Brain-eating parasite in salad bag as food poisoning rises
Research has highlighted potentially-deadly contamination fears, following 3,320 salad samples between October 2021 and September 2022 and found that over 4 per cent of the leaves were contaminated with toxoplasma gondii oocysts.
The contamination has now been reported across 10 European countries including the UK, the study, published in the journal Eurosurveillance found.
The research says: "The parasite Toxoplasma gondii can cause severe disease in humans. People can acquire the parasite by eating raw or undercooked infected meat or unwashed fruits or vegetables contaminated with the parasite.
"We wanted to investigate T. gondii in commercial ready-to eat (RTE) salads in European countries to estimate the importance of these food products as sources of T. gondii."
This bacteria can be passed on by digesting cat faeces, which can contaminate food and water, making salad that is washed or watered with dirty water a prime place for bacteria.
Other research reported this week showed that the bacteria "can seriously disrupt the brain function of intermediate hosts, potentially including humans".
Research by the National Institute of Health has previously said that half of the UK population show signs of past infection by the age of 50, and once acquired, parasites remain in human tissues for life.
It can then cause a problem later in life for people who have a weakened immune system, which can happen during treatment for cancer or while taking immunosuppressant drugs.
According to the Food Standards Agency, you should always "wash fruit and vegetables with water before you eat them to make sure that they are clean. You should wash them under a running tap, or in a bowl of fresh water, making sure to rub their skin under the water."
Recommended reading:
According to the NHS website, toxoplasmosis does not usually cause any symptoms and most people do not know they've had it.
Some people may have flu-like symptoms such as:
Some people may have more serious symptoms including:
The NHS adds that toxoplasmosis is not usually serious and normally gets better on its own. But it can cause serious problems if you:
If you have a weakened immune system toxoplasmosis may cause problems with your eyes, brain, heart or lungs.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South Wales Argus
an hour ago
- South Wales Argus
Government's new health strategy ‘no more than hiding the crisps', Tories say
Under new proposals, retailers could be made to set targets to increase their sales of less fattening products. Shadow work and pensions secretary Helen Whately said setting mandatory targets for supermarkets was 'nanny state'. 'They had 14 years in opposition to think about what they wanted to do about the NHS, they've had a year in government, and the number one thing in it seems to be hide the crisps,' she told Sky News' Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips. Mr Streeting said the Government wants to 'nudge people in the right direction' (Lucy North/PA) 'It's obviously the nanny state, but it's also not what people want for the NHS. 'People want to hear how they're going to get to see their GP. 'Telling people what to buy, I think, is not up to government. I believe in personal responsibility.' Health Secretary Wes Streeting told the same programme the Government will work with supermarkets to help 'nudge people in the right direction'. 'By taking the approach we're taking with supermarkets, they will decide through the combination of where they put their products, how they do price promotions, the reformulation, what products they choose to put on the shelves,' he said. 'They will work with us to make sure that we nudge people in the right direction without any of us even noticing, in the same way that we've nudged the country in the other direction since the 1990s.' Rejecting suggestions that the idea was too controlling, he said it was different to 'traditional nanny statism, where we regulate more heavily on price, on marketing, on what's sold'. Labour's 10-year health plan is set to be published next week. Other changes could include money for hospitals being linked to patient ratings. According to the Times, part of the proposals will see patients contacted a few weeks after their hospital treatment for feedback. Based on their responses, money could be diverted to a local 'improvement fund'. Another proposal could see NHS users awarded points for upping their step count and eating healthily. Points can then be traded for vouchers, with discounts at supermarkets and coffee shops, according to The Sun. Hundreds of bodies responsible for overseeing and running parts of the NHS in England are likely to be scrapped as part of the changes. Mr Streeting has said the current system is too complex and needs reform.
