commercially available antibiotic gentamicin as the standard. Further, all these tested chalcone derivatives fulfill Lipinski's parameters and show tremendous drug likeness score, confirming their potential as antibacterial leads.

The animal food supplement sepiolite promotes a direct horizontal transfer of antibiotic resistance plasmids between bacterial species.

PubMed

Rodríguez-Beltrán, Jerónimo; Rodríguez-Rojas, Alexandro; Yubero, Elva; Blázquez, Jesús

2013-06-01

Animal fodder is routinely complemented with antibiotics together with other food supplements to improve growth. For instance, sepiolite is currently used as a dietary coadjuvant in animal feed, as it increases animal growth parameters and improves meat and derived final product quality. This type of food additive has so far been considered innocuous for the development and spread of antibiotic resistance. In this study, we demonstrate that sepiolite promotes the direct horizontal transfer of antibiotic resistance plasmids between bacterial species. The conditions needed for plasmid transfer (sepiolite and friction forces) occur in the digestive tracts of farm animals, which routinely receive sepiolite as a food additive. Furthermore, this effect may be aggravated by the use of antibiotics supplied as growth promoters.

From poison to remedy: the chequered history of botulinum toxin.

PubMed

Erbguth, F J

2008-01-01

Botulinum toxin poisoning has afflicted mankind through the mists of time. However, the first incident of food-borne botulism was documented as late as the 18th century, when the consumption of meat and blood sausages gave rise to many deaths throughout the kingdom of Württemberg in South Western Germany. The district medical officer Justinus Kerner (1786--1862), who was also a well-known German poet, published the first accurate and complete descriptions of the symptoms of food-borne botulism between 1817 and 1822 and attributed the intoxication to a biological poison. Kerner also postulated that the toxin might be used for treatment purposes. In 1895, an outbreak of botulism in the small Belgian village of Ellezelles led to the discovery of the pathogen "Clostridium botulinum" by Emile Pierre van Ermengem. Modern botulinum toxin treatment was pioneered by Alan B. Scott and Edward J. Schantz in the early 1970s, when the type-A serotype was used in medicine to correct strabismus. Other preparations of the type-A toxin were developed and manufactured in the United Kingdom, Germany, and China, whereas a therapeutic type-B toxin was prepared in the United States. To date, the toxin has been used to treat a wide variety of conditions associated with muscular hyperactivity, glandular hypersecretions and pain.

Some food toxic for pets

PubMed Central

Kovalkovičová, Natália; Šutiaková, Irena; Pistl, Juraj; Šutiak, Václav

2009-01-01

According to world statistics, dogs and cats are the species that owners most frequently seek assistance with potential poisonings, accounting 95–98% of all reported animal cases. Exposures occur more commonly in the summer and in December that is associated with the holiday season. The majority (>90%) of animal poisonings are accidental and acute in nature and occur near or at the animal owner's home. Feeding human foodstuff to pets may also prove dangerous for their health. The aim of this review was to present common food items that should not be fed (intentionally or unintentionally) to dogs, i.e. chocolate, caffeine, and other methylxanthines, grapes, raisins, onion, garlic, avocado, alcohol, nuts, xylitol contained in chewing gum and candies, etc. Onion and avocado are toxic for cats, too. The clinical effects of individual toxicants and possible therapy are also mentioned. Knowing what human food has the potential to be involved in serious toxicoses should allow veterinarians to better educate their clients on means of preventing pet poisonings. It can be concluded that the best advice must surely be to give animal fodder or treats specifically developed for their diets. PMID:21217849

Enteric Pathogen-Plant Interactions: Molecular Connections Leading to Colonization and Growth and Implications for Food Safety

PubMed Central

Martínez-Vaz, Betsy M.; Fink, Ryan C.; Diez-Gonzalez, Francisco; Sadowsky, Michael J.

2014-01-01

Leafy green vegetables have been identified as a source of foodborne illnesses worldwide over the past decade. Human enteric pathogens, such as Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella, have been implicated in numerous food poisoning outbreaks associated with the consumption of fresh produce. An understanding of the mechanisms responsible for the establishment of pathogenic bacteria in or on vegetable plants is critical for understanding and ameliorating this problem as well as ensuring the safety of our food supply. While previous studies have described the growth and survival of enteric pathogens in the environment and also the risk factors associated with the contamination of vegetables, the molecular events involved in the colonization of fresh produce by enteric pathogens are just beginning to be elucidated. This review summarizes recent findings on the interactions of several bacterial pathogens with leafy green vegetables. Changes in gene expression linked to the bacterial attachment and colonization of plant structures are discussed in light of their relevance to plant-microbe interactions. We propose a mechanism for the establishment and association of enteric pathogens with plants and discuss potential strategies to address the problem of foodborne illness linked to the consumption of leafy green vegetables. PMID:24859308

Food contamination as a pathway for lead exposure in children during the 2010-2013 lead poisoning epidemic in Zamfara, Nigeria.

PubMed

Tirima, Simba; Bartrem, Casey; von Lindern, Ian; von Braun, Margrit; Lind, Douglas; Anka, Shehu Mohamed; Abdullahi, Aishat

2018-05-01

In 2010, an estimated 400 to 500 children died of acute lead poisoning associated with artisanal gold mining in Zamfara, Nigeria. Processing of gold ores containing up to 10% lead within residential compounds put residents, especially children, at the highest risk. Principal routes of exposure were incidental ingestion and inhalation of contaminated soil and dusts. Several Nigerian and international health organizations collaborated to reduce lead exposures through environmental remediation and medical treatment. The contribution of contaminated food to total lead exposure was assessed during the environmental health response. Objectives of this investigation were to assess the influence of cultural/dietary habits on lead exposure pathways and estimate the contribution of contaminated food to children's blood lead levels (BLLs). A survey of village dietary practices and staple food lead content was conducted to determine dietary composition, caloric intakes, and lead intake. Potential blood lead increments were estimated using bio-kinetic modeling techniques. Most dietary lead exposure was associated with contamination of staple cereal grains and legumes during post-harvest processing and preparation in contaminated homes. Average post-harvest and processed cereal grain lead levels were 0.32mg/kg and 0.85mg/kg dry weight, respectively. Age-specific food lead intake ranged from 7 to 78μg/day. Lead ingestion and absorption were likely aggravated by the dusty environment, fasting between meals, and nutritional deficiencies. Contamination of staple cereal grains by highly bioavailable pulverized ores could account for as much as 11%-34% of children's BLLs during the epidemic, and were a continuing source after residential soil remediation until stored grain inventories were exhausted. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

[Analysis of main risk factors causing foodborne diseases in food catering business].

PubMed

Fan, Yong-xiang; Liu, Xiu-mei; Bao, Yi-dan

2011-06-01

To study main risk factors that cause foodborne diseases in food catering business. Data from references and investigations conducted in food catering units were used to establish models which based on @Risk 4.5 with Monte Carlo method referring to food handling practice model (FHPM) to make risk assessment on factors of food contamination in food catering units. The Beta-Poisson models on dose-response relationship to Salmonella (developed by WHO/FAO and United States Department of Agriculture) and Vibrio parahaemolyticus (developed by US FDA) were used in this article to analyze the dose-response relationship of pathogens. The average probability of food poisoning by consuming Salmonella contaminated cooked meat under refrigeration was 1.96 × 10(-4) which was 1/2800 of the food under non-refrigeration (the average probability of food poisoning was 0.35 at room temperature 25°C). The average probability by consuming 6 hours stored meat under room temperature was 0.11 which was 16 times of 2 hours storage (6.79 × 10(-3)). The average probability by consuming contaminated meat without fully cooking was 1.71 × 10(-4) which was 100 times of consuming fully cooked meat (1.88 × 10(-6)). The probability growth of food poisoning by consuming Vibrio parahaemolyticus contaminated fresh seafood was proportional with contamination level and prevalence. The primary contamination level, storage temperature and time, cooking process and cross contamination are important factors of catering food safety.

Acute pesticide poisoning and pesticide registration in Central America

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wesseling, Catharina; Corriols, Marianela; Bravo, Viria

The International Code of Conduct on the Distribution and Use of Pesticides of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations has been for 20 years the most acknowledged international initiative for reducing negative impact from pesticide use in developing countries. We analyzed pesticide use and poisoning in Central America, particularly in Costa Rica and Nicaragua, and evaluated whether registration decisions are based on such data, in accordance with the FAO Code. Extensive use of very hazardous pesticides continues in Central America and so do poisonings with organophosphates, carbamates, endosulfan and paraquat as the main causative agents. Centralmore » American governments do not carry out or commission scientific risk assessments. Instead, guidelines from international agencies are followed for risk management through the registration process. Documentation of pesticide poisonings during several decades never induced any decision to ban or restrict a pesticide. However, based on the official surveillance systems, in 2000, the ministers of health of the seven Central American countries agreed to ban or restrict twelve of these pesticides. Now, almost 4 years later, restrictions have been implemented in El Salvador and in Nicaragua public debate is ongoing. Chemical and agricultural industries do not withdraw problematic pesticides voluntarily. In conclusion, the registration processes in Central America do not comply satisfactorily with the FAO Code. However, international regulatory guidelines are important in developing countries, and international agencies should strongly extend its scope and influence, limiting industry involvement. Profound changes in international and national agricultural policies, steering towards sustainable agriculture based on non-chemical pest management, are the only way to reduce poisonings.« less

[Household gas poisonings].

