Security lapse at National Book Store at Robinsons Ermita; Salmonella

Bombs and deadly weapons could, on June 26, 2008 could have been brought into the National Book Store at Robinsons Manila because the person at the street entrance to said store didn't inspect well my trolley luggage, which was big enough to contain said bomb elements, etc. The president of National Book Store was identified as Benjamin Ramos. The manager of said store was identified as Sally Penille. From said store, undersigned was able to proceed to other parts of said mall without my luggage being subjected to inspection.

http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/
Administration (FDA) inspects imported foods, oversees inspection of milk pasteurization plants, promotes better food preparation techniques in restaurants and food processing plants, and regulates the sale of turtles. The FDA also regulates the use of specific antibiotics as growth promotants in food animals. The US Department of Agriculture monitors the health of food animals, inspects egg pasteurization plants, and is responsible for the quality of slaughtered and processed meat. The US Environmental Protection Agency regulates and monitors the safety of drinking water supplies.



How can I learn more about this and other public health problems?

You can discuss any medical concerns you may have with your doctor or other heath care provider. Your local City or County Health Department can provide more information about this and other public health problems that are occurring in your area. General information about the public health of the nation is published every week in the "Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)", by the CDC in Atlanta, GA. Every spring, the MMWR publishes a report of the incidence of Salmonella and other infections during the previous year in FoodNet sentinel surveillance sites. Epidemiologists in your local and state health departments are tracking many important public health problems, investigating special problems that arise, and helping to prevent them from occurring in the first place, and from spreading, when they occur.



What can I do to prevent salmonellosis?

* Cook poultry, ground beef, and eggs thoroughly. Do not eat or drink foods containing raw eggs, or raw (unpasteurized) milk.
* If you are served undercooked meat, poultry or eggs in a restaurant, don't hesitate to send it back to the kitchen for further cooking.
* Wash hands, kitchen work surfaces, and utensils with soap and water immediately after they have been in contact with raw meat or poultry.
* Be particularly careful with foods prepared for infants, the elderly, and the immunocompromised.
* Wash hands with soap after handling reptiles, birds, or baby chicks, and after contact with pet feces.
* Avoid direct or even indirect contact between reptiles (turtles, iguanas, other lizards, snakes) and infants or immunocompromised persons.
* Don't work with raw poultry or meat, and an infant (e.g., feed, change diaper) at the same time.
* Mother's milk is the safest food for young infants. Breastfeeding prevents salmonellosis and many other health problems.


Page last modified: May 21, 2008
Content Source: National Center for Zoonotic, Vector-Borne, and Enteric Diseases (ZVED)


Salmonella Outbreak Investigations: Reporting Timeline

A series of events occurs between the time a patient is infected and the time public health officials can determine that
the patient is part of an outbreak. This means that there will be a delay between the start of illness and confirmation
that a patient is part of an outbreak. Public health officials work hard to speed up the process as much as possible. The
timeline is as follows:

1. Incubation time: The time from eating a contaminated food to the beginning of symptoms. For Salmonella, this is
typically 1-3 days, sometimes longer.

2. Time to contact with health care provider/doctor: The time from the first symptom until the person seeks medical care,
when a diarrhea sample is collected for laboratory testing. This time may be additional 1-5 days, sometimes longer.

3. Time to diagnosis: The time from when a person gives a sample to when Salmonella is obtained from it in a laboratory.
This may be 1-3 days from the time the sample is received in the laboratory.

4. Sample shipping time: The time required to ship the Salmonella bacteria from the laboratory to the state public health
authorities that will perform serotyping and “DNA fingerprinting”. This usually takes 0-7 days depending on
transportation arrangements within a state and the distance between the clinical laboratory and the public health
department. It should be noted that the diagnostic laboratories are not required by law to forward Salmonella isolates
to the public health labs and not all diagnostic laboratories forward any isolates unless specifically requested.

5. Time to serotyping and “DNA fingerprinting”: The time required for the state public health authorities to serotype and
to perform “DNA fingerprinting” on the Salmonella and compare it with the outbreak pattern. Serotyping may take up to 3
days. The “DNA fingerprinting” can be accomplished in 2 working days (24 hours). However, many public health
laboratories have limited staff and space, and experience multiple emergencies at the same time. Thus, this process may
take 1-10 days for both serotyping and "DNA fingerprinting" together.

The time from the beginning of the patient’s illness to the confirmation that he or she was part of an outbreak is
typically about 2-3 weeks. Case counts in the midst of an outbreak investigation are therefore always preliminary and must
be interpreted within this context.

Page last modified: June 24, 2008
Content Source: National Center for Zoonotic, Vector-Borne, and Enteric Diseases (ZVED)
Page Located on the Web at http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/reportingtimeline.html
Department of Health and Human Services




* Questions & Answers: Salmonella

Reptiles and Salmonella

Did you know lizards and turtles can carry a harmful germ called Salmonella? If there are infants or small children in your
home, reptiles might not be safe pets for your family.



Reptiles are popular pets with many families. Small reptiles like turtles, iguanas, snakes, geckos, horned toads, and
chameleons are colorful, quiet, and often kept as caged pets. Reptiles require careful handling, however, because they can
carry a germ called Salmonella that can cause serious illness in people. Although many people think of salmonellosis as an
illness caused by contaminated food, it can also be caught by handling a pet reptile or contact with its environment.

Salmonellosis is a serious infection of the gastrointestinal tract. (Information on this infection is also available in
Spanish.) Diarrhea is the most common symptom of Salmonella infection, but other symptoms such as fever, headache, nausea,
and vomiting can also occur. Salmonellosis can be very serious and sometimes fatal for young children, the elderly, and
persons with weak immune systems. Therefore, families with children aged 5 years or younger in the home should avoid
keeping reptiles as pets.

Salmonella occurs naturally in many reptiles and does not usually make the animals sick. You cannot tell by looking at a
lizard, snake, or a turtle if it is carrying Salmonella.



Bacteria, including Salmonella, are easily passed from pet reptiles to people. Research shows that a person who handles
reptiles can easily pass germs to others because bacteria are able to cling to clothing and other surfaces such as our
hands. To reduce the chances of family members getting sick with salmonellosis, pet owners should

• Wash hands with soap and water immediately after handling a reptile;

• Launder any clothing the reptile might have touched;

• Not allow reptiles to roam the house freely;

• Keep reptiles out of kitchens; and

• Use soap or a disinfectant to thoroughly clean any surfaces that have been in contact with reptiles.

Since 1975 it has been illegal in the United States to sell or distribute turtles with shells that measure less than 4 inches in length. This size was chosen because small children are more likely to treat smaller turtles as toys and put them in their mouths. This ban prohibiting the sale of small turtles likely remains the most effective public health action to prevent turtle-associated salmonellosis. Despite this ban, such turtles are still found in some pet stores. In addition, children still catch wild turtles and lizards and bring them home to keep as pets. Whether store-bought or caught in a friend's backyard, a reptile can carry Salmonella and might not be the best choice of a pet for your family, especially if there are young children or immunocompromised persons in the household.
Additional Information