64 UK kids now sick from Godstone petting zoo; 3 other farms closed; is telling people to wash their hands really enough?
With 64 kids now stricken with E. coli O157 related to visits at the Godstone farm in Surrey, the responses from the folks who run petting zoos could be a little more sympathetic, a little more reflective.
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Instead, as reported by the Guardian tonight (tomorrow in the U.K.), Geoff Ford, who runs Docker Park farm in Lancashire, where children can feed pygmy goats (see 1999 Ontario Western Fair outbreak, below) by hand and stroke rabbits, said any ban would affect "children's environmental education” stating,
"It's going to get hyped up out of all proportion. It does away with children's environmental education. It's important that children realise what a chicken is, what a calf is – often they come here and ask 'is that a horse?'… We have run our farm for 20 years with no problems. But there is only so much you can do if people don't listen. The farm at the source of the outbreak in Surrey had big signs all over the place telling people to wash their hands, but some people don't give a damn."
The U.K. Department of Health responded today by announcing that the advisory committee on dangerous pathogens would be reviewing the current guidance on open farms and will advise on the need for additional precautions "in the light of the current outbreaks of E coli O157."
A Department of Health spokesman told the Telegraph,
“The risk of infection from E-coli O157 through petting farm animals can be prevented by following everyday good hand hygiene measures.”
All of these statements have serious problems.
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• 64 kids sick with E. coli O157 is not hysteria, it sucks;
• anyone who says, “we have run our farm for 20 years with no problems” is unwilling to learn and a hazard to public health;
• telling people to wash their hands is insufficient – proper handwashing requires access to proper tools;
• even with proper tools, signs are not enough, as we showed with our recent handwashing compliance study at a university residence when everyone was barfing and awareness was high; and,
• the best handwashing may not be enough -- the E. coli O157:H7 that sickened 82 people in 2002 at the Lane County Fair in Oregon appears to have spread through the air inside the goat and sheep expo hall.
Scott Weese, a clinical studies professor at the University of Guelph (Canada) and colleagues reported in the July 2007 edition of Clinical Infectious Diseases that in a study of 36 petting zoos in Ontario between May and October of 2006, they observed infrequent hand washing, food sold and consumed near the animals, and children being allowed to drink bottles or suck on pacifiers in the petting area.
He observed similar failures yesterday.
So after 159 people, mainly children, were thought to be sickened with E. coli O157:H7 traced to a goat and a sheep at the 1999 Western Fair in London, Ontario, and eight years after all Canadian fairs were urged to adopt 46 recommendations to enhance petting zoo safety, many are still doing a lousy job.
Bill Marler has compiled a list of outbreaks related to petting zoos. We’ve previously reported at least 29 petting zoo related outbreaks in North America alone.
These petting zoo experiences raise questions: how best to motivate fair managers to provide petting zoos that are microbiologically safe? Should the urban public be allowed to interact with livestock at all? Should petting zoos be inspected, as restaurants are, and the results displayed?
If 64 sick kids is hysteria, conversation is useless and regulation required.
CDC speaks: Surveillance for U.S. foodborne disease outbreaks, 2006
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control reports in tomorrow’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report that foodborne illnesses are a major health burden in the United States . Most of these illnesses are preventable, and analysis of outbreaks helps identify control measures. Although most cases are sporadic, investigation of the portion that occur as part of recognized outbreaks can provide insights into the pathogens, food vehicles, and food-handling practices associated with foodborne infections.
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In 2006, CDC reported 1,270 foodborne disease outbreaks (FBDOs) from all states and territories through the Foodborne Disease Outbreak Surveillance System (FBDSS), resulting in 27,634 cases of foodborne illness and 11 deaths. Among the 624 FBDOs with a confirmed etiology, norovirus was the most common cause, accounting for 54% of outbreaks and 11,879 cases, followed by Salmonella (18% of outbreaks and 3,252 cases). Among the 11 reported deaths, 10 were attributed to bacterial etiologies (six Escherichia coli O157:H7, two Listeria monocytogenes, one Salmonella serotype Enteritidis, and one Clostridium botulinum), and one was attributed to a chemical (mushroom toxin).
Among outbreaks caused by a single food vehicle, the most common food commodities to which outbreak-related cases were attributed were poultry (21%), leafy vegetables (17%), and fruits/nuts (16%). Public health professionals can use this information to 1) target control strategies for specific pathogens in particular foods along the farm-to-table continuum and 2) support good food-handling practices among restaurant workers and the public.
Are self-serve buffet restaurants in hospitals a good idea?
Some employees at a U.K. hospital are saying the only buffet in a hospital should be named Jimmy (with an extra ‘t’ right, exactly as shown).
A new self-service buffet is making a pig’s breakfast of infection control at Coventry’s University Hospital, angry staff claim.
The help-yourself spread was unveiled at the hospital’s main restaurant last week and is open to workers, patients and visitors.
Shocked hospital workers say they were only warned about the change days earlier when a sign went up.
They claim the self-service system is a hygiene disaster waiting to happen.
Allowing sick patients to handle the food could quickly spread infections, such as the highly contagious norovirus sickness bug, staff say.
One angry worker told the Coventry Telegraph,
“I think it is disgusting. Patients have been coming in with catheters and drip tubes in and rummaging through the piles of toast. Who knows what infections they are bringing down from the wards.”
Craig Smith, spokesman for contractor ISS, said the self-service breakfast buffet was launched to offer its customers more choice after consultation with staff and visitors.
“It is not unusual to have a self-service restaurant in a hospital – it is in place in hospitals up and down the country.”
