Epidemiology SLP 4

  SCREENING FOR DISEASES

Please answer the questions

1. Knowing the pathogen and its characteristics (including modes of transmission)      where do you think was the most likely point of contamination in the production of the sprouts? In inspecting the alfalfa fields and harvesting process, what possible points of contamination should be considered?


2. What interventions/control measures would you suggest? Why?


3. In preparing a report of this investigation, what possible strengths and limitations should be discussed?

Length: Should be at least 4 pages (1000 words) in length, APA format

***For the SLP****

While the assignment may be based on a real case, the questions can refer to any outbreak that involved sprouts and E. coli 0157:H7. Knowing the specific pathogen (its characteristics, transmission) and the specific food, how could the contamination have occurred? You are asked to think about a possible point of contamination and about measures of control. Here is another potentially useful reference:

World Health Organization (2011). Enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC). Retrieved May 22, 2012, from http://www.who.int/mediacenter/factsheets/fs125/en/

Required Reading

Brown, L. G., Hoover, E. R., Selman, C. A., Coleman, E. W., & Schurz Rogers, H. (2017). Outbreak characteristics associated with identification of contributing factors to foodborne illness outbreaks. Epidemiology and Infection, 145(11), 2254-2262. doi:10.1017/S0950268817001406

Castro, V. S., Carvalho, R. C. T., Conte‐Junior, C. A., & Figuiredo, E. E. S. (2017). Shiga‐toxin producing Escherichia coli: Pathogenicity, super shedding, diagnostic methods, occurrence, and foodborne outbreaks. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, 16(6), 1269-1280. doi:10.1111/1541-4337.12302

Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2019). Steps in a Foodborne Outbreak Investigation. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/outbreaks/investigating-outbreaks/investigations/index.html

United States Food and Drug Administration. (2016). FDA Investigated Multistate Outbreak of E. coli O157 Infections Linked to Alfalfa Sprouts From Jack and the Green Sprouts. Retrieved from https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/fda-investigated-multistate-outbreak-e-coli-o157-infections-linked-alfalfa-sprouts-jack-and-green

Zeng, D., Chen, Z., Jiang, Y., Xue, F., & Li, B. (2016). Advances and challenges in viability detection of foodborne pathogens. Frontiers in Microbiology, 7, 1833. doi:10.3389/fmicb.2016.01833