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Make healthy food more appealing, government tells supermarkets
Make healthy food more appealing, government tells supermarkets Image source, Getty Images Author, Nick Triggle Role, Health correspondent 8 hours ago Food businesses must make it easier for customers to buy healthy food, under new government plans announced on Sunday. Supermarkets and food manufacturers in England will partner with the government to tackle obesity rates by encouraging people to make their weekly shop healthier. Ministers say it will be up to food retailers to decide how they do that, but it could involve offering promotions on healthy food, tweaking loyalty points to incentivise healthy options, or changing shop layouts. It may also involve changing products to make them healthier. It is hoped the plans will help to make healthy eating more accessible to customers and relieve pressure on the NHS. The policy will see major food retailers report on healthy food sales in a bid to increase accountability - and targets will be agreed in partnership with industry.. The plan is part of a raft of measures aimed at improving the health of the nation that will be included in the 10-year plan for the NHS in England, which is expected to be published next week. "Unless we curb the rising tide of cost and demand, the NHS risks becoming unsustainable," Health Secretary Wes Streeting said. "This government's ambition for kids today is for them to be part of the healthiest generation of children ever. That is within our grasp." The upcoming report will show that more than one in five children are living with obesity by the time they leave primary school, rising to almost one in three in the most deprived areas. A recent report found a basket of healthy food costs more than double that of less healthy options. The Food Foundation reported that 1,000 calories of healthy food such as fruit and veg costs £8.80, compared to £4.30 for the equivalent amount of less healthy food, such as ready meals and processed meats. Andrew Opie of the British Retail Consortium said the news is "really positive" but said "all food businesses" must work together to drive down obesity. "Engaging all food businesses makes a difference," Opie told the BBC. "It can't just be about supermarkets- we consume about a quarter of our calories outside the home, so unless we get all supermarkets, food retailers, and restaurants on board, we won't move the dial on obesity." Opie said that he agreed with the government's flexible approach on the standards, as businesses have "a lot of insights and data" into how we shop for food and what would be best for their customers. Katharine Jenner, director of the Obesity Health Alliance said: "The government has rightly identified the root cause of obesity-related ill health: a food system that makes healthy eating difficult." She said it was encouraging to see the government putting the spotlight on businesses "rather than placing the burden on individuals who are already struggling to get by." Alongside the new partnership, the government said it will also: Offer shopping vouchers to customers in return for being active and eating healthily, via a new app Double the number of spaces on the NHS Digital Weight Management Programme, which supports obese individuals with either diabetes or high blood pressure Introduce stricter rules on advertising alcohol to in line with current regulation on promoting junk food It is hoped the new guidance will reduce people's sugar and calorie intake overall. The government cited research showing that cutting just 50 calories a day would lift 340,000 children and two million adults out of obesity. If everyone who is overweight reduced their calorie intake by just 216 calories a day, which is equivalent to a single bottle of fizzy drink, obesity would be halved, researchers said. This is not the first time the government has sought voluntary partnerships with industry. Over the last 20 years there has been numerous food reformulation programmes aimed at reducing salt, sugar and calories in certain foods. Success has been mixed with a push to reduce sugar in certain foods by 20% between 2015 and 2020 falling well short. Sarah Woolnough, from The King's Fund think tank, said while welcome, the impact of the scheme may be limited. 'A lot of less healthy food and drink is purchased from local convenience shops and takeaways. 'The stark fact remains that unhealthy food is far cheaper and more readily available and so unless this change is part of a wider, comprehensive strategy it will not be enough.'
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Health hub planned for former Boots store in Rotherham
An NHS health facility is planned for a former Boots store in proposals would transform the disused building on Effingham Street into a Town Centre Health Hub in two would begin with the relocation of Abbey Pharmacy and have the potential to expand to offer a range of walk-in NHS services, according to Rotherham authority acquired the site, which had stood empty since 2022, in May 2024 as part of plans to take over underused town centre properties for regeneration efforts. Phase one of the project would see Abbey Pharmacy relocate from Howard Street, freeing up space ahead of redevelopment works at the Indoor Covered Market, due to begin in February two would involve refurbishing the rest of the three-storey building to accommodate GP and other health services, directly accessible to the to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, council officers have said they are already in talks with healthcare providers interested in occupying the pay for the works, the council proposes reallocating funds from the Pathfinder programme originally earmarked for a town centre music £1.3m would fund phase one, with a further £400,000 to support feasibility studies and detailed designs for the second phase. The council hopes the project could ease pressure on existing NHS facilities and improve footfall in the town has been inspired by a similar scheme in Barnsley, where a community diagnostic centre in the Glassworks has been credited with attracting extra visitors, additional spending and cutting levels of missed appointments due to its proximity to public Health Select Commission will be updated on the plans ahead of Rotherham Council's cabinet formally considering the scheme on 7 commission will be asked to support the cabinet's expected recommendations to move forward with phase one, unlock the initial funding, and enter negotiations with interested health providers for the wider second phase. Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North
