A rare illness in Belgium that affected nine people was likely spread after the initial patient ate pork while abroad several years earlier.
Human cysticercosis results from ingesting Taenia solium eggs shed by a tapeworm carrier, forming cystic larvae in tissues. Upon consumption by humans, they develop into a new intestinal
Continue Reading Carrier in Belgian pork tapeworm case ate meat abroad
Can I get a “brain worm” from eating undercooked meat?
There’s little I find more terrifying than the idea of something living and crawling around inside me. Based on the number of sci-fi movies involving parasites, from Alien to The Host, I’m not the only one with this fear. Lucky
Continue Reading Should I be worried about worms eating my brain? Setting the record straight on the dangers of ‘brain worms’
Health officials in a Belgian city have identified the source of pork tapeworm infections at a school.
Department Zorg said that after an extensive search, the person behind the infections at Het Molentje primary school was found.
Around 10 cases have been discovered in primary school children in the past
Continue Reading Belgian Officials Solve Pork Tapeworm Case
Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), Taenia solium, and plant-based products were among topics discussed at the latest meeting of a European network focused on risk assessment.
The Scientific Network on Microbiological Risk Assessment (MRA Network) includes 25 member states plus Switzerland and Norway as observers. It is coordinated by the
Continue Reading EU network highlights key microbial issues
Belgian authorities have temporarily closed an events venue linked to more than 50 Shigella infections.
The Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (FASFC) and the Flemish Departement Zorg reported that over recent weekends, people had been infected with Shigella after attending the Zandberghoeve venue in Beernem. The
Continue Reading Belgian officials search for source of Shigella infections
The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued two more calls as part of work to estimate the burden of foodborne diseases.
WHO is seeking support from independent consultants or groups of experts with experience to undertake systematic reviews and other studies on foodborne illness.
The first area is a review
Continue Reading WHO continues efforts to estimate scale of foodborne infections
Researchers have looked at patterns in sporadic Shiga toxin–producing E. coli (STEC) infections in Ireland.
The Republic of Ireland often reports the highest annual incidence rates of STEC in the European Union. There is a high proportion of sporadic STEC infections and they are often associated with environmental exposures.
Researchers
Continue Reading Studies shine light on Irish E. coli infections, parasites in Peru
Officials have published a document highlighting ways to avoid the risks from foodborne parasites transmitted by pork, freshwater fish and crustaceans.
Foodborne parasitic diseases are often neglected in food safety control systems even though they can cause severe human health problems, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the
Continue Reading FAO highlights ‘often neglected’ foodborne parasites
The first sets of food safety risk communication and country-specific action plans to tackle the significant public health problem of foodborne parasites have been identified in Asia.
They were discussed at a regional meeting to accelerate prevention and control of neglected foodborne parasitic zoonoses in certain Asian countries in 2018
Continue Reading Experts set out plans to tackle foodborne parasites in Asia
Cryptosporidium spp., Toxoplasma gondii and Echinococcus spp. have been identified as important foodborne parasites in Europe.
Infection with these parasites in humans and animals, or their occurrence in food, is not notifiable in all member states. There are also no routine controls for the three parasites in food. Diseases caused
Continue Reading EFSA identifies important foodborne parasites in Europe
