Improving Foodborne Illness Prevention Among Transplant Recipients

Abstract

The U.S. Department of Agriculture developed a food safety brochure to educate transplant recipients and their caregivers about the risk of contracting foodborne illnesses and safe food-handling prevention practices. Qualitative research was conducted with transplant recipients and caregivers to collect information on participants' food safety concerns, knowledge, and practices; changes in food safety knowledge and practices after receiving the food safety brochure; preferred communication channels and dissemination strategies for delivering the brochure; and evaluation of the brochure. Many participants received food safety information from a health care provider, but the content and format varied by institution. Most participants are not following recommended practices to cook and chill food safely, and many participants consume high-risk foods associated with foodborne illnesses. After reading the brochure, many participants made or plan to make at least one food safety recommendation. The research findings were used to refine the brochure before nationwide distribution.

A survey of food safety information and foodborne infections post solid organ transplant

“…The United States has nationally standardised PTFSI, the effectiveness of which has been assessed by Kosa et al [8]. They conducted qualitative research into patient's food safety knowledge and practice following receipt of the national PTFSI and discovered that despite the availability of standardised national advice, the content and format of PTFSI varied by institution.…”

Food Safety for the Solid Organ Transplant Patient

“…The immunosuppressed individual may develop infection from exposure to a level of microorganism colonization of 20%–30% of the level at which a healthy adult become colonized 8 …”

“…A 2010 study by Kosa et al 8 found that many transplant programs provide food safety information through doctors, transplant coordinators, or dietitians, but content and format varied by institution. In addition, information regarding safe food handling practices was missing, limited in scope, or misperceived by transplant patients participating in the study.…”

“…In response to the need for more education regarding foodborne illness, a newly revised publication has been designed specifically for the transplant patient and was released in fall 2011. The basic principles of food safety (clean, separate, cook, chill) are contained in a free 20‐page brochure available through the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service entitled “Food Safety for Transplant Recipients.” 8 , 16 This comprehensive booklet could be used as a basis to develop transplant center–specific food safety teaching materials or could be used directly for patient education.…”

Real-life food-safety behavior and incidence of foodborne infections in solid organ transplant recipients

“…It is recommended in international guidelines for SOT recipients to avoid the consumption of unpasteurized milk or unpasteurized milk byproducts (such as soft cheese), uncooked/raw meat, poultry, fish or seafood, as well as undercooked/raw eggs or their byproducts, and to follow strict adherence to hygiene and food‐handling rules, such as hand washing, keeping cooked and raw food separated, and using separate or cleaned utensils for their preparation . Although adherence to food‐safety recommendations is probably variable in a real‐life setting, only a few studies have assessed the rate of observance of food‐safety recommendations by SOT recipients …”