Officials working to link P.E.I. listeriosis to outbreak
03.09.2008 01:00
Health
- Source: cbc.ca
Health officials on P.E.I. are trying to determine if a case of listeriosis is linked to a massive recall of products from a Maple Leaf Foods plant in Toronto. 'The public needs to be very vigilant.'— Dr. Mitchell ZelmanThe case, reported on the weekend, is the first in the Maritimes since the recall, and the first on P.E.I. in two years. Officials are saying little about the case: the patient is male and in stable condition in a Prince Edward Island hospital. Dr. Mitchell Zelman, acting chief health officer, said there may never be definitive proof that this case is linked to the recall. "[With] about half of the positive blood cultures for listeria, there may not be a definite history of eating the recalled products," said Zelman. Eleven Canadians have died from the listeriosis outbreak, and dozens more have gotten sick. Samples from the P.E.I. case will be sent to a lab in Winnipeg to determine if it is the same strain that caused the recall. Zelman reminded Islanders to be careful about any prepared meat products purchased before the recall. "The public needs to be very vigilant about the products that are in their fridges and freezers," he said. "Make sure to go through these fridges and freezers and get rid of everything that's stamped 'establishment 97B'." That's the identifying number of the Toronto plant that was affected by listeriosis. A complete list of recalled products is available through the link in the right-hand column of this page. All doctors and emergency departments on P.E.I. have been reminded of the symptoms of listeriosis. This is only the sixth case on the Island in the past 14 years. Story Tools: E-MAIL | PRINT | Text Size: SMLXL | REPORT TYPO | SEND YOUR FEEDBACKRelatedInternal LinksMore listeriosis cases expected; Maple Leaf Foods expands recallExternal LinksMaple Leaf Foods updated recall list(Note: CBC does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of external sites - links will open in new window) Health HeadlinesExercise linked to better memory in older test subjectsAs little as 20 minutes a day of aerobic exercise could help people over 50 improve their memory, a new study suggests. Few new cases of listeriosis expected, officials sayIt appears the worst of the listeriosis outbreak may be over and few new cases are expected, officials said Tuesday.Kids of older dads at higher risk for bipolar disorder, study suggestsChildren born to older fathers may be more likely to develop bipolar disorder, according to researchers who point to a greater risk of mutations appearing in sperm with advancing age.Kids with vaccine allergies can be immunized safely, pediatricians saySome children with vaccine allergies may still be immunized safely, say U.S. pediatricians who have published a step-by-step guide for doctors on how to do so.Smoking riskier to women's hearts than men's: studyWomen typically get heart disease much later than men, but not if they smoke. In fact, women who smoke have heart attacks nearly 14 years earlier than women who don't smoke, compared with six years earlier among male smokers, Norweigan researchers find. Health FeaturesIN DEPTHGardasilSevere side-effects rare, concerns lingerYOUR INTERVIEWListeriosisDr. Allison McGeer on the illnessVIDEOListeriosis Dr. Dara Maker answers questions about outbreak (4:35)IN DEPTHMedical isotopesThe backbone of nuclear medicineNUTRITIONFood supplyNorth America's most endangered foodsNUTRITIONSchool lunchesHealthy back-to-school lunch tipsPeople who read this also read …
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