News • 12 JANUARY 2003

Food poisoning cases on the increase

Valletta - There were over 200 outbreak cases of unspecified food poisoning between January and October 2002. This compares dramatically with a mere 53 cases for all of 2001. Sifting through the Department of Public Health‘s latest data covering all notifiable infectious diseases registered on a monthly basis, one can immediately appreciate that statistics categorise food poisoning in six sections including Campylobacter, E.Coli, Shigella, Salmonella, Toxic and Unspecified, with the latter category enjoying the most victims. Figures are based on reports lodged in by medical practitioners, reports from the Microbiology Unit at St Luke’s Hospital, as well as from reports made by Medical Officers of Health responsible for communicable disease surveillance.

Most food-borne illnesses are caused by eating food containing certain types of bacteria or viruses (germs). After the food is eaten, these living micro-organisms continue to grow, causing an infection. Foods can also cause illness if they contain a toxin or poison produced by bacteria growing in the food. Whilst some infections will barely cause more than a very slight tummy ache, others can go as far as endangering lives through a series of life-threatening complications.

MaltaToday contacted the Disease Surveillance Unit within the Department of Health requesting further specification on the alarming state of affairs arising from the statistics supplied.

"A food-borne disease outbreak is defined when two or more persons experience gastrointestinal illness after ingestion of a common food," explained Dr Charmaine Gauci, Principal Medical Officer.

Reported food-borne outbreaks are divided in two categories:

• Laboratory-confirmed - when there is evidence of a specific aeitiologic (causative) agent including Salmonella, Campylobacter, E.Coli, etc

• Unspecified - when the aeitiologic agent is not identified.

This gives rise to concern on the level of hygiene within catering establishments and household kitchens and even within food stores themselves where handlers could be negligent over basic rules.

"The Disease Surveillance Unit of the Public Health Department investigates notifications of food-borne disease. For outbreaks originating from household-prepared food, advice is given on measures to reduce food-borne illness. For outbreaks involving a significant number of persons, an epidemiological analysis is performed to help in identifying the source of food-borne illness. An inspection is always performed at the premises/vehicle associated with the outbreak. Samples are elevated as necessary for analysis while the other necessary actions may be required to prevent and control the spread of such diseases." Dr Gauci confirmed that in some cases, the Department finds no alternative but to resort to legal action if the requested measures are not taken in hand, all in the interest of public health.

These measures include a disinfection and clean up of premises; categorically excluding infected persons from handling foods; detaining, stopping distribution, removing, recalling, rejecting or destroying implicated foods; and finally ceasing the processing or preparation of implicated foods.

"Everybody can be affected by food-borne illness although pregnant women, infants, elderly and the immuno-compromised persons are most at risk of serious illness," confirmed Dr Gauci.

Experts advise that bacteria are a natural part of the environment. One should careful to keep things clean - especially hands. Keeping pets out of areas where food is prepared is also advisable. Children should be instructed to wash their hands before handling food. And anybody with an infectious disease should be discouraged from handling, preparing, or serving food.

Prevention starts from the minute foodstuffs are purchased. And food safety should be kept in mind during storage, preparation, cooking, and serving of food at home. Food poisoning prevention can be simplified into three golden rules: keep food clean, cook food adequately, and keep hot food hot and cold food cold.