Lecture 4 - Foodborne pathogens and foodborne outbreaks

Question 1

RASFF

Answer 1

The Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed

provides 24 hours a day service to ensure that urgent food/feed safety
notifications are sent, received and responded to collectively and efficiently in Europe.

Question 2

the most prevalent salmonella serotype

Answer 2

S. Enteritidis

Question 3

STEC

Answer 3

shiga toxin producing e. coli

Question 4

Five most common human zoonoses in EU, 2018-2020

Answer 4

campylobacteriosis
salmonellosis
yersiniosis
STEC infections
listeriosis

(in order of frequency from highest to lowest)

Question 5

Potential high risk products for listeriosis

Answer 5

• Vacuum packaged, sliced cold-smoked meat- and fish products
• Other RTE fish and meat products
• Raw fish and meat products
• Raw milk
• Soft cheeses, which have higher moisture content,
• Other dairy products made of unpasteurized milk.
• Sliced/shredded VP and MAP fruit and vegetables with long
  shelf-life.

Question 6

ECDC

Answer 6

European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control

Question 7

EFSA

Answer 7

European Food Safety Authority

Question 8

Campylobacteriosis is

Answer 8

a bacterial diarrheal disease caused by Campylobacter species, found in animals such as poultry, cattle, pigs, wild birds and wild mammals.

The most frequent way of getting infected is through the consumption of contaminated food (mainly poultry) or water.

Question 9

High risk products for Campylobacteriosis

Answer 9

• Fresh and raw broiler chicken meat and poultry meat
• Non-pasteurized milk and non-treated drinking water
• Raw milk contamination
• Other possible foods:
  – pork;
  – beef;
  – lamb, and seafood

Question 10

How can Campylobacter infections be prevented at home?

Answer 10

Always treat raw meat as potentially contaminated.

Avoid consuming unpasteurized milk or untreated water.

Carefully wash hands with warm, soapy water before and after food preparation.

Question 11

an important reservoir of Salmonella

Answer 11

Farm animals

Animals = primary reservoirs

Question 12

S. Typhimurium is a shortened name for…?

Answer 12

S. enterica subsp. enterica serovar typhimurium

Question 13

Salmonella typically causes 2 types of illnesses

Answer 13

enteric fever or typhoidic fever types exist

Question 14

Listeriosis caused by

Answer 14

bacterium Listeria monocytogenes

two main types of listeriosis: a non-invasive form and an invasive form.

can cause severe illness, including severe sepsis, meningitis, or encephalitis, sometimes resulting in lifelong harm and even death.

Question 15

What does hepatitis A virus infection cause?

Answer 15

Symptoms of hepatitis A can last up to 2 months and include fatigue, nausea, stomach pain, and jaundice. Most people with hepatitis A do not have long-lasting illness.

Hepatitis A is a highly contagious liver infection caused by the hepatitis A virus. The virus is one of several types of hepatitis viruses that cause liver inflammation and affect your liver’s ability to function.

Question 16

Is hepatitis A virus infection permanent?

Answer 16

usually a short-term infection and does not become chronic.

Almost everyone recovers fully from hepatitis A with a lifelong immunity. However, a very small proportion of people infected with hepatitis A could die from fulminant hepatitis.

Hepatitis B and hepatitis C can also begin as short-term, acute infections, but in some people, the virus remains in the body, resulting in chronic disease and long-term liver problems.

Question 17

What has been found to be a very useful tool for food-borne outbreak investigation?

Answer 17

Next-generation sequencing (e.g. WGS, whole-genome sequencing).

Question 18

In many cases, the compromises in pathogen typing method selection include

Answer 18

either speed versus
reproducibility or cost versus discriminatory ability.

Also, the choice depends on target microorganism under investigation; available technologies in situ, and existing databases that can be used.

Question 19

WGS

Answer 19

Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) in epidemiological
surveillance of foodborne pathogenic bacteria

Powerful tool for foodborne outbreak investigations

Question 20

What Is the most often reported cause of foodborne bacterial outbreaks in European Union and probably worldwide?

Answer 20

salmonellosis

Question 21

What Is the most often reported zoonotic disease in European Union and probably worldwide?

Answer 21

campylobacteriosis

Question 22

What Has the highest case fatality (%) among bacterial zoonotic diseases in European Union?

Answer 22

listeriosis

Question 23

Indicator microorganisms are

Answer 23

Indicator organisms are used as a proxy to monitor conditions in consumer product.

evaluate the efficiency of heat treatment

control the hygiene status etc.

Question 24

What shows surface microbiological cleanliness level and product microbiological quality

Answer 24

indicator microorganisms such as e.coli

Question 25

What is Temperature danger zone?

Answer 25

this term indicates a range from 7-63 degrees of Celsius because most bacteria are able to grow at this range of temperature

Question 26

Listeria monocytogenes grows at what temp

Answer 26

The temperature range for growth of L. monocytogenes is between -1.5 and 45°C, with the optimal temperature being 30–37°C. Temperatures above 50°C are lethal to L. monocytogenes.

So L. monocytogenes are psychrotrophic microorganisms.

Question 27

What microorganism is often associated with shellfish and other seafood?

Answer 27

norovirus

Question 28

What microorganism Is often associated with infected persons who are not following hygiene rules and often frozen berries have been causing foodborne outbreaks?

Answer 28

hep. A

Question 29

What microorganism Is spread in temperate areas primarily in the winter and has person-to-person spread?

Answer 29

rotavirus

Question 30

To destroy the bacterial spores the temperature must be

Answer 30

at least 100’C

Question 31

define Psychrotrophic microorganism versus Psychrophilic microorganisms

Answer 31

have a maximum temperature for growth above 20 degrees C and are widespread in natural environments and in foods.

Psychrophilic microorganisms have a maximum temperature for growth at 20 degrees C or below and are restricted to permanently cold habitats.