Clostridium Perfringens
Foodborne Illness Week 4
Laura Shepherd
SCI/163
November 26, 2012
Raymond Kahler
Foodborne Illness Week 4
Clostridium perfringens
One of the most common foodborne illnesses in the United States is Clostridium perfringens (C.perfringens). According to the Center for Disease Control, it is responsible for approximately one million cases of foodborne illness each year (Center for Disease Control, 2011). This bacterium is an anaerobic gram-positive bacterium. This means that it requires little to no oxygen to survive. It is found in many environmental sources including soil, sewage, raw meats, and vegetables as well as in the intestines of humans and animals. The bacterium creates a toxin in the intestines. Transmission
C.perfringens …show more content…
is transmitted through ingestion of food poorly handled and not kept at the proper temperatures. The spores are resistant to high heat and some spores can survive boiling water for up to an hour if in a protective medium, such as meat (Al-Kahldi, 2012). The spores turn into the full bacteria after cooking, during the cool down and storage phase. C.perfringens spores replicate more rapidly than most other bacteria. During the cooling process, it reaches poisonous levels. When food is not reheated to the proper temperatures, greater than 140°F, or kept at less than 41°F that is when the toxin forms (Center for Disease Control, 2011).
C.perfringens is commonly spread in institutional type settings in which large amounts of food are cooked before serving. Also catered events where food is kept warm but not at the optimal temperatures for destruction of bacterium prior to ingestion. Because of this, it is frequently called the “food service germ” (Rohrs, n.d.). The most common offending foods are undercooked meats, and meat containing dishes such as stews casseroles and gravies.
Symptoms, Duration, and Treatment The onset of symptoms is sudden and can occur within six to 24 hours. They most commonly occur between 10 and 12 hours. Symptoms are usually abdominal cramps, nausea, and diarrhea. Fever and vomiting are rare and if present usually mild. In severe cases, dehydration can occur. The symptoms last 24 hours or less; however; in severe cases can last one to two weeks. The illness is not spread from one person to the other. Treatment consists of rehydration with oral fluids. Intravenous fluids and electrolyte replacement can be necessary in more severe cases or in the elderly or the very young. Antibiotics are not generally recommended. Because of the rapid onset and short duration, infection is often confused with the 24-hour flu.
Outbreak
In Ohio on March 18 1993 156 people reported becoming ill after eating corned beef from one delicatessen.
The delicatessen purchased 1400 pounds of raw salt-cured corned beef. They boiled the corned beef for three hours. The meat was allowed to cool at room temperature and placed in a refrigerator. On March 18, the beef was placed in a warner at 120ºF, sliced, and served. In addition, sandwiches for catering were prepared, stored at room temperature, and eaten throughout the day. In addition to diarrheal symptoms, 88% reported abdominal cramping and 13% reported vomiting. No one was hospitalized ("Clostridium perfringens gastroenteritis associated with corned beef served at St. Patrick’s day meals - Ohio and Virginia, 1993," 1994). This is a clear example of poor temperature control. The meat was allowed to cool at room temperatures thus, propagating the rapid spread of spores. Then, prior to consumption the meat was never heated to the proper temperatures to kill the growing …show more content…
bacteria. Prevention
Prevention of contracting food poisoning from Clostridium perfringens would entail proper temperature control during cooking, storage, reheating, and handling phases.
Food should be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 145°F to 165°F. The food should be served hot immediately after cooking. If food cannot be served immediately, cool and store at temperatures below 40°F. Foods should be reheated to a temperature of at least 165°F immediately prior to serving. These precautions should be taken in addition to the regular food safety techniques of washing hands, preparation areas, cooking surfaces, and avoiding cross contamination of foods.
Conclusion
C.perfringens is a rapidly spreading, anaerobic bacterium whose spores are resistant to cooking. It is most often spread in institutional or catering settings due to improper temperature control. The symptoms are sudden but usually mild and rarely last more than a day. Prevention would keeping hot foods hot and cold foods cold because bacteria multiplies more rapidly to poisonous levels at temperatures between 70°F – 140°F.
