Three patients have been killed by hospital sandwiches and 43 NHS trusts placed on alert after a deadly bacterial outbreak.
In one of the worst cases of food poisoning ever seen in the health service, six people were diagnosed with a serious listeria infection between April 25 and May 15 and three have since died at Manchester Royal Infirmary and Aintree Hospital in Liverpool.
Public Health England (PHE) and the NHS were under pressure last night to explain why it had taken so long to warn the public after they confirmed the deaths were linked in May.
All those who died had been given sandwiches supplied by The Good Food Chain, a company based in Stone, Staffordshire, whose Whole Lotta Good brand was developed specifically for hospitals “to meet patients’ needs” and “deliver more for less”.
The company, which also supplies some schools, has voluntarily ceased production while an investigation continues, as has the firm which supplied its meat, Northern Country Cooked Meats, which operates out of Salford.
At a glance | What is listeria?
Listeriosis is a rare infection and for most people it goes unnoticed or there are mild symptoms of gastroenteritis that usually last a short time without the need for treatment.
The time between exposure to the organism and the development of the illness can be up to 70 days.
Occasionally, however, a more serious infection develops and spreads to the blood stream or brain.
This can happen in people who have serious underlying health conditions and can also occur in pregnant women.
Pregnant women and people with underlying health conditions can find more information on the NHS website.
The best way to prevent listeriosis is to practice good food hygiene.
We advise that chilled food should be put in a fridge or other suitable equipment as soon as it is delivered.
Food that is required to be chilled is not permitted to be left out of temperature control for long periods of time.
Food products are permitted to be out of temperature control for limited periods, providing there is no risk to food safety, to accommodate the practicalities of transport and storage.
(Source: Public Health England)
However, there are fears that more people may be infected because of the long incubation period of listeria. The bacteria can lie dormant for up to 70 days and sandwiches were not withdrawn from the NHS until May 25 after investigators realised they had been eaten by all three of the victims.
Forty-three of the 135 NHS trusts have been placed on alert for cases of listeriosis, which can lead to deadly sepsis and meningitis. In pregnant women it can also cause miscarriage and be passed on to the unborn child.
Dr Kimon Andreas Karatzas, associate professor in food microbiology, at the University of Reading, said: “Listeria monocytogenes is the most deadly food-borne bacteria. Due to a relatively long incubation period it’s possible that there could potentially be some more cases.”
The first victim fell ill on April 25 and a second at the beginning of May. When both patients died, DNA testing was carried out which confirmed the same strain of bacteria had killed both.
The death of a third patient, who became ill on May 15, was also found to be caused by the same strain and by May 24 staff had raised suspicions that the sandwiches could be to blame.
An immediate investigation was launched by PHE and The Food Standards Agency (FSA) and sandwiches and salads withdrawn from sale the following day.
By June 2, preliminary tests suggested that the strain had originated from food supplied by The Good Food Chain. The results were confirmed on June 5. But the public was not informed until last night.
The Good Food Chain has also supplied several Premier League football teams, motor and horse racing events, universities and colleges.
It boasts that customers have “peace of mind” that all of its products are “lovingly hand prepared in a safe environment, as you would in your own kitchen”.
Martyn Corfield, 50, founded the company in 1996 after a career in IT. According to Companies House, The Good Food Chain Limited is ultimately controlled by Mr Corfield.
He is listed as a shareholder along with Atalanta Motor Cars Ltd, a classic car company which he also runs. In its mission statement, North Country Quality Foods says that it “is dedicated to producing and supplying the highest quality products, precisely to our customers needs”.
Q&A | Listeria
What is listeria and why is it bad?
Listeria is a bacteria that can cause a very severe disease in humans, but usually it only affects people who don’t have a strong immune system. It is caught by eating contaminated food.Pregnant women are warned to stay away from this because their immunity is lower than normal. There are around 150 – 200 cases of listeriosis in Britain a year but they are mostly mild.
Where is it commonly picked up from?
This bacteria is killed if food is cooked, so infection is often caused by ready-to-eat foods – such as sandwiches – that become contaminated. It’s found in soil so can come from salads and herbs, but it also frequently contaminates meats, melons, sweetcorn, soft cheeses, pates, vegetables.
What would happen to a healthy person who ate a sandwich infected with listeria?
“It would depend on the amount of Listeria in the sandwich. If there high numbers, then the person could get a gastroenteritis or flu-like illness. In some cases there are no symptoms at all. These type of illnesses are usually self-limiting and the body deals with it.
What are the symptoms of a severe infection?
The early stages of listeriosis are flu-like, but then move on to symptoms that are typical for systemic blood infections and can effect balance and coordination.
Is there any history of outbreaks in the UK?
The last large outbreak was back in the 1980s when contaminated pate was identified as the source of the infection.
How would that bacteria have got into the food chain?
In sandwiches listeria would have got in either through the ingredients, in this case sliced meats seem to have been identified as a source, or the slicing machines. Once listeria is in food, it can grow slowly even if it is kept in a fridge.
A spokesman for North Country Cooked Meats said: “At this stage, the company is currently co-operating fully with the environmental health and the FSA in their investigations, and a further statement will be issued in due course.”
Although listeria infection is rare, only causing mild illness in healthy people, it can survive at refrigeration temperatures which means it can persist in food-processing equipment and in the food chain.
All those who have died and became ill had serious underlying health conditions and some are believed to be pensioners.
Dr Nick Phin, deputy director at the national infection service at PHE, said: “Our thoughts are with the families of those patients who have died.
Featured Image Credit: The Good Chain Website