Skip to content

News

  

Published 14 September 2007 , Volume 1, No 37 (PDF file, 251 KB)

News Archives: | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001

 

Survey of salmonella contamination of raw shell eggs used in catering premises in the UK

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has published its findings of a survey of salmonella contamination in raw shell eggs used in catering premises in the United Kingdom (UK) [1]. The survey was carried out over the 14 months between November 2005 and December 2006, and was one of two surveys launched following an unusual number of Salmonella Enteritidis outbreaks associated with the use of eggs in catering premises in England and Wales during 2002 to 2004 [2-5].

A total of 9,528 eggs (1,588 pooled samples of six eggs) were collected at random from 1,567 catering premises in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. Salmonella was isolated from six pooled samples (0.38%) of eggs. Of these, five were Salmonella Enteritidis (0.31%), which were further characterized to phage types (PTs) as follows: PT 4 (three samples), PT 8 (one sample), and PT 12 (one sample). Salmonella Mbandaka was also isolated (one sample). None of the Salmonella isolates exhibited antimicrobial resistance. The eggs sampled were produced in eight European countries (France, Germany, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands, and the UK), with most (89%) originating from the UK . Salmonella spp. was detected from five pooled eggs sampled that were produced in the UK and one from Germany. The Salmonella contaminated eggs from the UK and Germany were linked with six producers.

The study also involved an assessment of kitchen practices and the results showed evidence of poor egg storage and handling practices in catering premises. Over half (55%) did not store their eggs under refrigerated conditions, a fifth (20.7%) of egg samples had had passed their 'best-before' dates or were being used beyond three weeks after they were layed (indicating poor stock rotation), and 37.1% of kitchens used mixed pooled eggs for use during the day.

Eggs are a commonly consumed food that may occasionally be contaminated with Salmonella at different rates according to their place of origin. Caterers need to be aware of this continuing hazard, receive appropriate food safety and hygiene training on storage and usage of raw shell eggs, adopt appropriate control measures, and follow advice provided by the Food Standards Agency [6,7] in order to reduce the risk of cross contamination to ready to eat foods and infection. Salmonella contamination of eggs has been one of the main microbiological food safety issues in the last 20 years, with outbreaks of Salmonella Enteritidis infection associated with raw shell eggs continuing to be a common cause of food borne illness.

The FSA survey was carried out by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) Centre for Infections Department of Gastrointestinal Infections, HPA Regional Microbiology Network, NPHS Wales, Northern Ireland Public Health Laboratory, Public Analysts in Scotland, and Local Authorities.

The final report for catering egg survey can be found at <http://www.food.gov.uk/news/newsarchive/2007/sep/eggsurvey>.

References

1.  Food Standards Agency. FSA survey of Salmonella contamination of raw shell eggs used in catering premises in the UK . (Press release). London: FSA, 13 September 2007. Available at: < http://www.food.gov.uk/news/newsarchive/2007/sep/eggsurvey>. Accessed 13 September 2007.

2. Health Protection Agency. Salmonella Enteritidis infection in England and Wales – update from a multi-Agency national outbreak control team. Commun Dis Rep CDR Wkly [serial online] 2005 [accessed 13 September 2007]; 15(42): News. Available at: <http://www.hpa.org.uk/cdr/archives/2005/cdr4205.pdf Accessed 29 June 2007.

3.  Health Protection Agency. Salmonella Enteritidis non-Phage Type 4 infections in England and Wales : 2000 to 2004 – report from a multi-Agency national outbreak control team. Commun Dis Rep CDR Wkly [serial online] 2004 [accessed 13 September 2007]; 14 (42): News. Available at: http://www.hpa.org.uk/cdr/archives/2004/cdr4204.pdf . Accessed 29 June 2007.

4.  Little CL, Surman-Lee S, Greenwood M, Bolton FJ, Elson R, Mitchell RT, et al. Public health investigations of Salmonella Enteritidis in catering raw shell eggs, 2002 - 2004. Letts Appl Microbiol. 2007; 44: 595-601.

5.  Little CL, Walsh S, Hucklesby L, Surman-Lee S, Pathak K, Gatty Y, et al. Survey of Salmonella Contamination of Non-UK Produced Shell Eggs on Retail Sale in the North West of England and London, 2005-2006. J Food Prot 2007. In press.

6.  Food Standards Agency. Eat well, be well – Eggs. In: Food Standards Agency website [online] [Accessed 10 November 2006]. London: FSA, 2006. Available at <http://www.eatwell.gov.uk/healthydiet/nutritionessentials/eggsandpulses/eggs/>.

7.  Food Standards Agency. Eggs – what caterers need to know. In: Food Standards Agency website [online]. London . Available at <http://www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/eggleaflet.pdf>.

Improving the detection and diagnosis of HIV in non-HIV specialties including primary care

The Chief Medical Officer and Chief Nursing Officer for England have issued a joint letter [1]about improving the detection and diagnosis of HIV in non-HIV specialties including primary care. The letter highlights best practice about offering and recommending, where appropriate, HIV testing in all healthcare settings, not just those traditionally offering this service.

An audit by the British HIV Association (BHIVA) of deaths from HIV among adults reported that, in around a quarter of cases, diagnoses occurred too late for effective treatment and late diagnoses accounted for at least 35% of HIV-related deaths [2]. The letter also points to evidence that a significant proportion of people who are diagnosed late with HIV infection had been in contact with healthcare professionals in the preceding year with symptoms which, in retrospect, were likely to be related to HIV [3].

Clinicians are asked to be alert to circumstances in which it is appropriate to offer and recommend an HIV test. This is especially important when the patient may have an unacknowledged but identifiable risk, or have symptoms or signs of HIV infection. As well as non-specific symptoms such as malaise and weight loss, patients with HIV may present across a range of clinical areas, such as:

  • thoracic medicine (for example, tuberculosis, pneumonia)
  • gastroenterology (for example, oral candidiasis, severe gastroenteritis)
  • oncology (for example, lymphoma)
  • dermatology (for example, shingles, severe fungal dermatoses)
  • haematology (for example, Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura)
  • emergency medicine (for example, coma, meningitis)

The introduction 10 years ago of highly active antiretroviral therapy has transformed HIV services and health outcomes and today most people are living with HIV as a chronic long-term condition instead of an acute fatal illness. However, HIV remains a serious and often stigmatised health condition which may deter individuals from actively seeking or being offered an HIV test. There are clear public health and individual benefits for people in knowing their HIV status, especially if they face an increased risk of HIV, or are a partner of a person at increased risk.

References

1. Chief MEdical Officer and Chief Nursing Officer for England. Improving the detection and diagnosis of HIV in non-HIV specialties including primary care. London: Department of Health, 2007. Available at<http://www.info.doh.gov.uk/doh/embroadcast.nsf/vwDiscussionAll/
EE0FA479BAA64A1B80257355003DFB47>.

2. Submitted for publication, see: http://www.bhiva.org/files/file1001379.ppt

3 . Sullivan AK, Curtis H, Sabin CA ,Johnson MA. Newly diagnosed HIV infections: review in UK and Ireland BMJ 2005; 330: 1301-2. Available at <http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/330/7503/130>