An Outbreak of Shigella dysenteriae Type 2 Among Laboratory Workers Due to Intentional Food Contamination

Kolavic, Shellie; Kimura, Akiko; Simons, Shauna L.; Slutsker, Laurence; Barth, Suzanne S.; Haley, Charles E.

doi:10.1001/jama.1997.03550050058034

Cited by 154 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 7 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…17 In 1995, a fanatic religious group, Aum Shinrikyo, carried out a sarin nerve gas attack on the Tokyo subway. As the information on how to prepare and deliver weapons of mass destruction, particularly biological 10,[17][18][19] and chemical agents, 16 becomes more widely available, and as the ideology of terror movements disseminates, it becomes only a matter of time before internal extremist groups combine the two.…”

Section: Terror Eventsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Canadian emergency department preparedness for a nuclear, biological or chemical event

Kollek

2003

CJEM

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Since the terror attacks of September 11th, emergency departments across North America have become more aware of the need to be prepared to deal with a mass casualty terror event, particularly one involving nuclear, biological or chemical contaminants. The effects of such an attack could also be mimicked by accidental release of toxic chemicals, radioactive substances or biological agents unrelated to terrorist activity.The purpose of this study was to review the risks and characteristics of these events and to assess the preparedness of Canadian emergency departments to respond. This was done by means of a survey, which showed a significant risk of a mass casualty event (most likely chemical) coupled with a deficiency in preparedness -most notably in the availability of appropriate equipment, antidotal therapy and decontamination capability. There were also significant deficiencies in the ability to respond to a major biologic or nuclear event. RÉSUMÉDepuis les attaques terroristes du 11 septembre, les départements d'urgence à travers l'Amérique du Nord ont été sensibilisés davantage à l'importance de se préparer en prévision d'une catastrophe à victimes multiples, en particulier lorsque des polluants nucléaires, biologiques ou chimiques sont en cause. Les effets d'une telle attaque pourraient aussi se manifester dans le contexte d'une libération accidentelle de produits chimiques toxiques, de substances radioactives ou d'agents biologiques non reliés à des activités terroristes.La présente étude avait comme objectif de passer en revue les risques et caractéristiques de ces événements et d'évaluer l'état de préparation des départements d'urgence canadiens en cas de désastre. L'étude prit la forme d'un sondage qui révéla un risque important de catastrophe à victimes multiples (très probablement d'origine chimique) associé à un état de préparation inadé-quat, plus particulièrement au niveau de la disponibilité de l'équipement approprié, des antidotes et des capacités de décontamination. On notait également des lacunes importantes dans la capacité à répondre à une catastrophe majeure d'origine biologique ou nucléaire.

show abstract

Section: Terror Eventsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Canadian emergency department preparedness for a nuclear, biological or chemical event

Kollek

2003

CJEM

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…However, location-specific preventive measures are also warranted, including providing restaurant and food-service workers and managers with education about adherence to proper food-handling and hygiene practices, excluding ill food handlers from work in accordance with local regulations, and paid sick leave to reduce the incentive to work while sick. The potential for intentional spread of Shigella should also be considered, as was seen in the case of a deliberate inoculation of pastries with S. dysenteriae type 2, which were later distributed to staff at a Texas laboratory, all of whom became ill [30]. While there is evidence in these data of declining numbers of reported foodborne outbreaks due to Shigella, increases in foodborne transmission of Shigella and other pathogens with similar transmission pathways will be a concern in the future in light of increasing consumer preferences for meals prepared outside the home and the increasing demand for fresh produce throughout the year, which may be centrally processed, widely distributed as commercial products, and imported from countries with varying food safety standards and shigellosis incidence [31,32].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Foodborne outbreaks of shigellosis in the USA, 1998–2008

et al. 2012

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

SUMMARYWe examined reported outbreaks of foodborne shigellosis in the USA from 1998 to 2008 and summarized demographic and epidemiological characteristics of 120 confirmed outbreaks resulting in 6208 illnesses. Most reported foodborne shigellosis outbreaks (n=70, 58%) and outbreak-associated illnesses (n=3383, 54%) were restaurant-associated. The largest outbreaks were associated with commercially prepared foods distributed in multiple states and foods prepared in institutional settings. Foods commonly consumed raw were implicated in 29 (24%) outbreaks and infected food handlers in 28 (23%) outbreaks. Most outbreaks (n=86, 72%) were caused by Shigella sonnei. Targeted efforts to reduce contamination during food handling at multiple points in the food processing and distribution system, including food preparation in restaurants and institutional settings, could prevent many foodborne disease outbreaks and outbreak-related illnesses including those due to Shigella.

show abstract

“…Examples include a salad bar intentionally contaminated with Salmonella spp. by a religious cult (Török et al, 1997); a Shigella outbreak due to the contamination of workplace pastries (Kloavic et al, 1997); and the contamination of 200 pounds of ground beef with an insecticide whose main ingredient was nicotine by a disgruntled retail food store employee (Center for Disease Control, 2003). Since these small-scale intentional contaminations were already a recognised threat, the concept of larger more coordinated incidents by extremist organisations became a higher likelihood, especially in the face of bold terrorist attacks through the 1990s and the first decade of the 21st century.…”

Section: Beyond Access and Availability: Food Safety And Defencementioning

confidence: 99%

Food security: its components and challenges

Havas¹,

Salman²

2011

IJFSNPH

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Food security relates directly to nutrition and health. Typically food security is thought of as being related to availability and access of foodstuffs. Yet, the threat to food security also lies with urbanisation, income disparity, overpopulation, ecosystem degradation, animal health, and food wholesomeness. Food wholesomeness is also an important aspect of nutrition. Wholesomeness is monitored via food safety and food defence programmes, making them critical components of a food security programme as well. This article discusses these interrelations and concepts for future scientific and humanitarian development programmes.

show abstract

An Outbreak of Shigella dysenteriae Type 2 Among Laboratory Workers Due to Intentional Food Contamination

Abstract: The source of the outbreak was most likely the laboratory's stock culture, which was used to contaminate the pastries. Results of this investigation underscore the need for adequate precautions to prevent inadvertent or intentional contamination from highly pathogenic laboratory specimens.

Cited by 154 publications

References 7 publications

Canadian emergency department preparedness for a nuclear, biological or chemical event

Canadian emergency department preparedness for a nuclear, biological or chemical event

Foodborne outbreaks of shigellosis in the USA, 1998–2008

Food security: its components and challenges

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About