Listeriosis Outbreak Update
The listeriosis outbreak update as of 23 December 2018 (previous update 04 April 2018)
Listeriosis Outbreak in South Africa Officially Over
The Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi announced that the Listeriosis outbreak has drawn to close.
This, after the initial announcement of the outbreak on 5 December 2017 had resulted in 1 060 confirmed laboratory cases and the total death count of 216.
4 September 2018 Listeriosis outbreak officially over, Germiston Enterprise Factory Shop to reopen
Enterprise Factory Shop, a division of Tiger Brands, in Linton Jones Street opened its doors to the public following the confirmation that the listeriosis outbreak was over.
The source of the listeriosis contamination had been identified as processed meat (polony) from an Enterprise Factory, owned by Tiger Brands.
Since the recall of 4 March 2018, the rate of infections and deaths have reduced dramatically. This showed that the recall was effective in minimising further infections. However, the NICD has further shown that although the ST 6 serotype accounts for 92% of infections.
The remaining 8% of infections have at least 11 other strains of Listeria monocytogenes. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has suggested that there may be a parallel outbreak in South Africa, meaning that although Enterprise Meats have caused 92% of the infections, 8% remains unidentified.
This means, that further investigations are still ongoing, and are not exclusive to the processed meats industry. After more than 5 months of investigation, 1019 (550) infections, 199 (36) Deaths (mostly new born babies) have been recorded and seems to have slowed after the recall.
The Health Department investigators have indicated that the serotype ST6 is the most common serotype in this outbreak and further investigations are ongoing. The remaining 8% of infections now presents a concern.
Which of the possible sources is the cause?
We know that raw meats, especially chicken are almost always synonymous with the presence of L.mono. This is generally not a concern, as raw meats are not sterile and it would not be realistic to expect them to be, due to the nature of the product. This may not be a concern for the manufacturing industry but could be a problem for home consumers.
We know from ongoing food poisoning outbreaks, that food safety in the home is always at an acceptable standard, and the potential for cross-contamination and poor hygiene is high. Therefore L.mono has a great opportunity to establish itself in the fridge and kitchen.
L.mono microbiological tests are not a standard test conducted in foodservice kitchens and are very rarely detected because of this.
Unfortunately, because of the potential from cross-contamination, a single source may well have transferred to the other known sources of food, such as processed meats, and dairy. A lesser-known source, considering the warm summer months may well be ice-cream.
Rumours & Fake News
Please be careful what you hear and read on the news and on social media. Most especially regarding soil and water sources. Listeria does occur in soil and water, however, this is only important in farming and not at home or in the natural environment. L.monocytogenes Is only a problem when it gets into foods, and is likely to contaminate fruits & vegetables.
Always wash your fruits and vegetables before eating. If you are pregnant, have a pregnant wife, small children, elderly or individuals that are ill and immune-compromised, seriously consider finding products from a local chemical supplier for a vegetable and fruit chemical sanitiser .
How to prevent listeriosis poisoning
- Cook chicken and raw meats fully
- Heat up deli meats and sausages
- Monitor your food storage in your fridge
- Always wash hands before preparing and cooking foods
- Check out our original article on the Listeriosis outbreak for details on prevention of infection.
- For full details on the outbreak check out the following link Anelich consulting
Follow the Listeriosis timeline below:
- Listeriosis OUTBREAK in South Africa
- Listeriosis Recall South Africa
- Science Behind the Listeriosis Outbreak South Africa