PubMed

Maloca, Ivana; Macan, Jelena; Varnai, Veda Marija; Turk, Rajka

2006-12-01

Exposure to toxic gases which can induce serious health effects, can occur in the working as well as in general environment, including home. The severity of gas poisoning is determined by its physical and chemical characteristics, intensity and duration of exposure, and concomitant diseases and injuries in the poisoned person. Manifestations of gas toxic action involve simple asphyxia, local irritation of respiratory mucosa, systemic toxicity, and a combination of these mechanisms. This article describes the characteristics, modes of exposure and health effects of most common gases causing poisoning at home. These include gas fuels, carbon monoxide, ammonia, chlorine, and fire gases such as nitrogen and sulphur oxides, hydrogen cyanide and phosgene. First aid as well as preventive measures to avoid exposure to toxic gases and prevent fire at home are also given. The Croatian Poison Control Centre gathered data on toxic gas exposures in households between November 2005 and July 2006. During this period 30 persons (3 % of the total number of cases) were exposed to toxic gases at home, including carbon monoxide, irritating vapours from cleaning agents and disinfectants, gas fuels, septic tank gases, tear-gas, and chlorofluorocarbons from refrigerators.

Poisoning - fish and shellfish

MedlinePlus

... waters. Scombroid poisoning most often occurs from large, dark meat fish such as tuna, mackerel, mahi mahi, and albacore. Because this poison develops after a fish is caught and dies, it does not matter where the fish is caught. The main factor ...

Heavy metal poisoning and concurrent septicemia

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Singer, R.H.

1976-01-01

Poisoning occurring in animals caused by agents such as arsenic, lead, tin, and other necrotizing substances is often accompanied by a Clostridial septicemia. The toxins of the Clostridia involved bring about clinical signs and pathologic changes that differ considerably from those caused by the poisonous agent; thereby overshadowing those produced by the poison. The Clostridia involved most frequently are Clostridium septicum, sordelli, and novyi. Therapy in cases of poisoning by necrotizing substances should include measures to prevent possible Clostridial involvement.

Handbook of Common Poisonings in Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Food and Drug Administration (DHEW), Washington, DC.

This handbook for physicians, emergency room personnel and pharmacists lists the manufacturer, description, toxicity, symptoms and findings, treatment, and references for 73 poison substances considered by the Subcommittee on Accidental Poisoning of the American Academy of Pediatrics to be most significant in terms of accidental poisoning of…

Food additives.

PubMed

Berglund, F

1978-01-01

The use of additives to food fulfils many purposes, as shown by the index issued by the Codex Committee on Food Additives: Acids, bases and salts; Preservatives, Antioxidants and antioxidant synergists; Anticaking agents; Colours; Emulfifiers; Thickening agents; Flour-treatment agents; Extraction solvents; Carrier solvents; Flavours (synthetic); Flavour enhancers; Non-nutritive sweeteners; Processing aids; Enzyme preparations. Many additives occur naturally in foods, but this does not exclude toxicity at higher levels. Some food additives are nutrients, or even essential nutritents, e.g. NaCl. Examples are known of food additives causing toxicity in man even when used according to regulations, e.g. cobalt in beer. In other instances, poisoning has been due to carry-over, e.g. by nitrate in cheese whey - when used for artificial feed for infants. Poisonings also occur as the result of the permitted substance being added at too high levels, by accident or carelessness, e.g. nitrite in fish. Finally, there are examples of hypersensitivity to food additives, e.g. to tartrazine and other food colours. The toxicological evaluation, based on animal feeding studies, may be complicated by impurities, e.g. orthotoluene-sulfonamide in saccharin; by transformation or disappearance of the additive in food processing in storage, e.g. bisulfite in raisins; by reaction products with food constituents, e.g. formation of ethylurethane from diethyl pyrocarbonate; by metabolic transformation products, e.g. formation in the gut of cyclohexylamine from cyclamate. Metabolic end products may differ in experimental animals and in man: guanylic acid and inosinic acid are metabolized to allantoin in the rat but to uric acid in man. The magnitude of the safety margin in man of the Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) is not identical to the "safety factor" used when calculating the ADI. The symptoms of Chinese Restaurant Syndrome, although not hazardous, furthermore illustrate that the whole ADI

49 CFR 172.540 - POISON GAS placard.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false POISON GAS placard. 172.540 Section 172.540... SECURITY PLANS Placarding § 172.540 POISON GAS placard. (a) Except for size and color, the POISON GAS... the POISON GAS placard and the symbol must be white. The background of the upper diamond must be black...

49 CFR 172.540 - POISON GAS placard.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 49 Transportation 2 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false POISON GAS placard. 172.540 Section 172.540... SECURITY PLANS Placarding § 172.540 POISON GAS placard. (a) Except for size and color, the POISON GAS... the POISON GAS placard and the symbol must be white. The background of the upper diamond must be black...

49 CFR 172.540 - POISON GAS placard.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 49 Transportation 2 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false POISON GAS placard. 172.540 Section 172.540... SECURITY PLANS Placarding § 172.540 POISON GAS placard. (a) Except for size and color, the POISON GAS... the POISON GAS placard and the symbol must be white. The background of the upper diamond must be black...

49 CFR 172.540 - POISON GAS placard.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 49 Transportation 2 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false POISON GAS placard. 172.540 Section 172.540... SECURITY PLANS Placarding § 172.540 POISON GAS placard. (a) Except for size and color, the POISON GAS... the POISON GAS placard and the symbol must be white. The background of the upper diamond must be black...

49 CFR 172.540 - POISON GAS placard.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 49 Transportation 2 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false POISON GAS placard. 172.540 Section 172.540... SECURITY PLANS Placarding § 172.540 POISON GAS placard. (a) Except for size and color, the POISON GAS... the POISON GAS placard and the symbol must be white. The background of the upper diamond must be black...

Paracetamol (acetaminophen) pack size restrictions and poisoning severity: time trends in enquiries to a UK poisons centre.

PubMed

Morgan, O; Hawkins, L; Edwards, N; Dargan, P

2007-10-01

In September 1998, legislation was introduced in the United Kingdom to limit paracetamol pack sizes to 16 tablets of 500 mg at general sales outlets and 32 tablets of 500 mg at pharmacies. The effect of the regulations on severity of paracetamol poisoning is unclear. The aim of this study was to describe trends in the severity of paracetamol poisoning and to assess the impact of the 1998 Regulations on the enquiries to a UK poisons centre. We extracted data about the age, sex and number of tablets or capsules of paracetamol ingested by patients notified to Guy's and St Thomas' Poisons Unit (London, UK) between 1996 and 2004. During the study period, there were approximately 140 000 patients with suspected paracetamol poisoning, accounting for around 11% of all patients reported to the poisons unit. The median number of tablets fell from 25 to 20 for males and 20 to 16 for females after 1998. There was also a reduction in the proportion of patients who ingested 17-32 tablets (from 36% to 30%) and 33-100 tablets (from 25% to 19%). Following the 1998 Regulations there was a decline in the severity, but not frequency, of paracetamol poisoning cases reported to Guy's and St Thomas' Poisons Unit. It is unclear whether the decline in severity was a direct consequence of the regulations.

Tolerance of Clostridium perfringens biofilms to disinfectants commonly used in the food industry.

PubMed

Charlebois, Audrey; Jacques, Mario; Boulianne, Martine; Archambault, Marie

2017-04-01

Clostridium perfringens is an opportunistic pathogen that can cause food poisoning in humans and various enterotoxemia in animal species. Recently, it was shown to form mono-species biofilms, a structured community of bacterial cells enclosed in a self-produced extracellular matrix. Biofilms have been associated with tolerance to antibiotics, disinfectants, and physical and environmental stresses. Very little is known about the tolerance of C. perfringens biofilm toward disinfectants. In the present study, susceptibilities of C. perfringens biofilms to five types of commonly used disinfectants on farms and in food processing environments were analysed. In this paper, we show that C. perfringens mono-species biofilms can protect the bacterial cells from the action of potassium monopersulfate, quaternary ammonium chloride, hydrogen peroxide and glutaraldehyde solutions. However, sodium hypochlorite solution was shown to be effective on C. perfringens biofilms. Our investigation of dual-species biofilms of C. perfringens with the addition of Staphylococcus aureus or Escherichia coli demonstrated that overall, the mono-species biofilm of C. perfringens was more tolerant to all disinfectants than the dual-species biofilms. For the anaerobic grown biofilms, the mono-species biofilm of C. perfringens was more tolerant to sodium hypochlorite and quaternary ammonium chloride than the dual-species biofilms of C. perfringens with S. aureus or E. coli. This study demonstrates that C. perfringens biofilm is an effective protection mechanism to disinfectants commonly used on farms and in food processing environments. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

49 CFR 172.416 - POISON GAS label.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 49 Transportation 2 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false POISON GAS label. 172.416 Section 172.416... SECURITY PLANS Labeling § 172.416 POISON GAS label. (a) Except for size and color, the POISON GAS label... POISON GAS label and the symbol must be white. The background of the upper diamond must be black and the...

49 CFR 172.416 - POISON GAS label.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false POISON GAS label. 172.416 Section 172.416... SECURITY PLANS Labeling § 172.416 POISON GAS label. (a) Except for size and color, the POISON GAS label... POISON GAS label and the symbol must be white. The background of the upper diamond must be black and the...

49 CFR 172.416 - POISON GAS label.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 49 Transportation 2 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false POISON GAS label. 172.416 Section 172.416... SECURITY PLANS Labeling § 172.416 POISON GAS label. (a) Except for size and color, the POISON GAS label... POISON GAS label and the symbol must be white. The background of the upper diamond must be black and the...

49 CFR 172.416 - POISON GAS label.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 49 Transportation 2 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false POISON GAS label. 172.416 Section 172.416... SECURITY PLANS Labeling § 172.416 POISON GAS label. (a) Except for size and color, the POISON GAS label... POISON GAS label and the symbol must be white. The background of the upper diamond must be black and the...

