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Massachusetts Cyclospora Outbreak: Dr. George Abraham Explains the Risks
More Than 140 Cyclospora Cases Reported in Massachusetts
Worcester Doctor Explains Cyclospora and Salmonella Outbreaks
“I think our food safety is far better than anywhere else in the world, which is why we always encourage people when they travel to be extra cautious about what they eat because other countries don’t practice the same.”
By-Hank Stolz
Graphic-Radio Worcester/Saint Vincent Hospital
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Worcester, MA-More than 140 cases of Cyclosporiasis have been reported in Massachusetts. Dr. George Abraham, an infectious disease expert at Saint Vincent Hospital in Worcester, discusses the current cyclosporiasis and salmonella outbreaks affecting over 50% of the United States.
Number one defense to getting it, “So first of all, washing hands. There’s no other recipe which works as well as washing hands. Wash often and wash as often as you can.” Abraham also recommends using hand sanitizers, washing fresh vegetables thoroughly, separating meats from vegetables to avoid cross-contamination, cooking foods to proper temperatures, and exercising caution at buffets and when handling water.
While smaller foodborne outbreaks occur year-round, the United States maintains relatively safe food standards compared to other countries. “I think our food safety is far better than anywhere else in the world, which is why we always encourage people when they travel to be extra cautious about what they eat because other countries don’t practice the same.” He says. Medical attention should be sought promptly if symptoms develop rather than waiting for self-resolution.
(Telegram article from Monday saying Cyclosporiasis outbreak now officially includes Massachusetts.)
When Did Foodborne-Disease Research Begin?
Justinus Kerner
People have recognized for centuries that certain foods could cause illness, but modern scientific research into foodborne disease began during the 1800s.
One of the earliest pioneers was German physician Justinus Kerner. Between 1817 and 1822, Kerner studied people who became seriously ill after eating contaminated sausage. He produced the first detailed medical description of what is now called foodborne botulism and correctly suspected that a biological toxin was responsible.
Research advanced rapidly later in the century as scientists learned that microorganisms could cause disease. In the 1880s, American veterinary researcher Theobald Smith identified the bacterium that would eventually be named Salmonella. The name honored Daniel Elmer Salmon, who supervised the federal laboratory where Smith worked.
The United States began organized federal food-safety research in the late 1800s. USDA chemist Harvey Washington Wiley expanded investigations into food adulteration after becoming chief chemist in 1883. His famous “Poison Squad” experiments began in 1902 and examined how preservatives and other food additives affected human health. Wiley’s work helped build support for the Pure Food and Drugs Act of 1906 and earned him recognition as a founder of modern American food-safety regulation.
Foodborne-disease research therefore has no single starting point. Kerner pioneered the clinical investigation of food poisoning, Smith helped establish foodborne bacteriology, and Wiley turned food-safety science into a national public-health and regulatory effort.
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