Health News: CFIA suspends Costco Canada’s license to import fish ♦ Rocket science improve kidney dialysis ♦ Detecting cyanide poisoning in 70 seconds + more

CFIA suspends Costco Canada’s license to import fish  The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has suspended Costco Canada’s license to import fish into that country. According to a March 13 announcement, the license suspension was effective Feb. 26, 2015. The agency determined that adequate controls for food safety were not being implemented Continue Reading

How rocket science may improve kidney dialysis  Software from the aerospace industry has allowed an interdisciplinary team of U.K. researchers to design Arteriovenous Fistulae with better, less unnatural flow patterns, which may reduce failure rates and improve clinical outcomes for patients with kidney failure who require dialysis. Continue Reading

Detecting cyanide poisoning in 70 seconds  A victim of cyanide poisoning can die within 30 minutes. The diagnostic test to determine cyanide exposure takes 24 hours. Two chemists have developed a prototype that can detect exposure to cyanide in 70 seconds via a blood sample. Continue reading

Finger lengths may indicate risk of schizophrenia in males  Research suggests that the ratio of the lengths of the index finger and the ring finger in males may be predictive of a variety of disorders related to disturbed hormonal balance. Continue Reading

A breakfast of champions for diabetics For people with type-2 diabetes, blood sugar surge,  glucose spikes after meals, can be life threatening, leading to cardiovascular complications. A new study demonstrates a new way to suppress deadly glucose surges throughout the day by eating a high-caloric breakfast and a more modest dinner Continue Reading

Suicide Trends Among Persons Aged 10–24

Years Suicide among young people is a serious but preventable public health problem in the United States. Practitioners should be aware of the increased use and high lethality of suffocation as a suicide method so they can accurately assess risk and educate families about reducing access to highly lethal means and the importance of not leaving those at risk for suicide alone.

Early prevention of suicidal thoughts and behavior is critical. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among persons aged 10-24 years in the United States. Firearm, suffocation (includes hanging), and poisoning are the three most common mechanisms.

Source CDC

12/20/14 Health News: CAMPYLOBACTER OUTBREAK BLAMED ON RAW MILK ♦ Listeria Outbreak Linked to Caramel Apples♦ Paralytic shellfish poision toxin

CAMPYLOBACTER OUTBREAK IN WI BLAMED ON RAW MILK

A state and local investigation into last September’s Campylobacter jejuni outbreak in Wisconsin ended where it began — at the Durand High School football team dinner, where raw milk from a local farm was served. After a three-month epidemiological, laboratory and environmental investigation by the Pepin County Health Department and the Wisconsin Division of Public... Continue Reading

CDC: 5 Deaths, 28 Illnesses in Multi-State Listeria Outbreak Linked to Caramel Apples

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s outbreak report posted Friday, a total of 28 people infected with the outbreak strains of Listeria monocytogenes and five deaths have been reported in connection with commercially produced, prepackaged caramel apples. The 28 ill people included in this outbreak investigation have been reported from 10 states: Arizona (4 … continue reading

Hong Kong: Canadian live geoduck clams detected with paralytic shellfish poisoning toxin

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (December 19) urged the public not to consume four consignments of live geoduck clams imported from Canada which had been detected with paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) toxin. The trade should also stop selling the product concerned. The CFS today received notification from the Canadian …continue reading

Food ingredient created that will make you feel fuller

Scientists have developed an ingredient that can be added to foods to make them more filling. In its first tests in humans, researchers found that the ingredient is effective at preventing weight gain in overweight volunteers.Continue reading

New Zealand: Marine biotoxin alerts

Shellfish and seawater samples around New Zealand are tested each week to ensure they are not contaminated with biotoxin from blooms of algae. Public warnings are issued when shellfish are not safe to eat. This page contains information relating to the non-commercial (recreational and traditional) taking of shellfish only.

Marine biotoxin warnings currently in force

North Island

Toxic shellfish poisoning strikes the Bay again- 9/12/2014

In the past 24 hours reports of six people suffering from toxic shellfish poisoning have been received by the Medical Officer of Health.  Each person affected had eaten shellfish collected from the coastline which has a current health warning.  Dr Jim Miller, Medical Officer of Health, would like to remind the public that this health warning due to shellfish toxins along part of Bay of Plenty coastline is still in place.

“I've had reports that people have been continuing to eat shellfish and have felt unwell after doing so.  The toxins can make people very ill and I strongly advise not collecting or consuming shellfish from any part of the affected area,” says Dr Miller.

“These are the first cases we have had reported since the Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) outbreak in the Bay of Plenty in late 2012.  The PSP toxin levels in shellfish from this area are rising and I urge people to heed the warning and make sure that their visitors and friends are aware,” says Dr Miller.