49 CFR 172.416 - POISON GAS label.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 49 Transportation 2 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false POISON GAS label. 172.416 Section 172.416... SECURITY PLANS Labeling § 172.416 POISON GAS label. (a) Except for size and color, the POISON GAS label... POISON GAS label and the symbol must be white. The background of the upper diamond must be black and the...

Predictors of pesticide poisoning.

PubMed

Ferguson, J A; Sellar, C; McGuigan, M A

1991-01-01

The analysis of 1,026 reports of suspected pesticide poisonings to the regional Poison Control Centre at the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto consisted of 597 (58.2%) cases less than six years of age. Age was the strongest predictor: there was a risk of 3.1 that young children would encounter rodenticide poisoning compared to that of insecticides; a ten-fold risk of having symptoms from pesticide poisoning if the victim was over five years of age; an increased risk of 5.9 of exposure to moderate or large amounts of pesticide, compared to small quantities, for those over five years of age; and there was less treatment referral for young children, and a 5.7 risk of being referred if the victim was over the age of five years. Other significant predictor variables include the type of person making the inquiry (lay or physician/nurse), the calendar season of the event, and the location (metropolitan or nonmetropolitan) of the event.

Childhood Lead Poisoning: Blueprint for Prevention.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rochow, K. W. James; Rapuano, Maria

Current programs to deal with childhood lead poisoning, the primary environmental disease of U.S. children, screen individual children, treat those with serious cases of lead poisoning, and subsequently return children to hazardous environments. This approach has led to repeated diagnoses of lead poisoning. This handbook is designed to convince…

Poison ivy dermatitis. Nuances in treatment.

PubMed

Williford, P M; Sheretz, E F

1994-02-01

Acute allergic contact dermatitis due to poison ivy or poison oak is a common presenting complaint in the practices of many primary care physicians. While the clinical features are well described, reported treatment regimens vary in both topical and systemic therapies. We review herein the variability of presenting morphologic features of the disease and common treatment regimens, with attention given to complications of therapy. We also comment on the correct botanical designation, incidence, and immune mechanisms of the disease state and review measures to avoid allergic contact dermatitis due to poison ivy and poison oak.

Prevalence of foodborne pathogens in retailed foods in Thailand.

PubMed

Ananchaipattana, Chiraporn; Hosotani, Yukie; Kawasaki, Susumu; Pongsawat, Sirikae; Latiful, Bari Md; Isobe, Seiichiro; Inatsu, Yasuhiro

2012-09-01

The consumption of foodborne pathogens contaminated in food is one of the major causes of diarrheal diseases in Thailand. The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and types of contaminating bacteria in retailed foodstuffs in Thailand. Food from four categories (137 samples total), including meat (51 samples), vegetables (38 samples), fish or seafood (37 samples), and fermented food (11 samples), was purchased randomly from seven different open-markets and seven supermarkets in Thailand from August 2010 to March 2011. Seven types of major foodborne pathogens were identified using conventional culture methods. Approximately 80% of meat samples tested was contaminated with Salmonella spp. In contrast, the Salmonella spp. contamination rate of vegetable (5%) or fermented food (9%) samples was comparatively low. Six strains of Cronobacter sakazakii and two strains of Yersinia enterocolitica were also isolated. A substantially higher rate of contamination by Bacillus cereus was observed in fermented food (82%) than in samples of meat (2%) and fish or seafood (5%). Seven Listeria spp. isolates were obtained from meat and fish or seafood samples. Approximately 39% of samples tested were found to be contaminated with Staphylococcus spp. (54 isolates). The rate of bacterial contamination of meat did not depend on the type of market. However, the contamination rate of Staphylococcus spp. in vegetables was higher in open markets than in supermarkets, and the contamination rate of Salmonella spp. and Staphylococcus spp. in fish or seafood samples purchased in open markets was likewise higher than in those purchased in supermarkets. Therefore, improvement of hygienic practices throughout the food chain may be required to reduce the risk of food poisoning.

21 CFR 1210.16 - Method of bacterial count.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED... FEDERAL IMPORT MILK ACT Inspection and Testing § 1210.16 Method of bacterial count. The bacterial count of milk and cream refers to the number of viable bacteria as determined by the standard plate method of...

21 CFR 1210.16 - Method of bacterial count.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED... FEDERAL IMPORT MILK ACT Inspection and Testing § 1210.16 Method of bacterial count. The bacterial count of milk and cream refers to the number of viable bacteria as determined by the standard plate method of...

Lead Poisoning: A Need for Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lipnickey, Susan Cross

1981-01-01

Each year approximately 200 children die of lead poisoning. Especially vulnerable to the toxic effects of lead poisoning are the nervous system, kidneys, and the bones. Physiological effects of lead on the school-age child, screening processes, and roles of school personnel in dealing with suspected victims of lead poisoning are discussed. (JN)

National Poison Prevention Week Promotional Materials.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poison Prevention Week Council, Washington, DC.

This collection of materials for parents, early childhood workers, the elderly, and anyone in situations requiring safeguards against poisoning, spans the years 1993 and 1994 and is intended to promote National Poison Prevention Week. The materials included are: (1) the 31-page, illustrated report on National Poison Prevention Week for 1993,…

Chemical and Biological Summer Poisons

PubMed Central

Lees, Ronald E. M.

1972-01-01

Summer has its own special poisoning hazards for the vacationer, gardener or outdoorsman. Because of the comparative variety of accidental human poisonings from contact with these seasonal toxic substances, either artificial or natural, many family physicians are unfamiliar with their effects. Some of us, unfortunately, will be called upon to deal with them over the next few months. This article highlights some of the hazards, outlines their toxicology and summarizes the treatment of the poisoned patient. PMID:20468771

[Other viral food poisoning (hepatitis A and E)].

PubMed

Yano, Kunio

2012-08-01

Hepatitis A and E viruses are spread via the fecal-oral route. In the endemic area, restaurant and school outbreaks due to contaminated water or food have been reported. The clinical signs and symptoms in patients with typical hepatitis A and E are similar to those seen with other forms of acute viral hepatitis. Hepatitis A tends to be more severe when acquired at older ages. Hepatitis E appears to be relatively severe compared with hepatitis A. Although both hepatitis are self-limited illness, severe hepatits are rarely observed. Hepatitis A and E can be prevented by improved sanitary conditions, handwashing, heating foods appropriately. Avoidance of water and foods from endemic areas is also effective.

Infantile lead poisoning from an Asian tongue powder: a case report & subsequent public health inquiry.

PubMed

Woolf, Alan D; Hussain, Javed; McCullough, Laura; Petranovic, Milena; Chomchai, Chulathida

2008-11-01

Lead poisoning from novel environmental sources continues to present a challenge to clinicians who treat infants and children. A 12 month old infant of Thai parents was found during well child care to have a venous blood lead concentration of 61 mcg/dL. He was hospitalized for parenteral chelation with CaNa2EDTA and subsequently managed as an outpatient with oral succimer, with a reduction in blood lead concentration to 23 mcg/dL. Chronic lead poisoning was attributed to the use of a Thai tongue powder by the parents for the first seven months of the infant's life. This ethnic remedy was applied to the tongue to absorb toxins, reduce white patches present after milk feedings, and preserve the infant's health. Lead contaminated the powder at 109,000 ppm as measured by x-ray fluorescence spectrometry. Two poison centers in Thailand were contacted and initiated a public health inquiry with the Thai Food & Drug Administration (Thai FDA) to remove contaminated products from the marketplace. Their investigation found six additional contaminated tongue powders (of 10 tested) in a Bangkok shop offering Chinese remedies, some with lead levels > 9000 ppm. These products, unregistered with the Thai FDA, were confiscated and the shop closed. Local media attention and case-finding activities of health officials identified one additional infant suffering from lead poisoning due to tongue powders. Asian tongue powders can be a source of lead poisoning. Medical toxicologists, poison centers, and public health agencies can work together internationally to accomplish effective post-marketing product surveillance.

The epidemiology of childhood poisonings in Cyprus.

PubMed

Koliou, Maria; Ioannou, Chrystalla; Andreou, Kyriaki; Petridou, Alexandra; Soteriades, Elpidoforos Soterakis

2010-07-01

Information on childhood poisonings in Cyprus is limited. Our objective was to examine the epidemiology of poisonings among children in Cyprus. All children up to 15 years of age admitted for poisoning to the Archbishop Makarios Hospital in Nicosia, Cyprus between 2005 and 2008 were included in our study. All hospital poisoning records were reviewed. A total of 257 children were admitted for poisoning. The mean age of children was 3.1 years, of which 83.7% were below the age of 5 years old, while 53% were boys. The poisoning hospitalizations accounted for about 3% of all admissions to the pediatric department during the study period (4 years). The annual cumulative incidence of childhood poisoning hospitalizations was 116 per 100,000 children. Medications accounted for 46.1% of all poisonings, the most frequent cause being paracetamol (9.8%), cardiovascular medications (5.3%), antitussive medications (4.5%), and other painkillers (4.1%). Another 37.6% of hospitalizations involved household products such as household cleaning products (11.8%), petroleum products (11.0%), and rodenticides (5.7%). Among children who ingested petroleum distillates, 55.6% developed clinical symptomatology. The vast majority of cases were accidental (93.8%). Suicidal cases involved children 8-14 years old, mainly girls, and the most frequent poisoning ingested was paracetamol (46.7%). Poisoning hospitalizations represent an important cause of morbidity among children in Cyprus. Preventive strategies should include the education of caregivers on the handling of medications and household products as well as legislation requiring child-resistant packaging for all medications and household products including petroleum distillates.

Chronic arsenic poisoning following ayurvedic medication.

