Salmonellosis, serotype Infantis – USA: human, dog food

Interessante caso de 14 indivíduos(humanos), infectados em 9 diferentes Estados nos EUA, por Salmonela serotipo Infantis, com alegada origem em alimentos para animais de companhia infectados. A crescente importancia da Saúde Pública Veterinária !
SALMONELLOSIS, SEROTYPE INFANTIS – USA: HUMAN, DOG FOOD

CDC is collaborating with public health and agriculture officials in
multiple states and the FDA to investigate an ongoing multistate
outbreak of human Salmonella [enterica serotype] Infantis
infections. Public health investigators used DNA “fingerprints” of
salmonellae obtained through diagnostic testing with pulsed-field gel
electrophoresis, or PFGE, to identify cases of illness that may be
part of this outbreak. They used data from PulseNet, the national
subtyping network made up of state and local public health
laboratories and federal food regulatory laboratories that performs
molecular surveillance of foodborne infections. The outbreak strain is
rare, and typically 0-3 isolates are reported per month.

Multiple brands of dry pet food produced by Diamond Pet Foods at a
single manufacturing facility in South Carolina have been linked to
some of the human salmonellosis. People who think they might have
become ill after contact with dry pet food or with an animal that has
eaten dry pet food should consult their health care providers.

A total of 14 individuals infected with the outbreak strain of S.
Infantis have been reported from 9 states. The number of ill persons
identified in each state is as follows: Alabama (1), Connecticut (1),
Michigan (1), Missouri (3), North Carolina (3), New Jersey (1), Ohio
(2), Pennsylvania (1), and Virginia (1). Among persons for whom
information is available, illnesses began between 8 Oct 2011 and 22
Apr 2012. Ill persons range in age from less than one year old to 82
years old, and the median age is 48 years. 77 percent of patients are
female. Among the 9 patients with available information, 5 (56
percent) were hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.

Investigation of the outbreak
———————–
On 2 Apr 2012, the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural
Development detected salmonellae in an unopened bag of Diamond
Naturals Lamb Meal & Rice dry dog food, which had been collected on 14
Mar 2012, during routine retail testing of dry pet food. Public health
investigators used PulseNet to identify recent cases of human illness
with a PFGE pattern indistinguishable from S. Infantis that was
isolated from the unopened bag of dry dog food produced by Diamond Pet
Foods. In interviews, ill persons answered questions about contact
with animals and foods consumed during the week before becoming ill.
Seven of 10 (70 percent) ill persons interviewed reported contact with
a dog in the week before becoming ill. Of 5 ill persons who could
recall the type of dog food with which they had contact, 4 (80
percent) identified dry dog food produced by Diamond Pet Foods that
may have been produced at a single facility in South Carolina.

As part of this outbreak investigation, Ohio public health and
agriculture officials collected and tested dry dog food produced by
Diamond Pet Foods. The outbreak strain of S. Infantis was isolated
from an opened bag of Diamond Brand Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s
Soul Adult Light Formula dry dog food collected from the home of an
ill person, and an unopened bag of the product collected from a retail
store. A sample of Diamond Puppy Formula dry dog food collected by FDA
during an inspection at the South Carolina production facility has
also yielded Salmonella.

Epidemiologic, laboratory, and regulatory investigations are ongoing
to identify whether other brands of dry dog food produced at this
facility may be linked to human illnesses. Diamond Pet Foods is
cooperating with public health and agricultural investigators in this
ongoing investigation.

—
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
promed@promedmail.org

[The following is extracted from the CDC report of human S.
Schwarzengrund infection linked to dry dog food with the citations
renumbered to start with 1
(http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5744a2.htm):

Consumers and health departments should be aware that all dry pet
food, pet treats (1), and pet supplements (2) might be contaminated
with pathogens such as Salmonella, and consumers should use
precautions with all brands of dry pet food, treats, and supplements.
In contrast, canned pet food is unlikely to be contaminated with such
pathogens because the manufacturing process should eliminate bacterial
contamination. To prevent Salmonella infections, persons should wash
their hands for at least 20 seconds with warm water and soap
immediately after handling dry pet foods, pet treats, and pet
supplements, and especially before preparing and eating food for
humans. Infants should be kept away from pet feeding areas. Children
aged less than 5 years should not be allowed to touch or eat dry pet
food, treats, or supplements.

In addition to transmission of Salmonella from contact with dry pet
food, humans can acquire Salmonella infection from contact with the
feces of animals that acquired Salmonella infection from
contaminated dry pet food or other sources. Effective hand washing
after handling pets and animal feces will prevent such infections.
Persons who suspect that contact with dry pet food or pets has caused
illness should consult their health-care providers.