Pork sausage brings back disease
Yersiniosis, a rare infection which has not been reported for the past 20 years, has resurfaced after a teenage boy contracted the disease in August after eating Maltese sausages which were either raw or not properly cooked.
James Debono
According to the health authorities, the suspected source of the infection is processed pork in the form of Maltese sausages. An investigation by the veterinary authorities to establish the source of the contaminated meat is ongoing.
Yersinia is an iron-loving bacteria which is more likely to affect people with high body iron levels, as was the case with the Maltese boy.
Yersinia enterocolitica infections occur most often in young children. Common symptoms include abdominal pain, fever and diarrhoea, which in some cases is bloody.
The adolescent presented himself with high fever, headaches, and watery diarrhea. He temporarily responded to treatment, but five days later he presented with symptoms suggestive of acute appendicitis. The boy is reported to have responded well to treatment.
To avoid contracting the disease, consumers are advised to cook Maltese sausages properly. “All meats such as pork and poultry, and including all forms of processed meats such as sausages should always be cooked thoroughly and to the core,” Director of the Health Promotion and Disease Prevention directorate Charmaine Gauci told MaltaToday.
Caution should be taken not to contaminate other foods during transportation, thawing, handling and preparation of these meats.
