Sporadic or
outbreak cases of Salmonella
Enteritidis reported by Austria, France, Germany and the United Kingdom, in
addition to one case reported in Luxembourg in a patient residing in France,
appear to be linked by time of symptom onset and microbiological
characteristics of isolates.
Cases in
Austria, France and Germany share an epidemiological link to the same egg
packaging centre in southern Germany. Isolates from contaminated eggs
identified in France originating from the implicated German egg packaging
centre share similar molecular characteristics to the human cases. Isolates
from a sample of a Salmonella-contaminated
strawberry cake, identified in Germany through an investigation unrelated to
this outbreak, also share similar molecular characteristics to the human cases.
Additional microbiological and environmental
investigations could further strengthen evidence to support or discard the
hypothesis of all cases being part of the same outbreak, and being infected
after consumption of the same food (i.e. contaminated eggs produced in southern
Germany).
This is
particularly unclear with regard to the outbreak cases in the United Kingdom.
Investigations and actions taken by the food sector have supposedly stopped the
distribution of the suspected contaminated food to the market. However, due to
the delay in case reporting, it is still possible that more cases will be
notified.
ECDC will
continue to closely monitor the occurrence of human cases through EPIS-FWD and
Member States could consider enhancing their surveillance activities for this Salmonella serovar and specifically
for the phage type 14b.
It is
noticeable that Salmonella
Enteritidis-contaminated eggs have been able to reach the market, in spite of
the strict regulations applying to table eggs for human consumption, and the
success in reducing human and animal infections in recent years within the EU.
EPIS-FWD and RASFF have been confirmed to be excellent tools for sharing information,
identifying potential cross-border threats and linking independent
investigations simultaneously occurring in different Member States.
Source: http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/supporting/pub/646e
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