A health warning was issued on 28th November 2014 advising against the collection of shellfish from Mount Maunganui and along the Bay of Plenty coast to Whakatane Heads in the Eastern Bay of Plenty.  The warning includes all islands and estuaries along this part of the coastline.

The health warning applies to all bivalve shellfish including mussels, pipi, tuatua, cockles, oysters, scallops as well as cat’s eyes, snails and kina (sea urchin).  Shellfish in the affected area should not be taken or eaten.  Shellfish containing the toxin don't look or taste any different from shellfish that are safe to eat. Cooking or freezing the shellfish does not remove the toxin.  Paua, crayfish and crabs can still be taken but as always, the gut should be removed before consuming.

Consumption of shellfish affected by the PSP toxin can cause numbness and tingling around the mouth, face, hands and feet; difficulty swallowing or breathing; dizziness; double vision; and in severe cases, paralysis and respiratory failure.  These symptoms can start as soon as 1-2 hours after eating toxic shellfish and usually within 12 hours.  Anyone suffering illness after eating shellfish should seek urgent medical attention.

One in 10 Deaths Among Working-age Adults Due to Excessive Drinking

One in 10 deaths among working-age adults due to excessive drinking

Excessive alcohol use accounts for one in 10 deaths among working-age adults ages 20-64 years in the United States, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Excessive alcohol use led to approximately 88,000 deaths per year from 2006 to 2010, and shortened the lives of those who died by about 30 years.  These deaths were due to health effects from drinking too much over time, such as breast cancer, liver disease, and heart disease; and health effects from drinking too much in a short period of time, such as violence, alcohol poisoning, and motor vehicle crashes.  In total, there were 2.5 million years of potential life lost each year due to excessive alcohol use.

Nearly 70 percent of deaths due to excessive drinking involved working-age adults, and about 70 percent of the deaths involved males.  About 5 percent of the deaths involved people under age 21.  The highest death rate due to excessive drinking was in New Mexico (51 deaths per 100,000 population), and the lowest was in New Jersey (19.1 per 100,000).

“Excessive alcohol use is a leading cause of preventable death that kills many Americans in the prime of their lives,” said Ursula E. Bauer, Ph.D., M.P.H., director of CDC’s National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. “We need to redouble our efforts to implement scientifically proven public health approaches to reduce this tragic loss of life and the huge economic costs that result.”

Excessive drinking includes binge drinking (4 or more drinks on an occasion for women, 5 or more drinks on an occasion for men), heavy drinking (8 or more drinks a week for women, 15 or more drinks a week for men), and any alcohol use by pregnant women or those under the minimum legal drinking age of 21.  Excessive drinking cost the United States about $224 billion, or $1.90 per drink, in 2006.  Most of these costs were due to lost productivity, including reduced earnings among excessive drinkers as well as deaths due to excessive drinking among working age adults.

To estimate deaths due to excessive drinking, CDC scientists analyzed data from the Alcohol-Related Disease Impact (ARDI) application for 2006-2010.  ARDI provides national and state-specific estimates of alcohol-attributable deaths and years of potential life lost.  ARDI currently includes 54 causes of death for which estimates of alcohol involvement were either directly available or could be calculated based on existing scientific information.

“It’s shocking to see the public health impact of excessive drinking on working-age adults,” said Robert Brewer, M.D., M.S.P.H., head of CDC’s Alcohol Program and one of the report’s authors. “CDC is working with partners to support the implementation of strategies for preventing excessive alcohol use that are recommended by the Community Preventive Services Task Force, which can help reduce the health and social cost of this dangerous risk behavior.”

The independent HHS Community Preventive Services Task Force recommends several evidence-based strategies to reduce excessive drinking.  These include increasing alcohol taxes, regulating alcohol outlet density, and avoiding further privatization of alcohol retail sales.

For more information about excessive drinking, including binge drinking, and how to prevent this dangerous behavior, visit the CDC’s Alcohol and Public Health website at http://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/index.htm.  Members of the public who are concerned about their own or someone else's drinking can call 1-800-662-HELP to receive assistance from the national Drug and Alcohol Treatment Referral Routing Service.  

Anchovy or Sardines, or Crab taken from Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties California May Contain Toxins

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is advising consumers not to eat commercially or recreationally caught anchovy or sardines, or the internal organs of commercially or recreationally caught crab taken from Monterey and Santa Cruz counties.

Dangerous levels of domoic acid have been detected in some of these species and could be present in other species. Anchovy and sardines are of concern because the toxin resides in their digestive tracks. These fish are not usually gutted before they are eaten. CDPH is working with commercial fishermen in the area to ensure that recently caught sardines, anchovies and crab were not distributed into the human food supply.

This health advisory is in addition to the April 4 warning not to eat recreationally harvested bivalve shellfish (such as mussels, clams or whole scallops) from Monterey or Santa Cruz counties due to dangerous levels of domoic acid in mussel samples.

