Inhibiting Toxoplasmosis in humans by eliminating foodborne transmission through improved production practices, cat and rodent control Infections from Toxoplasma gondii are found in many human beings and animals used as a food source. All mammals and birds that are eaten by humans can function as intermediate hosts for T. gondii and therefore could potentially be the area of infection for humans. Many of the major sources of foodborne transmission to humans come from undercooked meat, mainly pork, wild game, and lamb containing tissue cysts. Other sources of T. gondii come from soil that has been contaminated with cat feces on raw fruits, vegetables and in water that contains the oocysts. There has been an increased interest from consumers …show more content…
Most human infections are obtained from either eating of tissue cysts in infected meat, products made by meat or by drinking water contaminated with sporulated oocysts that come from the environment or contact with cat fecal matter. The number of cysts found in skeletal muscles varies widely among different animals many of which are not all animals that are used for human consumption. It is also important to understand that seropositivity (The presence of antibodies or other immune markers that show prior contact to a specific organism or antigen (McGraw-Hill, 2002)) of animals that become meat may not show the risk these animals present for those that eat them. An example is with the meat of cattle and buffalo which rarely contain tissue cysts, however in some locations more than 90% of these creatures are seropositive for T. gondii. By contrast, seropositive pigs, sheep and goats have large quantities of tissue cysts in their meat (Tenter et al. 2000., Jones J.L., Dubey J.P., 2008). Pigs that have acquired Toxoplasma gondii are considered a significant source of infection for humans in the U.S. (Dubey, 1994). It is difficult to avoid exposure of pigs to T. gondii, therefore vaccination is considered to be an easy method for control. Vaccination with non-persistent strains of T. gondii is one of the approaches that has been used to reduce the prevalence of viable T. gondii in pig tissues (Dubey et al. 1998). Results from this study in 1998 showed pigs vaccinated with irradiated oocysts developed a protective immunity against clinical toxoplasmosis. The pigs that were vaccinated remained clinically normal whereas non-vaccinated pigs developed severe toxoplasmosis after being inoculated with a high dose of oocysts (Dubey et al. 1998). It seems that antibodies play a role in the ability of the body to have immunity however the mechanism of immunity brought on by feeding
14) Davis, Charles, and Mary Nettleman, eds. "Typhus (Endemic, Murine, Epidemic)." medicinenet.com. N.p.. Web. 12 Mar 2014. .
F tularensis as a bacterium has a large array of sources from which it can be transmitted. As mentioned these include water, mud and decaying animal carcasses(Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, 2013). Additional sources include small mammals such as; rabbits, hares, muskrats and other such creatures(##). Small mammals such as
Makousky, David Tangley, Laura Loeb, Penny Holstein, William J. Thorton, Jeannye, "Hay feed might stop infections from meat." U.S. News & World Report 125.11(1998): middlesearchplus. EBSCO.web.27.Oct.2011
...h apparently did not prevent transmission of T. equigenitalis (Erdman et al., 2011). With the exception of one, all other stallions were infected with T. equigenitalis indirectly via handling or contaminated fomites at breeding or collection facilities (Erdman et al., 2011). According to Erdman et al. (2011), this outbreak saw the largest number of horses that tested positive for the disease since the first outbreak in 1978. The source of the outbreak was most likely determined to be a stallion imported from Denmark in 2000 that had not been detected positive for T. equigenitalis neither upon pre-import testing in the country of origin nor quarantine testing in the United States (Erdman et al., 2011). The importation of this stallion in the United States subsequently led to subsequent transmission of infection between the years 2004 and 2009 (Erdman et al., 2011).
Many say that history repeats itself, and throughout history, the spread of food-borne diseases has been constantly threatening humans. Salmonella, a disease which attacks numerous people a year, has returned, infected, and put people under panic of what they are eating. According to Foodborne Diseases, it is stated that “Salmonella comprises a large and diverse group of Gram-negative rods. Salmonellae are ubiquitous and have been recovered from some insects and nearly all vertebrate species, especially humans, livestock, and companion animals” (Gray and Fedorka-Cray 55). Because of the flexibility and the ability to reproduce rapidly, this infamous disease still remains as one of the most common threats in our society as well as an unconquerable problem that humans face these days.
