Listeria Lawyer & Attorney : Marler Clark Law Firm : Listeria Blog

Jul 25, 2006, 22:37

Recall Release CLASS I RECALL
FSIS-RC-023-2006 HEALTH RISK: HIGH

Congressional and Public Affairs
(202) 720-9113
Steven Cohen

WASHINGTON, July 25, 2006 - Ramar Foods Corp., a Pittsburg, Calif., firm, is voluntarily recalling approximately 5.25 pounds of hot dogs that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service announced today.

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Foodinfo Online FSTA Reports 4 July 2006
http://www.foodsciencecentral.com/fsc/ixid14389
© IFIS Publishing 2006 - All Rights Reserved

Listeria monocytogenes is a significant foodborne pathogen, particularly in ready-to-eat (RTE) meats. Over recent years, there have been several illnesses and deaths associated with foodborne listeriosis. There is therefore a need to evaluate post-process interventions for their ability to enhance the safety of high-volume RTE foods.

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The study will be posted on June 30 in the June issue of the online journal PLoS Pathogens.

For years, doctors have puzzled over why pregnant women are 20 times more likely than others to be infected by the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, now think they have the answer, and it isn't pretty.

Their research, conducted in guinea pigs, shows that the bacteria can invade the placenta, where - protected from the body's immune system - they proliferate rapidly before pouring out to infect organs such as the liver and spleen. The illness they cause often results in miscarriage or infection of the fetus.

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01.jul.06
Journal of Food Protection Volume 69, Number 7 pp. 1680-1689(10)

Sauders, Brian D.; Schukken, Ynte; Kornstein, Laura; Reddy, Vasudha; Bannerman, Tammy; Salehi, Ellen; Dumas, Nellie; Anderson, B
http://www.foodprotection.org/QuickLinks.htm

To better understand the transmission and epidemiology of human listeriosis, 647 Listeria monocytogenes isolates obtained from human listeriosis cases in four U.S. locations (Michigan, Ohio, New York State, and New York City) over 61 months (1998 to 2003) were characterized by automated EcoRI ribotyping. A total of 65 ribotypes were differentiated among the characterized isolates; 393, 227, and 24 isolates were classified into lineages I, II, and III, respectively, and 3 isolates were not classified to lineage. The three most common ribotypes (responsible for 39% of all cases) represented L. monocytogenes epidemic clones, each of which had previously been linked to at least two human listeriosis outbreaks. Categorical analyses revealed that ribotypes and lineages were nonrandomly distributed among the four locations. Temporal cluster analysis of cases identified 13 statistically significant temporal subtype clusters, which represented 26% of all cases. Three of these clusters matched previously described human listeriosis outbreaks. Isolates involved in clusters belonged to nine ribotypes. Four, eight, and one cluster were caused by lineages I, II, and III, respectively. The two largest clusters were both caused by the epidemic clone representing ribotype DUP-1044A. Categorical analyses revealed no significant associations between lineage or ribotype and clinical manifestation (central nervous system infection, septicemia, fetal infection, or other infection) or disease outcome (fatal or not fatal). Although human listeriosis cases are caused by isolates belonging to a diversity of EcoRI ribotypes, specific lineage I epidemic clones cause a large number of human listeriosis cases. Many human listeriosis cases can be grouped into statistically significant temporal clusters, including widely distributed and region-specific clusters associated with isolates of various ribotypes. L. monocytogenes lineages and EcoRI ribotypes do not appear to differ in their likelihood of causing different clinical manifestations or mortality.

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July 5, 2006
Matthew Borghese - All Headline News Staff Writer

Philadelphia, PA (AHN) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), is issuing a recall of Shernoff's Salads, Inc. brand Potato Salad because Listeria monocytogenes Poly O, type 1 was discovered in both environmental and product samples.

According to the FDA, "during an inspection, FDA reviewed the firm's environmental testing results and observed a positive result for Listeria in the manufacturing room. Finished product was sampled and analytical results were positive for Listeria."

Officials say the "Listeria monocytogenes is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in babies, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems."

The potato salad in question was "sold in 5-, 10- and 30-lb. plastic containers which were date coded "Use by 6/15/06." The product was distributed to processors in Pennsylvania and New Jersey who redistributed it in smaller containers to delis and restaurants."

Currently, however, there have been no reports of incidents or illnesses.

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05.jul.06
RxPG News
National Institutes of Health
PLoS Pathogens, reviewed by: Dr. Priya Saxena

"It's rare for a pregnant woman to get infected, but once she is, she can't clear the infection unless the placenta is expelled."

For years, doctors have puzzled over why pregnant women are 20 times more likely than others to be infected by the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, now think they have the answer, and it isn't pretty.

Their research, conducted in guinea pigs, shows that the bacteria can invade the placenta, where - protected from the body's immune system - they proliferate rapidly before pouring out to infect organs such as the liver and spleen. The illness they cause often results in miscarriage or infection of the fetus.

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