PubMed

Pinto, Benzeeta; Goyal, Palvi; Flora, S J S; Gill, K D; Singh, Surjit

2014-12-01

Ayurveda, Indian traditional system of medicine, is practiced commonly in South East Asia and in many parts of the world. Many ayurvedic drugs contain heavy metals and may lead to metal toxicity. Of these, chronic lead poisoning is the most common. Chronic arsenic poisoning following the use of ayurvedic medication, though reported, is rare. We describe three patients who presented with features of chronic arsenic poisoning following prolonged ayurvedic medication use. The diagnosis of chronic arsenic poisoning was confirmed by high arsenic levels in the blood, urine, hair, and nails in all the three patients and in ayurvedic drug in two patients. The ayurvedic medication was discontinued and treatment with D-penicillamine started. At 6 months after treatment, blood arsenic levels returned to normal with clinical recovery in all of them. Arsenic poisoning following ayurvedic medication is much less common than lead poisoning, though mineral ayurvedic medicines may lead to it. We used D-penicillamine as chelator and all of them recovered. Whether withdrawal of medication alone or D-penicillamine also played a role in recovery is unclear and needs to be assessed.

Unusually severe food poisoning from vanilla slices.

PubMed Central

Fenton, P. A.; Dobson, K. W.; Eyre, A.; McKendrick, M. W.

1984-01-01

Thirty six people suffered from severe vomiting and diarrhoea 15 min to 3 h after eating vanilla slices from the same bakery. Five patients were admitted to hospital, and one developed unusual skin lesions after admission. Staphylococcus aureus was isolated in large numbers from vanilla slices of the same batch as those giving rise to symptoms, and from five faecal specimens obtained from affected persons. Bacillus cereus and Bacillus subtilis were also isolated from the slices. Unbaked custard provides an ideal environment for bacterial multiplication, especially when (as on this occasion) the ambient temperature is persistently high. PMID:6438231

[A relational database to store Poison Centers calls].

PubMed

Barelli, Alessandro; Biondi, Immacolata; Tafani, Chiara; Pellegrini, Aristide; Soave, Maurizio; Gaspari, Rita; Annetta, Maria Giuseppina

2006-01-01

Italian Poison Centers answer to approximately 100,000 calls per year. Potentially, this activity is a huge source of data for toxicovigilance and for syndromic surveillance. During the last decade, surveillance systems for early detection of outbreaks have drawn the attention of public health institutions due to the threat of terrorism and high-profile disease outbreaks. Poisoning surveillance needs the ongoing, systematic collection, analysis, interpretation, and dissemination of harmonised data about poisonings from all Poison Centers for use in public health action to reduce morbidity and mortality and to improve health. The entity-relationship model for a Poison Center relational database is extremely complex and not studied in detail. For this reason, not harmonised data collection happens among Italian Poison Centers. Entities are recognizable concepts, either concrete or abstract, such as patients and poisons, or events which have relevance to the database, such as calls. Connectivity and cardinality of relationships are complex as well. A one-to-many relationship exist between calls and patients: for one instance of entity calls, there are zero, one, or many instances of entity patients. At the same time, a one-to-many relationship exist between patients and poisons: for one instance of entity patients, there are zero, one, or many instances of entity poisons. This paper shows a relational model for a poison center database which allows the harmonised data collection of poison centers calls.

Poisoning

MedlinePlus

... The Harriet Lane Handbook . 21st ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2018:chap 2. Kostic MA. Poisoning. In: Kliegman ... Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics . 20th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2016:chap 63. Meehan TJ. Approach to the ...

16 CFR 1700.15 - Poison prevention packaging standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 16 Commercial Practices 2 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Poison prevention packaging standards. 1700.15 Section 1700.15 Commercial Practices CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION POISON PREVENTION PACKAGING ACT OF 1970 REGULATIONS POISON PREVENTION PACKAGING § 1700.15 Poison prevention packaging...

16 CFR 1700.15 - Poison prevention packaging standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 16 Commercial Practices 2 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Poison prevention packaging standards. 1700.15 Section 1700.15 Commercial Practices CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION POISON PREVENTION PACKAGING ACT OF 1970 REGULATIONS POISON PREVENTION PACKAGING § 1700.15 Poison prevention packaging...

16 CFR 1700.15 - Poison prevention packaging standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 16 Commercial Practices 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Poison prevention packaging standards. 1700.15 Section 1700.15 Commercial Practices CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION POISON PREVENTION PACKAGING ACT OF 1970 REGULATIONS POISON PREVENTION PACKAGING § 1700.15 Poison prevention packaging...

16 CFR 1700.15 - Poison prevention packaging standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 16 Commercial Practices 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Poison prevention packaging standards. 1700.15 Section 1700.15 Commercial Practices CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION POISON PREVENTION PACKAGING ACT OF 1970 REGULATIONS POISON PREVENTION PACKAGING § 1700.15 Poison prevention packaging...

Current approaches of the management of mercury poisoning: need of the hour

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Mercury poisoning cases have been reported in many parts of the world, resulting in many deaths every year. Mercury compounds are classified in different chemical types such as elemental, inorganic and organic forms. Long term exposure to mercury compounds from different sources e.g. water, food, soil and air lead to toxic effects on cardiovascular, pulmonary, urinary, gastrointestinal, neurological systems and skin. Mercury level can be measured in plasma, urine, feces and hair samples. Urinary concentration is a good indicator of poisoning of elemental and inorganic mercury, but organic mercury (e.g. methyl mercury) can be detected easily in feces. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are a rapid, cheap and sensitive method for detection of thymine bound mercuric ions. Silver nanoparticles are used as a sensitive detector of low concentration Hg2+ ions in homogeneous aqueous solutions. Besides supportive therapy, British anti lewisite, dimercaprol (BAL), 2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA. succimer) and dimercaptopropanesulfoxid acid (DMPS) are currently used as chelating agents in mercury poisoning. Natural biologic scavengers such as algae, azolla and other aquatic plants possess the ability to uptake mercury traces from the environment. PMID:24888360

Brainstem metabotropic glutamate receptors reduce food intake and activate dorsal pontine and medullar structures after peripheral bacterial lipopolysaccharide administration.

PubMed

Chaskiel, Léa; Paul, Flora; Gerstberger, Rüdiger; Hübschle, Thomas; Konsman, Jan Pieter

2016-08-01

During infection-induced inflammation food intake is reduced. Vagal and brainstem pathways are important both in feeding regulation and immune-to-brain communication. Glutamate is released by vagal afferent terminals in the nucleus of the solitary tract and by its neurons projecting to the parabrachial nuclei. We therefore studied the role of brainstem glutamate receptors in spontaneous food intake of healthy animals and during sickness-associated hypophagia after peripheral administration of bacterial lipopolysaccharides or interleukin-1beta. Brainstem group I and II metabotropic, but not ionotropic, glutamate receptor antagonism increased food intake both in saline- and lipopolysaccharide-treated rats. In these animals, expression of the cellular activation marker c-Fos in the lateral parabrachial nuclei and lipopolysaccharide-induced activation of the nucleus of the solitary tract rostral to the area postrema were suppressed. Group I metabotropic glutamate receptors did not colocalize with c-Fos or neurons regulating gastric function in these structures. Group I metabotropic glutamate receptors were, however, found on raphé magnus neurons that were part of the brainstem circuit innervating the stomach and on trigeminal and hypoglossal motor neurons. In conclusion, our findings show that brainstem metabotropic glutamate receptors reduce food intake and activate the lateral parabrachial nuclei as well as the rostral nucleus of the solitary tract after peripheral bacterial lipopolysaccharide administration. They also provide insight into potential group I metabotropic glutamate receptor-dependent brainstem circuits mediating these effects. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[An outbreak of gastroenteritis caused by poisonous Boletus mushroom in Sichuan, China, 2012].

PubMed

Sun, Ya-jun; Yuan, Wei; Liu, Lun-guang; Zhang, Li-jie; Shi, Guo-qing; Wang, Qi-xing

2012-12-01

To identify the source of infection and risk factors and to provide control measures regarding an outbreak of gastroenteritis involving 30 villagers. Who attended the same wedding party held on March 5(th), 2012, a survey was carried out. Case was defined as having onset of vomiting, nausea, stomachache or diarrhea among the attendees of a wedding party. We randomly selected and interviewed 140 from 470 attendees on their symptoms and food exposures at the wedding. We compared food-specific attack rates (AR) for gastroenteritis in a retrospective cohort study. The leftover foods were tested for Salmonella, Shigella, and Staphylococcus aureus. The leftover Boletus mushrooms were examined and species determined by the Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Of the 140 attendees 61% (85) developed gastroenteritis. Case-attendees had vomiting (94%), nausea (89%), stomachache (53%), and diarrhea (51%). The AR among attendees who ate Boletus mushroom was 69% (81/118), compared to 18% (4/22) of those who did not (RR = 3.8, 95%CI: 1.5 - 9.2). When comparing the ARs between the attendees on consumption of other foods, data did not show statistically significant differences. Among the 7 species of Boletus identified from the leftover mushrooms, 3 (B. venenatus, B. sinicus and B. magnificus) were toxic. Store keepers bought dried or fresh mushrooms from local villagers who had picked up them from the mountains. Salmonella, Shigella, and Staphylococcus aureus tests on those leftover food showed negative results. Poisonous Boletus mushroom contributed to this outbreak. We recommended that education should be targeted on mushroom-pickers regarding how to recognize the poisonous mushrooms. Regulations and laws should also be developed to facilitate the necessary process.

Ciguatera fish poisoning.

PubMed

Armstrong, Patrick; Murray, Peter; Nesdale, Annette; Peckler, Brad

2016-10-28

Ciguatera fish poisoning (CFP) is the most common cause of seafood-toxin poisoning in the world and is most prevalent in tropical and subtropical areas. It causes gastroenteritis but also myriad neurological and cardiovascular symptoms. We present a cluster of CFP that occurred in Wellington Hospital, New Zealand. It resulted in three patients with life threatening cardiotoxicity and a fourth case with severe gastro-intestinal symptoms. The epidemiology, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, treatment and public health issues are discussed.