References
Al-Kahldi, S. (2012, April 03). Bad bug book foodborne pathogenic microorganisms and natural toxins second edition. Retrieved from http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodSafety/FoodborneIllness/FoodborneIllnessFoodbornePathogensNaturalToxins/BadBugBook/default.htm
Center for Disease Control. (2011, July 27). Clostidium perfringens. Retrieved from http://http://www.cdc.gov/foodborneburden/clostridium-perfringens.html
Clostridium perfringens gastroenteritis associated with corned beef served at St. Patrick’s Day meals - Ohio and Virginia, 1993. (1994, March 04). Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 43(8), 137-138,143-144. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00025191.htm
Rohrs, B. (n.d.). Clostridium perfringens not the 24-hour flu HYG-5568-98. Retrieved from http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/5000/5568.html
Laura Shepherd
SCI/163
November 26, 2012
Raymond Kahler
Foodborne Illness Week 4
Clostridium perfringens
One of the most common foodborne illnesses in the United States is Clostridium perfringens (C.perfringens). According to the Center for Disease Control, it is responsible for approximately one million cases of foodborne illness each year (Center for Disease Control, 2011). This bacterium is an anaerobic gram-positive bacterium. This means that it requires little to no oxygen to survive. It is found in many environmental sources including soil, sewage, raw meats, and vegetables as well as in the intestines of humans and animals. The bacterium creates a toxin in the intestines. Transmission
C.perfringens …show more content…
is transmitted through ingestion of food poorly handled and not kept at the proper temperatures. The spores are resistant to high heat and some spores can survive boiling water for up to an hour if in a protective medium, such as meat (Al-Kahldi, 2012). The spores turn into the full bacteria after cooking, during the cool down and storage phase. C.perfringens spores replicate more rapidly than most other bacteria. During the cooling process, it reaches poisonous levels. When food is not reheated to the proper temperatures, greater than 140°F, or kept at less than 41°F that is when the toxin forms (Center for Disease Control, 2011).
C.perfringens is commonly spread in institutional type settings in which large amounts of food are cooked before serving. Also catered events where food is kept warm but not at the optimal temperatures for destruction of bacterium prior to ingestion. Because of this, it is frequently called the “food service germ” (Rohrs, n.d.). The most common offending foods are undercooked meats, and meat containing dishes such as stews casseroles and gravies.
Symptoms, Duration, and Treatment The onset of symptoms is sudden and can occur within six to 24 hours. They most commonly occur between 10 and 12 hours. Symptoms are usually abdominal cramps, nausea, and diarrhea. Fever and vomiting are rare and if present usually mild. In severe cases, dehydration can occur. The symptoms last 24 hours or less; however; in severe cases can last one to two weeks. The illness is not spread from one person to the other. Treatment consists of rehydration with oral fluids. Intravenous fluids and electrolyte replacement can be necessary in more severe cases or in the elderly or the very young. Antibiotics are not generally recommended. Because of the rapid onset and short duration, infection is often confused with the 24-hour flu.
Outbreak
In Ohio on March 18 1993 156 people reported becoming ill after eating corned beef from one delicatessen.
The delicatessen purchased 1400 pounds of raw salt-cured corned beef. They boiled the corned beef for three hours. The meat was allowed to cool at room temperature and placed in a refrigerator. On March 18, the beef was placed in a warner at 120ºF, sliced, and served. In addition, sandwiches for catering were prepared, stored at room temperature, and eaten throughout the day. In addition to diarrheal symptoms, 88% reported abdominal cramping and 13% reported vomiting. No one was hospitalized ("Clostridium perfringens gastroenteritis associated with corned beef served at St. Patrick’s day meals - Ohio and Virginia, 1993," 1994). This is a clear example of poor temperature control. The meat was allowed to cool at room temperatures thus, propagating the rapid spread of spores. Then, prior to consumption the meat was never heated to the proper temperatures to kill the growing …show more content…
bacteria. Prevention
Prevention of contracting food poisoning from Clostridium perfringens would entail proper temperature control during cooking, storage, reheating, and handling phases.
Food should be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 145°F to 165°F. The food should be served hot immediately after cooking. If food cannot be served immediately, cool and store at temperatures below 40°F. Foods should be reheated to a temperature of at least 165°F immediately prior to serving. These precautions should be taken in addition to the regular food safety techniques of washing hands, preparation areas, cooking surfaces, and avoiding cross contamination of foods.
Conclusion
C.perfringens is a rapidly spreading, anaerobic bacterium whose spores are resistant to cooking. It is most often spread in institutional or catering settings due to improper temperature control. The symptoms are sudden but usually mild and rarely last more than a day. Prevention would keeping hot foods hot and cold foods cold because bacteria multiplies more rapidly to poisonous levels at temperatures between 70°F – 140°F.
References
Al-Kahldi, S. (2012, April 03). Bad bug book foodborne pathogenic microorganisms and natural toxins second edition. Retrieved from http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodSafety/FoodborneIllness/FoodborneIllnessFoodbornePathogensNaturalToxins/BadBugBook/default.htm
Center for Disease Control. (2011, July 27). Clostidium perfringens. Retrieved from http://http://www.cdc.gov/foodborneburden/clostridium-perfringens.html
Clostridium perfringens gastroenteritis associated with corned beef served at St. Patrick’s Day meals - Ohio and Virginia, 1993. (1994, March 04). Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 43(8), 137-138,143-144. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00025191.htm
Rohrs, B. (n.d.). Clostridium perfringens not the 24-hour flu HYG-5568-98. Retrieved from http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/5000/5568.html