That warning does not apply to commercially sold clams, mussels, scallops or oysters from approved sources. State law permits only state-certified commercial shellfish harvesters or dealers to sell these products. Shellfish sold by certified harvesters and dealers are subject to frequent mandatory testing to monitor for toxins.

CDPH continues to collect bivalve shellfish, fin fish and crab samples from the area to monitor the level of domoic acid in seafood. There have no reported illnesses associated with this event.

Symptoms of domoic acid poisoning can occur within 30 minutes to 24 hours after eating toxic seafood. In mild cases, symptoms may include vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, headache and dizziness. These symptoms disappear within several days. In severe cases, the victim may experience trouble breathing, confusion, cardiovascular instability, seizures, excessive bronchial secretions, permanent loss of short-term memory, coma or death.

To receive updated information about shellfish poisoning and quarantines, call CDPH’s toll-free “Shellfish Information Line” at (800) 553-4133. For additional information visit CDPH’s Natural Marine Toxins: PSP and Domoic Acid Web page.or Contact: Anita Gore, Heather Bourbeau (916) 440-7259

12/5/13 Health News: Caffeine Poisoning, Rare Salmonella, Behind Close Doors at the FDA

Is There Such Thing As Caffeine Poisoning?

As he was driving down an Ohio freeway minutes after swallowing five Magnum 357 caffeine pills, Christian Brenner started to vibrate -- and the cars in his rear view mirror did as well. Fortunately, Brenner pulled over and walked around in an effort to try and come down. Today, he swears off caffeine, even coffee -- the mental aftereffect of what he says was straight-up caffeine poisoning. Continue Reading

BEHIND CLOSED DOORS: WHO’S TAKING MEETINGS WITH FDA ON FOOD SAFETY?

When President Obama signed the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) into law in January 2011, it was considered a long-fought, but significant and bipartisan, victory to update the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s authority and oversight of the food supply. While much of the wrangling over the language of the law was made public through...Continue Reading

RARE SALMONELLA STRAIN SICKENS 18 IN NORWAY

At least 18 people across Norway have fallen ill with a rare strain of Salmonella, according to the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. The strain, Salmonella Coeln, infected three children and 15 adults. Each year for the past 10 years, Norway has seen zero to three cases of illness from this particular strain. Norwegian health... Continue Reading

Efforts to Stop Lead Poisoning at Risk

Budget cuts could prevent health officials from protecting kids from lead poisoning. Pediatricians and public health advocates are working to revive programs to protect children from lead poisoning, after what they describe as a series of devastating blows to their efforts. Congress all but eliminated federal funding to prevent lead poisoning in 2012, cutting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's lead budget by more than 90%.

While there is no safe level of lead, the CDC estimates that 535,000 American kids have enough lead in their blood to put them at high risk for lead poisoning, which causes intellectual impairments and behavioral problems.

Lead interferes with a variety of body processes and is toxic to many organs and tissues including the heart, bones, intestines, kidneys, and reproductive and nervous systems. It interferes with the development of the nervous system and is therefore particularly toxic to children, causing potentially permanent learning and behavior disorders. Symptoms include abdominal pain, confusion, headache, anemia, irritability, and in severe cases seizures, coma, and death.

New Zealand: Shellfish Contaminated in 3 Areas

 

MOHAKATINO - MOTUNUI IN TARANAKI

The Taranaki District Health Board today issue a public health warning advising people not to collect or consume shellfish from Mohakatino down to Motunui. Routine tests on shellfish samples taken from Mohakatino this week have shown levels of Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) at (1.11mg/kg). This level is above the Ministry for Primary Industry safe limit of 0.80 mg/kg and anyone eating these toxic shellfish is potentially at risk of illness especially if they eat a large quantity.

Kina, mussels, toheroa, pipis, tuatua, oysters and cockles in the affected area should not be eaten. Cooking shellfish does not remove the toxin.

Paua, crab and crayfish may still be eaten if the gut has been completely removed prior to cooking as toxins accumulate in the gut. If the gut is not removed its contents could contaminate the meat during the cooking process.

Symptoms of PSP usually occur within 12 hours of consuming shellfish and include:

• Numbness and tingling around the mouth, face or extremities;
• Difficulties in swallowing or breathing;
• Dizziness; double vision;
• And in severe cases, paralysis and respiratory failure.

If anyone becomes ill after eating shellfish from an area where a public health warning has been issued they should contact a doctor immediately, advise their local Public Health Unit and keep any leftover shellfish for testing .

Signage is currently being erected in the area affected by the Public Health Warning and major stakeholders have been informed. The Public Health Unit of the Taranaki District Health Board will continue to monitor the situation. For more information about the safety of the shellfish, people can contact a Health Protection Officer toll free at 0508 834 274.