Lead Poisoning in Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin-Fu, Jane S.

This publication is a guide to help social and health workers plan a preventive campaign against lead poisoning, a cause of mental retardation other neurological handicaps, and death among children. The main victims are 1- to 6-year-olds living in areas where deteriorating housing prevails. Among the causes of lead poisoning are: ingestion of…

Food Supply and Food Safety Issues in China

PubMed Central

Lam, Hon-Ming; Remais, Justin; Fung, Ming-Chiu; Xu, Liqing; Sun, Samuel Sai-Ming

2013-01-01

Food supply and food safety are major global public health issues, and are particularly important in heavily populated countries such as China. Rapid industrialisation and modernisation in China are having profound effects on food supply and food safety. In this Review, we identified important factors limiting agricultural production in China, including conversion of agricultural land to other uses, freshwater deficits, and soil quality issues. Additionally, increased demand for some agricultural products is examined, particularly those needed to satisfy the increased consumption of animal products in the Chinese diet, which threatens to drive production towards crops used as animal feed. Major sources of food poisoning in China include pathogenic microorganisms, toxic animals and plants entering the food supply, and chemical contamination. Meanwhile, two growing food safety issues are illegal additives and contamination of the food supply by toxic industrial waste. China’s connections to global agricultural markets are also having important effects on food supply and food safety within the country. Although the Chinese Government has shown determination to reform laws, establish monitoring systems, and strengthen food safety regulation, weak links in implementation remain. PMID:23746904

Carbon monoxide poisoning at motels, hotels, and resorts.

PubMed

Weaver, Lindell K; Deru, Kayla

2007-07-01

Each year, more than 200 people in the United States die from carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. Poisoning has occurred at motels, hotels, and resorts. Congressional mandate requires smoke alarms in all guest rooms; however, smoke alarms do not detect CO. Data on patients poisoned at hotels, motels, and resorts were evaluated at a hyperbaric medicine service. In 2005, legal databases and online news databanks were searched to discover additional incidents. Only victims evaluated in hospitals or declared dead at the scene were included. Cases of intentional poisoning and poisoning from fires were excluded. Between 1989 and 2004, 68 incidents of CO poisoning occurring at hotels, motels, and resorts were identified, resulting in 772 accidentally poisoned: 711 guests, 41 employees or owners, and 20 rescue personnel. Of those poisoned, 27 died, 66 had confirmed sequelae, and 6 had sequelae resulting in a jury verdict. Lodging-operated, faulty room heating caused 45 incidents, pool/spa boilers 16, CO entrained from outdoors 5, and unreported sources caused 2 incidents. Public verdicts have averaged $4.8 million per incident (range, $1 million to $17.5 million). Poisoning occurred at hotels of all classes. Despite these incidents, most properties did not install CO alarms, and requirements for CO alarms at hotels, motels, and resorts are rare. Guests of motels, hotels, and resorts remain at risk for injury or death from CO poisoning. Measures to prevent CO poisoning of guests and employees of the lodging industry should be evaluated.

[Pidemiological analysis of pesticide poisoning in hangzhou during 2006-2013].

PubMed

Zhang, Lei; Hao, Li; Zhang, Xuhui; Chen, Jianchun; Wang, Qiang; Yu, Long

2015-01-01

The purpose of this current investigation was to describe the distribution characteristics of pesticides poisoning in Hangzhou during 2006-2013. The registration data of pesticide poisoning in Hangzhou during 2006-2013 were collected from health disserve surveillance information system which was part of China information system for disease control and prevention. The statistical analysis method included Pearson Chi-square test and Cochran-Armitage trend test. There were totally 6232 cases with pesticide poisoning during 2006-2013, of which 414 cases died. The fatality rate of poisoning patients was 6.64%. The pesticides, especially organophosphorus pesticides, were the main poison that caused poisoning, and patients with pesticide poisoning accounted for 80.60% of all the poisoning patient. There was more female patients than male patients among non-productive pesticide poisoning, but on the contrary among productive pesticide poisoning. The incidence of pesticides poisoning had significant increase in the third season. Occupational pesticide poisoning and non-occupational pesticide poisoning had the different distribution character. Non-occupational pesticide poisoning was the chief reason of pesticide poisoning. The pesticides, especially organophosphorus pesticides, were the main poisons threatening the health of people in Hangzhou, and the effective prevention and control measures should be taken immediately.

Pesticide poisoning and its related factors among Korean farmers.

PubMed

Shin, D C; Kim, H J; Jung, S H; Park, C Y; Lee, S Y; Kim, C B

1998-01-01

This study has been carried out to assess the health damages due to pesticide use and its related risk factors among Korean farmers. Data regarding pesticide handling and poisoning symptoms were collected by means of a questionnaire filled in by 1,032 farmers from two provinces. The results showed that during summer farming 21.9% of the subjects experienced suspected pesticide poisoning. 18.8% mild poisoning, and 2% more serious poisoning. Univariate and logistic regression analyses between "no poisoning", including the "suspected poisoning" and "poisoning" groups, were performed to select significant variables related to pesticide poisoning. Four variables were significantly associated: sex, days of consecutive pesticide use, hours of pesticide use per day, having received safety education (weakly associated), and compliance with safety guidelines for application. Safety education was weakly associated with poisoning, while age, education, wearing protective gear, and compliance with safety guidelines for personal hygiene after pesticide use were not significant risk factors to determine pesticide poisoning.

Contamination or changes of food factors during processing and modleing-safety related issue

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Cross-contamination and food property changes, including chemical and physical, are common during food processing and preservation. The contamination may involve microbial and chemical aspects resulted in food-borne pathogen outbreaks and/or poisons. Chemical contaminations are most likely from th...

Safety in Serbian animal source food industry and the impact of hazard analysis and critical control points: A review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomašević, I.; Đekić, I.

2017-09-01

There is a significant lack of HACCP-educated and/or HACCP-highly trained personnel within the Serbian animal source food workforces and veterinary inspectors, and this can present problems, particularly in hazard identification and assessment activities. However, despite obvious difficulties, HACCP benefits to the Serbian dairy industry are widespread and significant. Improving prerequisite programmes on the farms, mainly through infrastructural investments in milk collectors and transportation vehicles on one hand, and increasing hygiene awareness of farmers through training on the other hand has improved the safety of milk. The decline in bacterial numbers on meat contact surfaces, meat handlers’ hands and cooling facilities presents strong evidence of improved process hygiene and justifies the adoption of HACCP in Serbian meat establishments. Apart from the absence of national food poisoning statistics or national foodborne disease databases, the main obstacle to fully recognising the impact of HACCP on the safety of animal source food in Serbia is the lack of research regarding the occurrence of chemical and/or physical hazards interrelated with its production.

Poison control center - emergency number

MedlinePlus

For a POISON EMERGENCY call: 1-800-222-1222 ANYWHERE IN THE UNITED STATES This national hotline number will let you ... is a free and confidential service. All local poison control centers in the United States use this ...

Proceedings of the International Conference on Ciguatera Fish Poisoning (3rd), Held in La Parguera, Puerto Rico on April 30-May 5, 1990.

DTIC Science & Technology

Ciguatera fish poisoning is a human health problem that affects all persons living in tropical seas for whom marine fish represent a significant...source of food. Ciguatera traditionally was limited to tropical regions, however, modern improvements in refrigeration and transport have augmented...reports of this poisoning in the tropical Pacific in the 17th century, ciguatera has come to have an impact of global proportions. A broad and detailed

Emerging tropical diseases in Australia. Part 2. Ciguatera fish poisoning.

PubMed

Stewart, I; Lewis, R J; Eaglesham, G K; Graham, G C; Poole, S; Craig, S B

2010-10-01

Ciguatera poisoning is a food-borne neuro-intoxication caused by consumption of finfish that have accumulated ciguatoxins in their tissues. Ciguatera is a distressing and sometimes disabling condition that presents with a self-limiting though occasionally severe gastro-intestinal illness, progressing to a suite of aberrant sensory symptoms. Recovery can take from days to years; second and subsequent attacks may manifest in a more severe illness. Ciguatera remains largely a pan-tropical disease, although tourism and export fish markets facilitate increased presentation in temperate latitudes. While ciguatera poisoning in the South Pacific was recognised and eloquently described by seafarers in the 18th Century, it remains a public-health challenge in the 21st Century because there is neither a confirmatory diagnostic test nor a reliable, low-cost screening method to ascertain the safety of suspect fish prior to consumption. A specific antidote is not available, so treatment is largely supportive. The most promising pharmacotherapy of recent decades, intravenous mannitol, has experienced a relative decline in acceptance after a randomized, double-blind trial failed to confirm its efficacy. Some questions remain unanswered, however, and the use of mannitol for the treatment of acute ciguatera poisoning arguably deserves revisiting. The immunotoxicology of ciguatera is poorly understood, and some aspects of the epidemiology and symptomatology of ciguatera warrant further enquiry.

Methanol poisoning among travellers to Indonesia.

