“It is the worst outbreak in global history‚” Professor Lucia Anelich from Anelich Consulting Food Safety Solutions said earlier.
Listeriosis affects the elderly‚ those with compromised immune systems such as people with Aids and diabetics and new born babies
The disease was particularly scary for pregnant woman who may have no symptoms when being infected with the bacteria but can pass it onto their baby.
It is believed the number of stillbirths may have increased as a result of pregnant women infected with it‚ said Juno Thomas‚ head of enteric diseases at the NICD.
One of the reasons it is so hard to find is because ‚ even in solid food‚ a scientist may sample the infected food and not find it.
For example‚ a slice of polony could be tested and have none of the microorganism. But a different slice could have it.
Anelich said: “A micro-organism in a solid food is not homogenously distributed throughout food. A statistical sampling technique has to be used to ensure it is detected.”
It is also difficult to find in factories. Anelich said it can hide away in niches in the factory environment in cracks or bad joints and pipes.
Even if you sanitise a factory‚ one may miss the bugs‚ hiding in cracks‚ she said.
Listeria bacteria can sense when it is near other bacteria and secrete a sugary goo. This substance is called a biofilm and can allow the bacteria to live on inanimate surfaces.
The biofilm protects the bacteria from cleaning agents
“A detergent could get superficial cells but leave behind some bacteria.”
Motsoaledi said that people at risk such as pregnant women‚ those with HIV and weakened immune system must avoid all ready to eat products – such as Viennas‚ polony and frankfurters. This is because they could be cross-contaminated in shops as polony is often stored next to other ready-to-eat products.
Rainbow Chicken Limited factory in Wolwerhoek in Sasolburg also tested positive for listeria monocytogenes — but it was not the strain causing this current outbreak.
The polony from Rainbow Chicken Limited has also been recalled.
Listeria is killed by heat.
Enterprise polony identified as source of listeria outbreak
Image: 123RF/ Vitaliy Vodolazskyy
Polony and products from the Enterprise factory in Polokwane‚ Limpopo‚ are the source of the world’s largest outbreak of listeria.
Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi made the announcement on Sunday afternoon.
More than 16 environmental samples from the Enterprise Polokwane factory tested positive for the listeriosis
monocytogenes strain ST 6.
The results from the factory were confirmed at midnight on Saturday at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases — as being the strain to blame for the outbreak that killed 27% of patients in South Africa.
“Avoid all processed meats products that are sold as ready to eat‚” said Motsoaledi. He told pregnant women to avoid any processed meat “like the plague”.
“The National Consumer Commission has issued the manufacturer Enterprise involved with food recall notices‚” Motsoaledi said.
This particular strain of listeria monocytogenes that infected so many people is sequence-type 6 and was particularly “virulent”. It was transmitted from food.
It led to at least 180 deaths and infected almost 1‚000 people.
EFF gives Durban's Addington hospital 14 days to respond to health concerns
“It is the worst outbreak in global history‚” Professor Lucia Anelich from Anelich Consulting Food Safety Solutions said earlier.
Listeriosis affects the elderly‚ those with compromised immune systems such as people with Aids and diabetics and new born babies
The disease was particularly scary for pregnant woman who may have no symptoms when being infected with the bacteria but can pass it onto their baby.
It is believed the number of stillbirths may have increased as a result of pregnant women infected with it‚ said Juno Thomas‚ head of enteric diseases at the NICD.
One of the reasons it is so hard to find is because ‚ even in solid food‚ a scientist may sample the infected food and not find it.
For example‚ a slice of polony could be tested and have none of the microorganism. But a different slice could have it.
Anelich said: “A micro-organism in a solid food is not homogenously distributed throughout food. A statistical sampling technique has to be used to ensure it is detected.”
It is also difficult to find in factories. Anelich said it can hide away in niches in the factory environment in cracks or bad joints and pipes.
Even if you sanitise a factory‚ one may miss the bugs‚ hiding in cracks‚ she said.
Listeria bacteria can sense when it is near other bacteria and secrete a sugary goo. This substance is called a biofilm and can allow the bacteria to live on inanimate surfaces.
The biofilm protects the bacteria from cleaning agents
“A detergent could get superficial cells but leave behind some bacteria.”
Motsoaledi said that people at risk such as pregnant women‚ those with HIV and weakened immune system must avoid all ready to eat products – such as Viennas‚ polony and frankfurters. This is because they could be cross-contaminated in shops as polony is often stored next to other ready-to-eat products.
Rainbow Chicken Limited factory in Wolwerhoek in Sasolburg also tested positive for listeria monocytogenes — but it was not the strain causing this current outbreak.
The polony from Rainbow Chicken Limited has also been recalled.
Listeria is killed by heat.
The source of the recent Listeriosis outbreak in the country has been found. Here is what we know so far.
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