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- Foodborne outbreaks Investigation (2009-2013)Publication . Belo Correia, Cristina; Furtado, Rosália; Barreira, Maria João; Bonito, Conceição Costa; Coelho, Anabela; Campos Cunha, Isabel; Varela Flores, Cristina; Teixeira Lopes, Teresa; Maia, Carla; Marcos, Sílvia; Moura, Isabel; Pena, Cláudia; Santos, Susana; Sousa, Isabel; Toscano, Maria Manuel; Viegas, Sílvia; Saraiva, Margarida; Calhau, Maria AntóniaCurrently foodborne diseases outbreaks usually either of infectious or toxic origin continue to represent one of the most widespread public health problems and an important cause of mortality and morbidity, specially in susceptible populations groups. Considering that in Portugal there is not a national systematic effective surveillance system implemented, the number of outbreaks reported each year is scarce and the real number is likely to be much higher. The present study includes only the data available in the Food and Nutrition Department of the National Health Institute, related to the food samples analyzed in the frame of the investigation of foodborne outbreaks, as well as the information reported by health authorities and other entities at the time of sampling. From 2009 to 2013 the data associated with 93 outbreaks were collated and analyzed. The causative agent was detected and/or isolated in 37% of the total number of outbreaks, comprising 726 human cases and 109 hospitalizations. Staphylococcal enterotoxins and/or staphylococci coagulase positive were the most frequently detected causative agent in 42.5 % of the foodborne outbreaks, followed by Clostridium botulinum toxins, Clostridium perfringens and Salmonella spp. which accounted for 17.5 %, 12.5 % and 10 % respectively. Mixed food including a variety of different components accounted for more than half of the outbreaks (63.5%) followed by pastry cakes reported in 15.4% of the outbreaks. During this period Household/Domestic kitchen was the setting reported with more frequency and the contributory factors identified in most outbreaks were storage time/temperature abuses, infected food handler and cross-contamination. These data highlights the importance of improving at a national level the link between the epidemiological, laboratorial and environmental investigation, in order to share all the information available for the implementation of effective control measures
- Meals served to children and elderly in care units in Portugal: have they quality and safety?Publication . Fernandes, Daniela; Maia, Carla; Furtado, Rosália; Belo Correia, Cristina; Pedroso, Laurentina; Santos, Maria IsabelDespite the advances in food science and technology, providing safe meals is still a source of restlessness. This is due to society changes, such as increasing urbanization and globalization of food distribution that conduced to completely different social and eating habits. Children and elderly can no longer be cared for by family, and normally people resort to kindergartens and care homes. These new habits have led to an increase in the number of foodborne diseases. Among the establishments that host these specific groups, high risk groups for this type of illness are the Private Institutions of Social Solidarity. This work had as main objectives to evaluate the microbiological quality of meals and the knowledge hygiene and food safety (HFS) of food handlers in a Nursery and Kindergarten (NK), in a Continuing Care Unit (CCU) and in a Care Home (CH). Ninety samples of prepared meals were evaluated for: Microorganisms at 30 °C, fungi, Enterobacteriaceae, Escherichia coli, Clostridium perfringens, coagulase-positive staphylococci, Bacillus cereus, Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella spp. The median obtained for microorganisms at 30 °C was 3.42 log cfu/g, while for Enterobacteriaceae the median was 1.30 log cfu/g. It was verified that the higher levels found were at CH and the lowest were in NK. It was detected E. coli (2.2%), coagulase-positive staphylococci (1.1%) and B. cereus (1.1%) in some samples but at low levels. All samples have proved negative for Salmonella, L. monocytogenes and C. perfringens. 28.9% of the analyzed samples had an unsatisfactory result, which may indicate some difficulties in the HFS. Regarding the knowledge of handlers in HFS it was found that there are some failures. The results indicate that the microbiological quality of the meals served do not constitute a public health issue, but the education of the food handlers in HFS need some improvements.
- Campylobacter spp. in Portuguese fresh meat: use of filter membranes for the detection in food and resistance profile of the isolatePublication . Furtado, Rosália; Belo Correia, Cristina; Varela Flores, Cristina; Saraiva, Margarida; Santos, Andrea; Rodrigues, João Carlos; Oleastro, Mónica; Calhau, Maria AntóniaCampylobacteriosis is considered the main cause of acute gastroenteritis in the European Union with a continuous increase in reported cases over the last five years. Due to the global increase of antibiotics use in food animals production, antibiotic resistance has became a significant threat and a public health problem. As a consequence the number of humans cases infected by multiresistant strains of Campylobacter is growing. The aim of this study was to evaluate an alternative plating media for isolation of Campylobacter spp and determine the antibiotic resistance of the isolates. According to ISO 10272-1:2006 protocol plating, two different agars are specified, being the use of a mCCDA-based medium mandatory. Therefore, two plating techniques were used in parallel: plating in mCCDA medium and the filtration technique on the surface of Columbia Blood agar. In addition, a Karmali agar or a chromogenic agar was also used. During 2012/2013, a total of 184 samples of fresh meat were analyzed and a total of 37 isolates were recovered: 30 C. coli, 7 C. jejuni. The filtration technique provided the highest number of positive results for Campylobacter spp and reduced the interference caused by the background flora, preventing the occurrence of false negative results. It showed to be a simple technique, with an improved rate of isolation and recover of this pathogen, and reduced labor and costs. All isolates were tested for ciprofloxacin, tetracycline and erythromycin resistance, using the disc diffusion method. A high rate of resistance to these antibiotics was found. We also highlight the presence of multiresistant Campylobacter in food of animal origin to antibiotics used in human therapeutic. These results increase the importance of strengthening an integrated epidemiological surveillance of campylobacteriosis, involving the areas of animal health, food production and human health.