PubMed

Giovanetti, Franco

2013-01-01

Common Travel Medicine sources generally do not provide information on the risk of methanol poisoning among travellers who visit Indonesia. The aim of this analysis was to increase knowledge on this topic through reports from bibliographic databases and Internet sources. Case reports and studies on methanol poisoning in Indonesia were retrieved through PubMed, Embase and Google Scholar database searching. The Google search was used to retrieve the Web Media articles reporting fatal and non-fatal methanol poisoning in Indonesia, in a timeframe from 01.01.2009 to 03.03.2013. Three case reports of methanol poisoning involving four travellers to Indonesia were found in bibliographic databases. The media sources searching identified 14 articles published online, reporting 22 cases of methanol poisoning among travellers after consumption of local alcohol beverages. The total number of death cases was 18. Some sources report also a large number of cases among the local population. Methanol poisoning is likely to be an emerging public health problem in Indonesia, with an associated morbidity and mortality among travellers and local people. Some strategies can be implemented to prevent or reduce harm among travellers. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Benzodiazepine poisoning in elderly.

PubMed

Vukcević, Natasa Perković; Ercegović, Gordana Vuković; Segrt, Zoran; Djordjević, Snezana; Stosić, Jasmina Jović

2016-03-01

Benzodiazepines are among the most frequently ingested drugs in self-poisonings. Elderly may be at greater risk compared with younger individuals due to impaired metabolism and increased sensitivity to benzodiazepines. The aim of this study was to assess toxicity of benzodiazepines in elderly attempted suicide. A retrospective study of consecutive presentations to hospital after self-poisoning with benzodiazepines was done. Collected data consisted of patient's characteristics (age, gender), benzodiazepine ingested with its blood concentrations at admission, clinical findings including vital signs and Glasgow coma score, routine blood chemistry, complications of poisoning, details of management, length of hospital stay and outcome. According the age, patients are classified as young (15-40-year old), middle aged (41-65-year old) and elderly (older than 65). During a 2-year observational period 387 patients were admitted because of pure benzodiazepine poisoning. The most frequently ingested drug was bromazepam, the second was diazepam. The incidence of coma was significantly higher, and the length of hospital stay significantly longer in elderly. Respiratory failure and aspiration pneumonia occurred more frequently in old age. Also, flumazenil was more frequently required in the group of elderly patients. Massive benzodiazepines overdose in elderly may be associated with a significant morbidity, including deep coma with aspiration pneumonia, respiratory failure, and even death. Flumazenil is indicated more often to reduce CNS depression and prevent complications of prolonged unconsciousness, but supportive treatment and proper airway management of comatose patients is the mainstay of the treatment of acute benzodiazepine poisoning.

[Charcoal, cocaine and rattlesnakes: evidence-based treatment of poisoning].

PubMed

Schaper, A

2013-10-01

Since ancient times poisoning has been treated medicinally. Clinical toxicology, in the narrow sense of the term, developed from the foundation of specialized medical treatment units for poisoning and the formation of the first poison information centers in the second half of the twentieth century. Historically, the first poison information centers were often localized at pediatric clinics or departments of internal medicine. It became increasingly more obvious that this pooling of competences made sense. This article gives a general introduction in clinical toxicology and presents the functions and key activities of emergency poison centers. The organisation and work of a poisons centre is demonstrated on the basis of the Poisons Information Center (GIZ) North annual report for 2011. In a short summary the basic principles of clinical toxicology are elucidated: the primary removal of poisons by gastric lavage and administration of activated charcoal, secondary removal of poisons by enhanced elimination using hemodialysis, hemoperfusion, multi-dose activated charcoal and molecular adsorbent recirculating systems (MARS) and the indications for administration of specific antidotes or antivenins (antisera against poisoning by poisonous animals). Gastric lavage is indicated within 1 h after ingestion of a potentially life-threatening dose of a poison. In cases of poisoning with substances which penetrate the central nervous system (CNS) gastric lavage should be performed only after endotracheal intubation due to the risk of aspiration. The basic management of poisoned patients by emergency medicine personnel out of hospital and on the way to hospital is presented. The Bremen list, a compilation of the five antidotes, atropine, 4-dimethylaminophenol (4-DMAP), tolonium chloride, naloxone and activated charcoal for out of hospital treatment by emergency doctors is presented. In all, even questionable cases of poisoning consultation at emergency poison centers is

Fatal methanol poisoning: features of liver histopathology.

PubMed

Akhgari, Maryam; Panahianpour, Mohammad Hadi; Bazmi, Elham; Etemadi-Aleagha, Afshar; Mahdavi, Amirhosein; Nazari, Saeed Hashemi

2013-03-01

Methanol poisoning has become a considerable problem in Iran. Liver can show some features of poisoning after methanol ingestion. Therefore, our concern was to examine liver tissue histopathology in fatal methanol poisoning cases in Iranian population. In this study, 44 cases of fatal methanol poisoning were identified in a year. The histological changes of the liver were reviewed. The most striking features of liver damage by light microscopy were micro-vesicular steatosis, macro-vesicular steatosis, focal hepatocyte necrosis, mild intra-hepatocyte bile stasis, feathery degeneration and hydropic degeneration. Blood and vitreous humor methanol concentrations were examined to confirm the proposed history of methanol poisoning. The majority of cases were men (86.36%). In conclusion, methanol poisoning can cause histological changes in liver tissues. Most importantly in cases with mean blood and vitreous humor methanol levels greater than 127 ± 38.9 mg/dL more than one pathologic features were detected.

Comparison of fatal poisonings by prescription opioids.

PubMed

Häkkinen, Margareeta; Launiainen, Terhi; Vuori, Erkki; Ojanperä, Ilkka

2012-10-10

There is a rising trend of fatal poisonings due to medicinal opioids in several countries. The present study evaluates the drug and alcohol findings as well as the cause and manner of death in opioid-related post-mortem cases in Finland from 2000 to 2008. During this period, fatal poisonings by prescription opioids (buprenorphine, codeine, dextropropoxyphene, fentanyl, methadone, oxycodone, tramadol) increased as a share of all drug poisonings from 9.5% to 32.4%, being 22.3% over the whole period. A detailed study including the most prevalent opioids was carried out for the age group of 14-44 years, which is the most susceptible age for drug abuse in Finland. Poisonings by the weak opioids, codeine and tramadol, were found to be associated with large, often suicidal overdoses resulting in high drug concentrations in blood. Methadone poisonings were associated with accidental overdoses with the drug concentration in blood remaining within a therapeutic range. The manner of death was accidental in 43%, 55% and 94% of cases in codeine, tramadol and methadone poisonings, respectively. The median concentration of codeine and the median codeine/morphine concentration ratio were higher in codeine poisonings (1.4 and 22.5 mg/l, respectively) than in other causes of death (0.09 and 5.9 mg/l, respectively). The median concentrations of tramadol and O-desmethyltramadol were higher in tramadol poisonings (5.3 and 0.8 mg/l, respectively) than in other causes of death (0.6 and 0.2 mg/l, respectively). In methadone poisonings, the median concentration of methadone (0.35 mg/l) was not different from that in other causes of death (0.30 mg/l). Sedative drugs and/or alcohol were very frequently found in fatal poisonings involving these prescription opioids. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Non-accidental salt poisoning.

PubMed Central

Meadow, R

1993-01-01

The clinical features of 12 children who incurred non-accidental salt poisoning are reported. The children usually presented to hospital in the first six months of life with unexplained hypernatraemia and associated illness. Most of the children suffered repetitive poisoning before detection. The perpetrator was believed to the mother for 10 children, the father for one, and either parent for one. Four children had serum sodium concentrations above 200 mmol/l. Seven children had incurred other fabricated illness, drug ingestion, physical abuse, or failure to thrive/neglect. Two children died; the other 10 remained healthy in alternative care. Features are described that should lead to earlier detection of salt poisoning; the importance of checking urine sodium excretion, whenever hypernatraemia occurs, is stressed. PMID:8503665

Poisoning

MedlinePlus

... of illegal drugs Carbon monoxide from gas appliances Household products, such as laundry powder or furniture polish Pesticides ... products exactly as their labels say. Keep dangerous products where children ... call your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222 right away.

Bacteriophages and Bacterial Plant Diseases

PubMed Central

Buttimer, Colin; McAuliffe, Olivia; Ross, R. P.; Hill, Colin; O’Mahony, Jim; Coffey, Aidan

2017-01-01

Losses in crop yields due to disease need to be reduced in order to meet increasing global food demands associated with growth in the human population. There is a well-recognized need to develop new environmentally friendly control strategies to combat bacterial crop disease. Current control measures involving the use of traditional chemicals or antibiotics are losing their efficacy due to the natural development of bacterial resistance to these agents. In addition, there is an increasing awareness that their use is environmentally unfriendly. Bacteriophages, the viruses of bacteria, have received increased research interest in recent years as a realistic environmentally friendly means of controlling bacterial diseases. Their use presents a viable control measure for a number of destructive bacterial crop diseases, with some phage-based products already becoming available on the market. Phage biocontrol possesses advantages over chemical controls in that tailor-made phage cocktails can be adapted to target specific disease-causing bacteria. Unlike chemical control measures, phage mixtures can be easily adapted for bacterial resistance which may develop over time. In this review, we will examine the progress and challenges for phage-based disease biocontrol in food crops. PMID:28163700

Study on the treatment of acute thallium poisoning.

PubMed

Zhang, Hong-Tao; Qiao, Bao-Ping; Liu, Bao-Ping; Zhao, Xian-Guo

2014-05-01

Acute thallium poisoning rarely occurs but is a serious and even fatal medical condition. Currently, patients with acute thallium poisoning are usually treated with Prussian blue and blood purification therapy. However, there are few studies about these treatments for acute thallium poisoning. Nine patients with acute thallium poisoning from 1 family were treated successfully with Prussian blue and different types of blood purification therapies and analyzed. Prussian blue combined with sequential hemodialysis, hemoperfusion and/or continuous veno-venous hemofiltration were effective for the treatment of patients with acute thallium poisoning, even after delayed diagnosis. Blood purification therapies help in the clearance of thallium in those with acute thallium poisoning. Prussian blue treatment may do the benefit during this process.

