Introduction
An outbreak of infection or foodborne illness may be defined either as two or more linked cases of the same illness, or as the situation when the observed number of cases unaccountably exceeds the expected number (Food standard Agency, 2006). However, the World Health Organisation (WHO) defines it as, any disease of an infectious or toxic nature caused by or thought to be caused by the consumption of food or water Norovirus is the most common known cause of infectious intestinal disease in Western Europe and North America [1–3] and one of the leading causes of foodborne outbreaks of acute gastroenteritis [4–9]. It has been estimated that there are over 600,000 cases of norovirus infection in England each year [10], with infection rates peaking during the winter months that lend the disease the initial description “winter vomiting disease” (Mounts et al., 2000 EFSA).
Background
Noroviruses were first recognized in the year 1968 following an outbreak of gastroenteritis at an elementary school in Norwalk, Ohio in the USA (Adler and Zickl,1969). For many years they were known as Norwalk-like viruses (NLV), or as 'small round structured viruses ' (SRSVs), because of their appearance when viewed under an electron microscopy. Norovirus belongs to the family Caliciviridae and is a non-enveloped, single stranded positive RNA virus with a genome tail and a single capsid polypeptide molecular mass (Greenberg,1981). Norovirus have a characteristic surface morphology
There is need for International Corporation to come together to solve this problem because individual government of countries cannot handle it alone. The World Health organization requires that countries have the food surveillance program to monitor the food borne out borne disease outbreak in every county. The surveillance system uses electronic programmed computer to detect the presence of pathogens and bacterium which are microscopic in nature on items of food that pass across the border of every country. When the pathogen is detected in a food, such food item is banned and seized at port of entry of the
The prototype of norovirus was identified in 1968 by electron microscopy as a cause of Gastroenteritis in Norwalk, Ohio. Human noroviruses are a major cause of Epidemic Gastroenteritis, and Epidemic Gastroenteritis is a major cause of foodborne illness. Outbreaks occur throughout the year, but it is most common in the winter. Causes 19-21 million cases of acute gastroenteritis, and contributes to 56,000-71,000 hospitalizations and 570-800 deaths, mostly among young children and older adults. Responsible for 58% of domestically-acquired foodborne illnesses, and about 50% of foodborne disease outbreaks due to known agents.
The outbreak started on January 11th when almost 550 people became sick. 542 of the report people who became sick ate from El Toro in Tacoma. The other 22 people were infected from chain restaurants near by. These people have gotten sick from a WA-area norovirus with the Tacoma area. Residents of separate households began to send reports to the health department of possible food poisoning on January 5. All of these residents have recently eaten at the Tacoma restaurant. Everyone who has come forward has been treated. There is no incite if anyone have died.
A virus is a small capsule that contains DNA or RNA, viruses, unlike bacteria are not self sufficient and need a host in
There are many things that could have contributed to all those kids and the chaperones getting sick. Things that could have caused the outbreak are the food handlers not following the correct procedures.Cooking the food enough and having the correct temperature are some of the procedures that the food handlers could have messed up to cause the outbreak.
For the seven interviews that the team conducted, three of the cases had eaten hamburger or ground beef, no cases had drunk raw milk, only one case had traveled outside Michigan, no restaurant or social event was identified in common, all of the cases had consumed lettuce, and six had eaten alfalfa sprouts. Appendix A shows the line listing of people who became ill with E.coli or E.coli symptoms from June 15 to July 15. Based on those findings no obvious linkages between patients were found. Appendix B shows the epidemic curve for this outbreak. The epidemic curve showed that the onset of illness among cases occurred from June to July with largest number occurring on June 22nd. Based on the appendix D, DNA fingerprinting
Norwalk virus is a spherical single-stranded RNA virus. This virus is alive and can stay on objects and surfaces and still infect people for days or weeks. It can survive some disinfectants which makes it even harder to get rid of. Anyone can get Norwalk virus. Each year, norovirus causes 56,000 to 71,000 hospitalizations and 570 to 800 deaths, mostly in young children and the elderly. This virus causes
The virus has received its name from its birth in Norwalk Ohio. It was responsible for a short term outbreak of gastroenteritis occurring in the students of Bronson elementary school in November of 1968. It wasn’t until 1972 the virus was examined and received its name as the Norwalk virus. Since its known birth, there have been many outbreaks with similar symptoms reported. It is believed the virus may belong to the family Caliciviridae. The Norwalk virus is actually part of a group of single-stranded RNA, non-enveloped viruses. Once a person is infected with the virus it begins to copy itself within small intestines. The symptoms would develop between 12 and 48 hours and tend to last 1-3 days.
RSV belongs to the paramyxovirus family of viruses. The virion encompasses a helical nucleocapsid packaged in a lipoprotein envelope attained from the host cell plasma membrane during budding. The external surface of the envelope contains a periphery of surface spikes.
Outstandingly, after thorough investigation, the health department discovered traces of norovirus spread throughout the coffee shop. Norovirus, although commonly refered to as the winter vomiting bug, can strike in warm weather as well. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the virus is thought to affect between 19 million to 21 million people per year.
The virus has received its name from its birth in Norwalk Ohio. It was responsible for a short term outbreak of gastroenteritis occurring in the students of Bronson elementary school in November of 1968. It wasn’t until 1972 the virus was examined and received its name as the Norwalk virus. Since its known birth,
* Flaviviruses: share a common size (40-60nm), symmetry (enveloped, icosahedral nucleocapsid), nucleic acid (positive-sense, single stranded RNA approximately 10,000-11,000 bases), and appearance in the electron microscope. Therefore, images of West Nile virus are representative for this group of viruses.
Cholera is an intestinal infection that can claim its victim’s life within hours if not treated promptly. It is caused by eating or drinking something that is contaminated with
There is still a great deal of information to learn from the study of viruses and the continued exploration of the viral genome is crucial in understanding how viruses communicate, transmit from host to host and evade immune responses. The ever-change nature of the viral genome has shown us that the most dangerous viral infections of today may be undermined by newer and more effective viruses, resulting in catastrophic outcomes. Through the study of viruses, it is the hope of the scientific community to be ahead of the viral curve, preventing infections before they even
A mother of a young child called the Vermont Department on February 5 to report the possibility of a foodborne disease outbreak after her child aged 5 years and two other children of her neighbor aged 7 and 10 years became ill with a lot of vomiting and diarrhea that took place within an interval of 12 hours. The child’s sickness became severe that the mother took her to a local hospital where she was kept at the emergency department.