Food-Borne Diseases

Macedo et al. 2012 describe the serology and isolation of  Toxoplasma gondii strains from blood and tissue of pregnant dairy cows and foetuses in Southern Brazil. [1]

Jourdain et al. 2007 analysed the influence of wild bird migration routes and risk for pathogen dispersion. Birds can move fast over large distances, such as the the arctic tern (Sterna paradisaea), which travels  up to 50,000 km between Antarctica and northern Scandinavia during a period of one year. During their migration birds carry pathogens that can be transmitted between species at breeding, wintering, and stopover places. [1]

Humblet et al 2012 prioritized 100 animal diseases and zoonoses in Europe using 57 prioritization criteria. The method of disease prioritization has been defined as the “organization of listed diseases into a hierarchy, considering their respective impacts”. Five aspects of a pathogen were considered: epidemiology, prevention/control, effects on economy/trade, zoonotic characteristics, and effect on society. [1]

The German Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut discovered the Schmallenberg virus which caused an undetermined disease in animals  in late 2011. Sheep, cattle and goats presented fever, decreased milk production, and diarrhea, malformed newborn animals and stillborn calves, goats an lambs. A study leaded by Martin Beer used metagenomic analysis to identify the  novel orthobunyavirus. The epidemic spread from Germany to the Netherlands, Belgium, Great Britain, France, Italy, Luxembourg and Spain. [1]

Clostridium difficile infections are related to food infections and 94% are healthcare contamination. The current epidemic strain of Clostridium difficile is the BI/NAP1/027, toxinotype III strain. This strain is more virulent than foregoing strains. It has an increased toxin A and B production, polymorphisms in binding domain of toxin B, and presents increased sporulation. [1]

Every growing season bacterial and viral outbreaks linked to cantaloupe are reported. Food poisoning outbreaks linked to CantalupCantaloupe-linked infections are top 5 of the list of fruits and vegetables for outbreaks. This is largely due to their growing conditions and the potential to support the growth of bacteria.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest  CSPI points out that eating raw oysters or other shellfish contaminated with deadly Vibrio vulnificus bacteria present a serious health risk. The contaminated oysters are mainly harvested from the Gulf Coast region, especially during the warmer summer months. [1]

Magni et al. 2012 describe a novel serine-endopeptidase activity with cleavage specificity to twin-arginine pairs (-R-R-) in mature dry Lupinus albus seeds. The authors suggest that the activity of the novel endopeptidase is essential for degradation at germination and generates polypeptide fragments with specific biological activity. [1]

A novel swine-originated influenza A virus known as pandemic (H1N1) 2009 was first isolated from humans in Mexico in April 2009, the worldwide pandemic resulted in more than 18,000 deaths. Swine, turkeys, ferrets, cats, and cheetahs, were found to have been infected. Transmission from humans to pigs were reported. In August 2010, the World Health Organization stated that the pandemic caused by this virus had ended. [1]

Böhnel, Schwagerick and Gessler 2001 describe a bovine disease in lower Saxony, Germany and named it “visceral botulism”. The symptoms are constipation alternating with diarrhoea, non-infectious chronic laminitis, engorged veins, oedemas, retracted abdomen, emaciation and apathy. Unexpected death, delayed growth and wasting in heifers, and decreasing milk yield are reported.  [1]