Outbreak News Today

Australia: Egg recall, travel health and Shigella

Steve’s Farm Fresh Eggs recall

The NSW Food Authority advises that the following eggs are being voluntarily recalled by ‘Steve’s Farm Fresh Eggs’ because they may be contaminated with Salmonella Enteritidis (SE):

The Use By date on the cartons is 6-5-2019.

Image/NSW Food authority

The eggs were sold through butchers and independent stores primarily in western Sydney.

The complete list of recalled eggs as of Tuesday include:

~With best before dates: 6 MAY 2019

^With best before dates: All dates up to and including 9 MAY 2019

+With best before dates:  26 APR 2019, 3 MAY 2019

*With best before dates:  20 MAR 19, 23 MAR 19, 27 MAR 19, 30 MAR 19, 3 APR 19, 6 APR 19, 10 APR 19, 14 APR 19, 17 APR 19, 20 APR 19, 24 APR 19, 27 APR 19, 29 APR 19

#These products may have been sold in unlabelled cartons, unlabelled caterers packs, or mixed with other eggs with different stamps, so it is important to check the individual shell of each egg before use.

NSW Health and the NSW Food Authority continue to investigate an outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis, which has affected at least 166 NSW residents since the strain was first detected in May 2018.

Vaccines for travel

NSW Health is encouraging anyone travelling overseas to ensure they are vaccinated against measles as part of a new campaign launched today.

There have been 36 people diagnosed with the disease in NSW since December 2018, the majority of whom have been travellers who have entered or re-entered Australia and unknowingly been infected with measles.

The campaign targets overseas visitors, Australian travellers heading overseas and international university students who may go home for the holidays.  

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It has also been translated into four languages, specifically chosen to target the multicultural population who may travel to their country of origin and not consider themselves at risk because they are visiting family and friends in a familiar location.  

NSW Health Director of Communicable Diseases, Dr Vicky Sheppeard explained the importance of the campaign to all travellers.

“Measles by its very nature is an extremely contagious, potentially deadly disease,” Dr Sheppeard said.

“As a consequence, many overseas travellers may be exposed to the disease despite not travelling to a country where it is currently endemic simply by coming into contact with a fellow traveller in the airport or on a transit flight.

Antibiotic resistant Shigellosis

A rise in the number of shigellosis cases who are found to be resistant to multiple antibiotics has prompted the Victoria Health Department to modify its treatment recommendations to minimize the use of antibiotics, in line with published therapeutic guidelines. Previously, the department recommended antibiotic treatment for all confirmed cases of shigellosis.

All suspected cases of shigellosis should have stool samples sent for culture and antibiotic sensitivity testing so that treatment can be better targeted to the patient’s specific infection.

Many of the cases are in those who identify as men who have sex with men (MSM) and/or have recently travelled overseas.

 

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