Microbial ecology of the hive and pollination landscape: bacterial associates from floral nectar, the alimentary tract and stored food of honey bees (Apis mellifera).

PubMed

Anderson, Kirk E; Sheehan, Timothy H; Mott, Brendon M; Maes, Patrick; Snyder, Lucy; Schwan, Melissa R; Walton, Alexander; Jones, Beryl M; Corby-Harris, Vanessa

2013-01-01

Nearly all eukaryotes are host to beneficial or benign bacteria in their gut lumen, either vertically inherited, or acquired from the environment. While bacteria core to the honey bee gut are becoming evident, the influence of the hive and pollination environment on honey bee microbial health is largely unexplored. Here we compare bacteria from floral nectar in the immediate pollination environment, different segments of the honey bee (Apis mellifera) alimentary tract, and food stored in the hive (honey and packed pollen or "beebread"). We used cultivation and sequencing to explore bacterial communities in all sample types, coupled with culture-independent analysis of beebread. We compare our results from the alimentary tract with both culture-dependent and culture-independent analyses from previous studies. Culturing the foregut (crop), midgut and hindgut with standard media produced many identical or highly similar 16S rDNA sequences found with 16S rDNA clone libraries and next generation sequencing of 16S rDNA amplicons. Despite extensive culturing with identical media, our results do not support the core crop bacterial community hypothesized by recent studies. We cultured a wide variety of bacterial strains from 6 of 7 phylogenetic groups considered core to the honey bee hindgut. Our results reveal that many bacteria prevalent in beebread and the crop are also found in floral nectar, suggesting frequent horizontal transmission. From beebread we uncovered a variety of bacterial phylotypes, including many possible pathogens and food spoilage organisms, and potentially beneficial bacteria including Lactobacillus kunkeei, Acetobacteraceae and many different groups of Actinobacteria. Contributions of these bacteria to colony health may include general hygiene, fungal and pathogen inhibition and beebread preservation. Our results are important for understanding the contribution to pollinator health of both environmentally vectored and core microbiota, and the

Contamination and changes of food factors during processing with modeling applications-safety related issues

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Chemical and microbiological contamination of food during processing and preservation can result in foodborne illness outbreaks and food poisoning. Chemical contaminations can occur through exposure of foods to illegal additives, pesticides and fertilizer residues, toxic compounds formed by microbes...

Prospects of poisoning - a multi facet study.

PubMed

Mishra, Pradeep K; Kulkarni, Rashmi; Sane, Mandar R; Deshpande, Ajit; Kushwah, Manish

2016-01-01

Aim of the study is to find out demographic profile, clinical characteristics and analysis of poison in clinical set up. The study carried out in Sri Aurobindo Medical College and PG Institute Indore, Madhya Pradesh. Total 75 cases of poisoning were studied for demographic profile, vitals (BP, pulse, heart rate, pupils, etc.), clinical features (such as vomiting, salivation, consciousness, etc.), type of poison and its analysis. Results: Poisoning was more common in cases between 15 and 25 years of age, in males than in females and in Hindu religion. Poisoning cases were predominantly from rural areas and in married people. Majority of cases were discharged after proper treatment and counseling. Altered vitals and clinical features were found in most of the cases. Organophosphate and aluminum phosphide compound were evaluated in most of the cases. Conclusions: Preventive measures should be applied through educating people, proper counseling, promoting poison information centers, and introducing separate toxicological units in hospitals.

A nationwide evidence-based study of factors associated with hospitalisations due to unintentional poisoning and poisoning mortality in Taiwan.

PubMed

Chien, Wu-Chien; Chung, Chi-Hsiang; Lin, Chia-Hsin; Lai, Ching-Huang

2013-01-01

The aim of this study was to explore the epidemiologic characteristics of unintentional poisoning cases and the factors associated with inpatient mortality. Data were retrieved from the National Health Insurance database from 2005 to 2007. Patients with diagnosis classifications of ICD-9-CM E850-E869 (unintentional poisoning) were selected. SPSS 18.0 software was used for the analysis. In Taiwan between 2005 and 2007, a total of 11,523 patients were hospitalised due to unintentional poisoning, with a hospitalisation rate of 16.83 per 100,000, of which 60.1% and 39.9% were attributable to drug poisoning and solid, liquid and gas substance poisoning, respectively. The hospitalisation rate in men was higher than that of women. The age group of 45-64 had the highest hospitalisation rate of 52.85 per 100,000. The inpatient mortality rate increased with the presence of the following factors: age of 65 or older, surgery or procedure, a higher Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), short length of hospital stays, acute respiratory failure, alcohol poisoning, pesticide poisoning and a higher-level hospital visited. Methanol, herbicides and organophosphorus pesticide intoxications are associated with higher mortality rates. Therefore, when caring for patients poisoned by the above agents, healthcare professionals should look out for their clinical development to ensure quality of care and to reduce mortality.

[Lithium poisoning: neurological signs, nephrological therapy].

PubMed

Pastori, Giordano; Gentile, Manrico

2016-01-01

Lithium is an effective drug in the treatment of bipolar disorder and other psychiatric and neurological diseases. Unfortunately, its therapeutic index is narrow. There are three types of lithium poisoning: acute poisoning (in untreated patients), acute on chronic poisoning, when an overdose is taken accidentally or with suicidal intent, in patients under treatment and chronic poisoning (patient treated with lithium) when drug intake is correct but excessive in relation to its elimination (increased dose or more often reduced clearance) resulting in lithium overload. In this last condition, the clinical presentation is primary neurological while therapy involves the nephrologist provided that lithium clearance is mainly renal and hemodialysis is the most effective method for removal.

Sensitive, rapid, quantitative and in vitro method for the detection of biologically active staphylococcal enterotoxin type E

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Staphylococcus aureus is a major bacterial pathogen which causes clinical infections and food poisoning. This bacterium produces a group of enterotoxins (SEs). These enterotoxins have two separate but related biological activities. They cause gastroenteritis and function as superantigens that activa...

Characterization of Staphylococcus aureus strains and evidence for the involvement of non-classical enterotoxin genes in food poisoning outbreaks.

PubMed

Ciupescu, Laurentiu-Mihai; Auvray, Frederic; Nicorescu, Isabela Madalina; Meheut, Thomas; Ciupescu, Veronica; Lardeux, Anne-Laure; Tanasuica, Rodica; Hennekinne, Jacques-Antoine

2018-06-05

To an increasing extent, molecular and genetic characterization is now used to investigate foodborne outbreaks. The aim of this study was to seek molecular links among coagulase-positive staphylococci (CPS) isolated from three recent food poisoning outbreaks in Romania using polymerase chain reaction and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) techniques. Nineteen CPS isolates were identified as Staphylococcus aureus by detection of the 23S rDNA gene. Among them, 15 carried at least one staphylococcal enterotoxin-encoding gene (se). The Calarași outbreak strains grouped in pulsotype 2 and were sed/sej/ser-positive, whereas the Arad outbreak strains clustered in pulsotype 17 and were either sed/seg/sei/sej/ser- or seg/sei-positive. The Pitești outbreak strains clustered in pulsotype 1 and, surprisingly, possessed only one enterotoxin gene, i.e. seh. Similar to other European countries, the seh gene has been identified with increasing frequency in Romanian outbreaks; this highlights the importance of considering the application of methods recommended for staphylococcal enterotoxin regulation in Europe.

14 CFR 137.39 - Economic poison dispensing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Economic poison dispensing. 137.39 Section... AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS Operating Rules § 137.39 Economic poison dispensing. (a) Except as provided in... economic poison that is registered with the U.S. Department of Agriculture under the Federal Insecticide...

14 CFR 137.39 - Economic poison dispensing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 3 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Economic poison dispensing. 137.39 Section... AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS Operating Rules § 137.39 Economic poison dispensing. (a) Except as provided in... economic poison that is registered with the U.S. Department of Agriculture under the Federal Insecticide...

14 CFR 137.39 - Economic poison dispensing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Economic poison dispensing. 137.39 Section... AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS Operating Rules § 137.39 Economic poison dispensing. (a) Except as provided in... economic poison that is registered with the U.S. Department of Agriculture under the Federal Insecticide...

14 CFR 137.39 - Economic poison dispensing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 3 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Economic poison dispensing. 137.39 Section... AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS Operating Rules § 137.39 Economic poison dispensing. (a) Except as provided in... economic poison that is registered with the U.S. Department of Agriculture under the Federal Insecticide...

14 CFR 137.39 - Economic poison dispensing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 3 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Economic poison dispensing. 137.39 Section... AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS Operating Rules § 137.39 Economic poison dispensing. (a) Except as provided in... economic poison that is registered with the U.S. Department of Agriculture under the Federal Insecticide...

Carbon monoxide poisoning from portable electric generators.

PubMed

Hampson, Neil B; Zmaeff, Jennette L

2005-01-01

While the overall death rate from unintentional carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning has decreased in the United States due to improved automobile emissions controls and a decline in CO poisonings from motor vehicles, exposures have not changed from some sources of CO. One of these is the operation of portable electrical generators in poorly ventilated spaces. This study sought to describe the population poisoned from CO produced by portable electric generators, and to determine the reasons that generators are operated in a hazardous fashion. Cases of CO poisoning referred for treatment with hyperbaric oxygen at Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle from November 1978 to March 2004 were reviewed. Those cases that resulted from portable generator use were selected for analysis. Sixty-three patients aged 2 to 85 years were treated for CO poisoning from portable electric generators. They included 34 males and 29 females who were poisoned in 37 separate incidents. Thirty-four lost consciousness with the exposure. Of the 63 total patients, 60 spoke English. Generators were typically used when normal electrical service was disrupted by a storm or in remote locations. In 29 of 37 incidents, the generator was operated in the home environment, most commonly in the garage. Lack of awareness of the dangers of CO poisoning or lack of knowledge of ventilation requirements were the most commonly identified reasons. CO poisoning from portable electric generators occurs in a characteristic population, in a few typical locations and for a limited number of reasons. This information may help target prevention efforts for this form of poisoning, such as warning labels or educational programs.