In crowded conditions, the rate of infection is even more rapid. The diseases brought over to America were mainly spread by the respiratory method. The pathogenesis of infection is through the ingestion of contaminated food and water. Throughout Europe during the 15th century, food and water were contaminated with fecal matter and by unsanitary habits ( i.e. the lack of bathing). The traumatic route of infection is through insect and animal bites.
Infection with C. perfringens as a food-borne illness is acquired from consumption of food or water that has come in contact with the bacterium. Some possibilities include unwashed fruits and vegetables, undercooked me...
Salmonella is a gram-negative rod, which is known to infect humans, birds, and other mammals by invading and irritating the intestines. It is more common in poultry and swine which, if consumed, can cause diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and stomach cramps. The infectious disease can be found almost everywhere and anywhere, including in water, animal feces, raw poultry, and raw seafood. Animals consume salmonella from the soil or contaminated processed feed. In humans, salmonella can lead to a developing typhoid-like fever that persists among other symptoms. However, there is no vaccine available for Salmonella but no treatment is needed because the infection is usually simply fought off by the immune system. There are various ways of preventing the salmonella infection as well, for example, careful cleaning of hands and utensils while cooking are simple preventative actions. Keeping clean and properly preparing food are the best ways contamination and spread of Salmonella can be avoided.
However, health concerned organizations want to ban the use of these products due to the increasing fears that they can cause harm to the consumers. For over 50 years, antibiotics have been added to the food of animals such as poultry, cattle and pigs. The main purpose for doing so is to lower the risk of disease in animals. Farm animals are housed together in overcrowded areas, which are very dirty. The hygiene level can get to such a poor state that they are often in contact with their own excreta as well as excreta of the other animals they are housed with and because of tight single air space they share, the likelihood of catching diseases from one another is further increased and very often a whole heard can be infected at one time.
Researchers from the Animal Parasitic Laboratory and Agriculture Research Service of the United States Department of Agriculture concluded that the linage of Trichinella spiralis originated from Europe over several thousand years ago (Rosenthal, LaRosa, Zarlenga, Dumans, Chunyu, Mingyuan & Pozio, 2008). This is the approximate time when pigs were first domesticated in that region. This implies that the species Trichinella spiralis was introduced to the Americas from pigs. However, there is evidence that the early people of this world, hominid hunters, have consumed foodborne parasites by hunting wild game from millions of years before. Today, swine is governed on the ensuing transmission, and evolutionary diversification.
Wear gloves and proper cloths if handling the infected animals to prevent the direct contact.
...e possibilities of becoming infected with a zoonotic disease. Also it is important to make sure you clean fresh fruits and vegetables completely. http://www.infonet-biovision.org/default/ct/787/zoonoticDiseases . Also when storing food make sure the item is completely covered to avoid cross contamination especially when storing food in the refrigerator. Protect your pets with proper medical treatment.
Salmonella enterica typhi (typhoid fever causing bacteria) are parasites with no other known living environment outside of humans (Pike, 2014). Typhoid has the ability to cause large outbreaks and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has classified Salmonella species with other food safety threats as high priority potential bioterrorism agents (Baggier, Burwen, Haber, & Ball, 2004). Salmonella enterica typhi is one of three species of the Salmonella genus. Typhoid gets its name from Typhos, which means smoke, or to cloud, or vapor. It was thought to be transmitted through a “cloud of sickness called miasma” (Pike, 2014). When someone recovers from typhoid fever, about 3-5% become carriers o...
Food-borne transmission refers to any illness that results due to the consumption of contaminated food, pathogenic bacteria, viruses, or parasites that contaminate food, as well as chemical or natural toxins such as poisonous mushrooms (cdc.gov). Bacteria is the most often the pathogen that causes food-borne illness. This is usually due to improper handling of foods, improper preparation of food and improper food storage. According to the CDC, the top 5 contributing pathogens to food-borne illness are Norovirus, non-typhoidal Salmonella, Clostridium perfringens, Campylobacter spp. and Staphylococcus aureus.
Food safety is an increasingly important public health issue. Governments all over the world are intensifying their efforts to improve food safety. Food borne illnesses are diseases, usually either infectious or toxic in nature, caused by agents that enter the body through the ingestion of food. “In industrialized countries, the percentage of people suffering from food borne diseases each year has been reported to be up to 30%. In the United States of America, for example, around 76 million cases of food borne diseases, resulting in 325,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths, are estimated to occur each year.” (Geneva 2)