UK veterinarians want to tackle disease, not play Diversity Day
Farmers Weekly Interactive reports that while farmers fight for their livelihoods, the entire UK Animal Health workforce of about 1700 staff will have to undergo workplace training, which includes learning how to play the drums and playing games.
One vet spoke of management’s attempt at Diversity Day (from The Office, right and below) by saying,
"… we wasted an entire day playing games, mucking about and banging drums.I am appalled that taxpayers are being asked to foot the bill for this when we are supposed to be fighting disease.”
A spokeswoman for Animal Health said,
"As well as strategy, aspects of the day focus on effective teamwork and how it can help Animal Health deliver better outcomes in the future.
"This was done in a fun and interesting way which involved staff doing activities together.”
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Elk or Bison to blame for Montana's loss of "Brucellosis free status"
On September 3rd, 2008, Montana lost its brucellosis-free status due to two cases of infected cattle. It was a big blow since last February the U.S. Department of Agriculture declared all 50 states to be free of brucellosis — the first time that had happened in 74 years.
Montana’s livestock producers will now be required to test bulls and nonspayed females, 18 months of age or older, 30 days before interstate shipment.
Ranchers in Montana and surrounding states are taking action to prevent any further spread of brucellosis. A brucellosis plan of action has been proposed by the Montana Department of Livestock, which includes surveillance, vaccination, traceability/animal identification, fencing/pasture management, and other measures to help the state regain its brucellosis free status. If no additional cases of brucellosis in livestock are found, the state will be able to apply for Class Free status to USDA APHIS in late May of 2009. Also, Montana needs to prove to USDA that no additional cases of brucellosis in cattle exist in the state.
Brucellosis is an infectious disease caused by the bacteria of the genus Brucella.
It is a devastating illness for herds as it causes cattle to spontaneously abort if pregnant. Humans become infected by coming in contact with animals or animal products that are contaminated with these bacteria. To prevent infection, herdsman should use rubber gloves when handling viscera of animal; a
ll consumers should not have unpasteurized milk, cheese or ice cream.
Who’s to blame for the source of the brucellosis disease? Livestock officials point to wild elk and bison in the area, though there has been much discussion as to whether these are the true culprits. A four-foot high, seven-mile long electric fence has been erected near Gardiner to steer bison that migrate out of Yellowstone National Park to acceptable grazing land. In terms of sheer numbers, the Yellowstone region's 25 elk herds dwarf the three herds of bison. And unlike bison, which move in groups, elk move freely over the region's numerous mountain ranges, often alone or in small numbers. Livestock officials say infected elk herds around Yellowstone must be culled, but hunters are pushed back saying that efforts should focus on vaccinating cattle or eradicating the disease in bison.
There is also the probability that neither of these species are the ones responsible for the infected cattle. The fact that both the 2007 and the current brucellosis detections have occurred in Corriente cattle, a breed closely associated with brucellosis, has many questioning whether cattle, and not Yellowstone wildlife, are responsible for the transmissions resulting in Montana losing its brucellosis free status.
Government authorities continue to work with local officials toward regaining its status as a state free from brucellosis.
Philippine cafeteria workers dishing up disease
Is your school cafeteria gross? How does it match up with the Philippines, where PNA reports that a Department of Health (DOH) study found six out of 10 food handlers at canteens have infections that might be passed on to students.
Dr. Yolanda Oliveros, director of the DOH National Center for Disease Prevention and Control, said that study showed that food handlers usually introduce biological hazards to students.
"These problems usually arise if the food handlers suffer from specified diseases; or from organisms/eggs on the food handler's skin; or in their intestines/feces; or by cross contamination after handling raw materials.”
Oliveros said that they had recommended that food handlers wear protection such as gloves and must adhere to safety standards such as washing their hands regularly.
Enjoy lunch.
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Scooping Poop
“Pick up your dogs’ droppings.” I’ve seen the street signs for years, but I always thought it was the yuck factor. As I’ve grown up and gone through high school biology, I’ve learned that it’s not just the yuck factor, it’s also the sick factor. Dog waste on the sidewalk is a significant contributing factor to the spread many disease, bacteria and protozoa. Some of the common pathogens are tapeworms, roundworms, cryptosporidium, salmonella, e.coli, parvovirus and many others.
One of the worst culprits is the tapeworm. They are the single most common infection transmitted by discarded dog poop in United States.
Tapeworms are caused by the ingestion of flea larvae, but also can be caused if an owner tracks flea larvae-contaminated dog poo into the house and a pet is exposed. In the veterinary clinic I work at during the summers, tapeworms are commonly referred to as rice worms. They’re easily treated with flea preventative and tapeworm treatment, but even more easily prevented by properly disposing of animal poop.
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Doggie doo is also an environmental pollutant. If the waste is not picked up it will run into the sewers with the rain. This leads to contaminated streams and seawater.
According to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association, Americans owned 68 million dogs in 2000, and 40% of these dogs were large dogs over 40 pounds. This adds up to a large mess if owners don’t clean up after their pets.
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Pet poop is a problem, but what’s the solution? Many cities have laws concerning scooping poo. Most states will issue a ticket ranging from $25 to $200 for leaving a dog’s business on the sidewalk. Australia has even gone so far as to have their own plain clothes poop police approaching irresponsible owners to change their behavior.How do we take care of it? Common recommendations are to carry a “doggie doo-doo” sack along when taking a pet out for a walk. Using flea preventative will help prevent a pet from developing tapeworms from ingesting any flea larvae on their own skin, but they are still susceptible to flea larvae in the environment. Annual distemper/parovirus vaccinations from a licensed veterinarian will help protect dogs from parvovirus, which is spread through fecal material.
Most importantly, wash your hands after picking up animal waste. Otherwise get ready for those tapeworms.