Thirty-three-year experience on childhood poisoning.

PubMed

Ozdemir, Ramazan; Bayrakci, Benan; Tekşam, Ozlem; Yalçin, Bilgehan; Kale, Gülsev

2012-01-01

By comparing our data for the period 1985-2008 with findings from a previous report covering the period 1975-1984, we aimed to share our experience with poisoning cases in order to contribute toward its prevention, diagnosis and treatment. The records of patients admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit with acute poisoning between November 1985 and October 2008 were evaluated retrospectively. The records of 2251 patients with acute poisoning could be retrieved. Poisoning mostly occurred in the home (92%), via the oral route (92.5%) and by a single intoxicant (81.3%). Two distinct peaks were observed: in boys between 1-5 years of age and in girls between 13-16 years of age. It was noted that 67.4% of poisoning cases were accidental, whereas 25.9% were suicidal and 6.7% were a result of a therapeutic error. Nearly two-thirds (64%) of cases were drug-related, while 36% were non-drug-related. Analgesics-antipyretics ranked first among the drug-related cases, whereas ingestion of a corrosive substance was most common among cases with non-drug poisoning. Colchicine was associated with the highest fatality, while among the causes of non-drug poisoning, carbon monoxide was the deadliest. The overall mortality rate in this study was 1.9%. Mortality from non-drug poisoning was higher than from drug-related causes (3.9% vs. 1.3%). Almost all cases of poisoning below the age of 6 years are potentially preventable. The results of this study highlight the need for reforms in industrial and health policies, with the aim of increasing awareness regarding potential toxins, appropriate storage of potential toxins, and general precautions to promote safety in the home.

Identifying Plant Poisoning in Livestock

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Poisonous plant intoxication is a common and often deadly problem that annually costs the livestock industry more than $340 million in the western United States alone. Despite the cost or frequency, definitively identifying or diagnosing poisoning by plants in livestock is challenging. The purpos...

Epidemiology and characteristics of acute poisoning treated at an emergency center.

PubMed

Chen, Feng; Wen, Jun-Ping; Wang, Xiao-Ping; Lin, Qing-Ming; Lin, Cai-Jing

2010-01-01

Acute poisoning is frequently encountered at emergency department. This study was to investigate the epidemiology and characteristics of patients with acute poisoning who were treated at the Emergency Center, Fujian Provincial Hospital, China. We retrospectively analyzed the gender, age, causes of poisoning, types of poisons, poisoning route, emergency diagnoses, outcomes, and prognoses of these patients. Altogether 2867 patients with acute poisoning were treated from January 2004 to December 2009. The ratio of male to female was 1:1.04, and their average age was 33.8 years. Of the 2867 patients, 76.39% were between 18 and 40 years old. The incidence of acute poisoning was as high as 11.33% in January each year. The incidence of poisoning was in a descending order: alcohol poisoning (54.55%), medication poisoning (25.95%), pesticide poisoning (5.65%), and drug poisoning (4.88%). Most (56.44%) of the patients with drug poisoning were under 25 years and their mean age was significantly lower than that of patients with medication poisoning or alcohol poisoning (P < 0.01). Approximately 69.54% of the patients were followed up after emergency treatment, 30.39% were hospitalized, and four patients died. Acute poisoning is largely alcohol poisoning and medication poisoning in a city. The emergency green channel "pre-hospital emergency care-emergency department-hospital treatment" can significantly improve the survival rate of patients with acute poisoning.

The diversity and origins of toxins in ciguatera fish poisoning.

PubMed

Tosteson, T R

1995-06-01

the phytotoxins are biomarkers of the interactions between these two food webs. In their very diversity these toxins reflect an amalgam of interacting collaborating forms of life, a complex of phytoplankton hosts and their microbial symbionts producing multiple toxins and their derivatives that ultimately result in the complex medical symptoms they produce in human consumers of poisoned seafood. The term ciguatera has been employed to describe the syndrome of the illness contracted by persons who have eaten tropical and semitropical finfish poisoned by ciguatoxin.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Interpersonal problem-solving deficits in self-poisoning patients.

PubMed

McLeavey, B C; Daly, R J; Murray, C M; O'Riordan, J; Taylor, M

1987-01-01

Self-poisoning patients (n = 40) were compared with psychiatric patients (n = 40) and nonpatient controls (n = 20) on measures of interpersonal problem-solving skills and locus of control in an effort to determine the importance of these cognitive and personality variables in self-poisoning behavior. The psychiatric and self-poisoning groups showed deficits on measures assessing interpersonal problem solving when compared with nonpatient controls. The self-poisoning group performed below the level of the psychiatric patients on all except one test, on which they performed at the level of the psychiatric group. Locus of control did not differentiate self-poisoning patients from nonpatient controls, and it was concluded that this variable is not an important factor in self-poisoning behavior.

Ciguatera and scombroid fish poisoning in the United States.

PubMed

Pennotti, Radha; Scallan, Elaine; Backer, Lorraine; Thomas, Jerry; Angulo, Frederick J

2013-12-01

Ciguatera and scombroid fish poisonings are common causes of fish-related foodborne illness in the United States; however, existing surveillance systems underestimate the overall human health impact. This study aimed to describe existing data on ciguatera and scombroid fish poisonings from outbreak and poison control center reports and to estimate the overall number of ciguatera and scombroid fish-poisoning illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths in the United States. We analyzed outbreak data from the Foodborne Disease Outbreak Surveillance Systems (FDOSS) from 2000 to 2007 and poison control center call data from the National Poison Data System (NPDS) from 2005 to 2009 for reports of ciguatera and scombroid fish poisonings. Using a statistical model with many inputs, we adjusted the outbreak data for undercounting due to underreporting and underdiagnosis to generate estimates. Underreporting and underdiagnosis multipliers were derived from the poison control call data and the published literature. Annually, an average of 15 ciguatera and 28 scombroid fish-poisoning outbreaks, involving a total of 60 and 108 ill persons, respectively, were reported to FDOSS (2000-2007). NPDS reported an average of 173 exposure calls for ciguatoxin and 200 exposure calls for scombroid fish poisoning annually (2005-2009). After adjusting for undercounting, we estimated 15,910 (90% credible interval [CrI] 4140-37,408) ciguatera fish-poisoning illnesses annually, resulting in 343 (90% CrI 69-851) hospitalizations and three deaths (90% CrI 1-7). We estimated 35,142 (90% CrI: 10,496-78,128) scombroid fish-poisoning illnesses, resulting in 162 (90% CrI 0-558) hospitalizations and 0 deaths. Ciguatera and scombroid fish poisonings affect more Americans than reported in surveillance systems. Although additional data can improve these assessments, the estimated number of illnesses caused by seafood intoxication illuminates this public health problem. Efforts, including education, can reduce

Depletion optimization of lumped burnable poisons in pressurized water reactors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kodah, Z.H.

1982-01-01

Techniques were developed to construct a set of basic poison depletion curves which deplete in a monotonical manner. These curves were combined to match a required optimized depletion profile by utilizing either linear or non-linear programming methods. Three computer codes, LEOPARD, XSDRN, and EXTERMINATOR-2 were used in the analyses. A depletion routine was developed and incorporated into the XSDRN code to allow the depletion of fuel, fission products, and burnable poisons. The Three Mile Island Unit-1 reactor core was used in this work as a typical PWR core. Two fundamental burnable poison rod designs were studied. They are a solidmore » cylindrical poison rod and an annular cylindrical poison rod with water filling the central region.These two designs have either a uniform mixture of burnable poisons or lumped spheroids of burnable poisons in the poison region. Boron and gadolinium are the two burnable poisons which were investigated in this project. Thermal self-shielding factor calculations for solid and annular poison rods were conducted. Also expressions for overall thermal self-shielding factors for one or more than one size group of poison spheroids inside solid and annular poison rods were derived and studied. Poison spheroids deplete at a slower rate than the poison mixture because each spheroid exhibits some self-shielding effects of its own. The larger the spheroid, the higher the self-shielding effects due to the increase in poison concentration.« less

Affective disorders and completed suicide by self-poisoning, trend of using antidepressants as a method of self-poisoning.

PubMed

Löfman, Sanna; Hakko, Helinä; Mainio, Arja; Riipinen, Pirkko

2017-09-01

The aim of this research was to study the role and trend of antidepressant use as a method of suicide in completed self-poisoning suicides in patients with affective disorders during a 23-year follow up period. The data consisted of 483 completed self-poisoning suicides from 1988 to 2011 in the province of Oulu in Northern Finland (286 men and 197 women). Of the self-poisoning victims, 26.9% (n=130) had hospital-treated unipolar depression and 3.1% (n=15) hospital-treated bipolar disorder. Further, 53.8% (n=70) of those with unipolar depression and 53.3% (n=8) of those with bipolar depression died by suicide using antidepressants. During the 23-year follow-up period, the proportion of those using antidepressants doubled among all self-poisoning victims of suicide. A significant decline was observed in the use of tricyclic antidepressants in self- poisoning suicides while a linear increase was found in the use of SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) and other antidepressants. During recent years one in five self-poisoning suicides involved the use of antiepileptics. A limitation of our study was that the psychiatric diagnoses only include hospital inpatient episodes. In conclusion, the use of new antidepressants has increased rapidly, but the risk of their use in self-poisoning suicide has perhaps been underestimated. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Epidemiological analysis for Quzhou pesticide poisoning of year 2008 to 2010].

PubMed