Salmonella food poisoning

Oregon Cult Food Poisoning — Two members of an Oregon cult headed by Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh cultivated Salmonella (food poisoning) bacteria and used them to contaminate restaurant salad bars in an attempt to affect the outcome of a local election. Although hundreds of people became ill and 45 were hospitalized, there were no fatalities. 

House mice, as well as other species, have been linked to man for thousands of years. Their destruction of human food supplies and crops has been recorded in very early records. Importantly, these mice are also responsible for spreading a number of diseases, such as typhus, spotted fever. Salmonella food poisoning, and bubonic plague. 

Duguid IP, North RAE (1991) Eggs and salmonella food poisoning an evaluation. 1 Med Microbiol 34 65-72... 

Salmonella typhi is the causal organism of typhoid fever, Sal. paratyphi causes paratyphoid fever, whilst Sal. typhimurium, Sal. enteritidis and very many other closely related organisms are a cause of bacterial food poisoning. 

Each year in the United States, approximately 76 million food-borne illnesses occur, leading to 325,000 hospitalizations and over 5000 deaths.40 A number of bacterial and viral pathogens that have been discussed previously in this chapter (e.g., Salmonella, Shigella, Campylobacter, E. coli, and noroviruses) can cause food poisoning. Other bacteria that can cause foodborne illness include Staphylococcus aureus, C. perfringens, C. botu-linum, and Bacillus cereus (Table 73-5). Food poisoning should be suspected if at least two individuals present with similar symptoms after the ingestion of a common food in the prior 72 hours. 

Despite significant interest in unconventional weapons, there have been few instances of widespread death or incapacitation due to CBRN use by terrorists, and the number of casualties pales in comparison to those killed by more conventional explosives, armed attacks and arson. Since 1968, more than 14,000 people have been killed by bombing, and nearly 6,000 by armed attack, but CBRN attacks have accounted for less than 20 deaths [41]. The two most notorious unconventional attacks in modern history, Aum Shinrikyo s gassing of a Tokyo subway in 1995 and the anthrax attacks in the U.S. in the fall of 2001, killed a total of 17 people. The food poisoning by the Rajneeshees in Oregon in 1984 has also received much attention. While there were no fatalities when the cult poisoned several salad bars with Salmonella, there were more than 700 injuries. 

Many domesticated animals Salmonella infection common cause of food poisoning, which is increasing due to poor hygiene ... 

Salmonella are a frequent cause of foodborne illness, commonly termed "food poisoning," going back long before the use of antibiotics. Salmonellosis is of unusual interest and importance to inhabitants of Chicago because of the outbreak starting in March of 1985, caused by a resistant strain of Salmonella typhimurium. 

Salmonella enteritidis A bacterium that causes food poisoning in humans. It is found on raw eggs and poultry. 

We know that much of the recent compunction for consumers to choose organic food has been driven by media attention to food scares , which have popularised the focus on food safety and health. Issues such as salmonella in eggs, E. coli food poisoning and the BSE disaster have all taken their toll on consumers confidence in the food industry. 

Contamination can be natural as well as man-made. We all eat food regularly and only rarely do we think about what it may contain. Our complacency can easily be shattered by a bout of food poisoning, which is most commonly the result of bacterial contamination, although similar symptoms can occur as a result of contamination by other agents, such as metals, as happened in Camelford (see pp. 143-4). If the bacteria are Salmonella or Campylobacter, the consequences may be extremely unpleasant and can be serious. These bacteria infect the gut of the unfortunate victim, multiply, and affect the lining of the intestine, causing the symptoms of diarrhoea and sickness. 

Salmonella spp. Gram-negative enteric rods, facultative Varying degrees of food poisoning. 

Microorganisms may have both positive and negative effects on foodstuffs. They may cause spoilage of foodstuffs and some, for example the typical food poisoning pathogens Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus etc.), may even poison it. Moulds too may form toxic substances [7-9]. 

Home-made mayonnaise has been implicated in various incidences of food poisoning (Weagant, Bryant, and Bark, 1994 Erickson et al., 1995 Al-Ahmadi, El Bushra, and Al-Zahrani, 1998). The use of vinegar (acetic acid) as an acidulant, at pH 3.6-4.0 has been suggested for prevention of contamination with pathogens, particularly Salmonella. 

Salmonella species Negative Food poisoning and typhoid... 

Viral and bacterial organisms account for most episodes of infectious diarrhea. Common causative bacterial organisms include Shigella, Salmonella, Campylobacter, Staphylococcus, and Escherichia coli. Food-borne bacterial infection is amajor concern, as several major food poisoning episodes have occurred that were traced to poor sanitary conditions in meat-processing plants. Acute viral infections are attributed mostly to the Norwalk and rotavirus groups. 

Common pathogens responsible for food poisoning include Staphylococcus, Salmonella, Shigella, and Clostridium. 

Until recently in the United States, most biological defense strategies have been geared to protecting soldiers on the battlefield rather than ordinary people in cities. Financial cutbacks have limited the tracking of disease outbreaks. Some outbreaks, such as food poisoning due to E. coli or Salmonella, could be of either natural or deliberate origin. 

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