Hokianga Harbour

The Health Protection Unit of Northland District Health Board continues to advise people not to consume shellfish from the Hokianga Harbour. This public health warning has been issued due to the persistence of Microcystin Toxins above safe levels in shellfish.

Shellfish in the Hokianga Harbour were tested for Microcystins after a bloom of toxic Cyanobacteria occurred in Lake Omapere which drains into the Hokianga Harbour.

High levels of microcystins are frequently associated with the death of animals consuming contaminated water. Human deaths from consumption on microcystins have not been well reported but it is acutely toxic in animal studies and they are thought to cause liver damage in humans. Human fatalities have also occurred when water used for dialysis of patients with kidney failure has become contaminated.

For further information contact: Northland District Health Board (09) 430 4100

Bay of Plenty shellfish toxin warning extended - 9th October 2012 (still valid as of 05/09/2013)

Following ongoing shellfish toxin monitoring the Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) toxin warning has been extended eastwards to include Whakatane Heads.

The affected area now includes the entire coastline from Tairua (including Tairua Harbour), east along the Bay of Plenty coastline, including Tauranga Harbour, Maketu and Waihi estuaries, to Whakatane Heads. Also included in the warning are Matakana and Motiti islands, and all other inshore islands along this coastline.

“Ongoing monitoring has shown high levels of paralytic shellfish poison present in shellfish along this coastline. People should take note of the areas that still contain high levels of paralytic shellfish poison and avoid collecting shellfish in these areas,” says Medical Officer of Health, Dr Jim Miller.

The health warning applies to all bivalve shellfish including mussels, pipi, tuatua, cockles, oysters, scallops as well as catseyes and kina (sea urchin). Shellfish in the affected area should not be taken or consumed. Paua, crayfish and crabs can still be taken but as always, the gut should be removed before cooking.

Consumption of shellfish affected by the paralytic shellfish toxin can cause numbness and tingling around the mouth, face or extremities; difficulty swallowing or breathing; dizziness; double vision; and in severe cases, paralysis and respiratory failure. These symptoms usually occur within 12 hours of a person consuming affected shellfish. Anyone suffering illness after eating shellfish should seek medical attention.

Monitoring of toxin levels will continue along the coast and any changes will be communicated accordingly. For all health warning updates across the Bay of Plenty and Lakes districts call 0800 221 555. Further information is available at www.ttophs.govt.nz/health_warnings

There are no biotoxin warnings currently in place for the South Island

Canada: Shellfish Recall Due to to Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning

Canada: Shellfish Recall Due to to Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning  

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is warning the public not to serve or consume the raw shellfish products described below because they may contain paralytic shellfish toxins that can cause illness if consumed.

These shellfish products were primarily distributed to wholesalers and institutional clients such as restaurants. However, the affected shellfish products may also have been sold in smaller quantities at some retail seafood counters. Consumers who are unsure whether they have the affected products are advised to check with their retailer or supplier.

These products have been distributed in Alberta and British Columbia. However, they may have been distributed in other provinces and territories.

There have been no reported cases of Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning associated with the consumption of these products.

Paralytic shellfish toxins are a group of natural toxins that sometimes accumulate in bivalve shellfish that include oysters, clams, scallops, mussels and cockles. Non-bivalve shellfish, such as whelks, can also accumulate PSP toxins. These toxins can cause PSP if consumed. Symptoms of PSP include tingling and numbness of the lips, tongue, hands and feet, and difficulty swallowing. In severe situations, this can proceed to difficulty walking, muscle paralysis, respiratory paralysis and death in as quickly as 12 hours.

The following raw shellfish products, harvested on August 13, 2013 from sub area 23-6, Effingham Inlet and Useless Inlet in British Columbia, are affected by this alert:

Common Name	Sie	Codes(s) on Product	Additional Info
Oyster N/Shell Effingham XSM	5 dozen	14130	Processor Albion Fisheries Ltd., Richmond
Oyster N/Shell Pac Rim Petite	5 dozen	14130	Processor Albion Fisheries Ltd., Richmond
Clam N/Shell Manila	5 lb	14137	Processor Albion Fisheries Ltd., Richmond
Pacific Rim Petite Oysters	Various	13081401	Processor Pacific Rim Shellfish (2003) Corporation, Vancouver
Manila Clams	Various	13081403	Processor Pacific Rim Shellfish (2003) Corporation, Vancouver
Little Neck Clams	20 lb	13081402	Processor Pacific Rim Shellfish (2003) Corporation, Vancouver
Petite Oysters in Shell	5 dozen	11931	Processor Clear Bay Fisheries Inc., Richmond
Oysters in Shell	5 dozen	11931	Processor Clear Bay Fisheries Inc., Richmond