Screening for Diseases: Epidemiology, Contamination Points

Screening for diseases- Epidemiology
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Knowing the pathogen and its characteristics (including modes of transmission) where do you think was the most likely point of contamination in the production of the sprouts? In inspecting the alfalfa fields and harvesting process, what possible points of contamination should be considered?
The consumption of lightly cooked or raw sprout has in the past been identified as the cause of food borne illnesses because of E.coli. The production process of the process is most viable in a warm humid environment, and bacteria like E.coli tend to thrive in such conditions. Various animals can contaminate the sprouts and the primary reservoir is the cattle, where foods that are made from cattle have also been identified (Dechet, 2005). However, contaminated food products like sprouts including the alfalfa increase the risk of foodborne outbreaks (Dechet, 2005). The alfalfa fields are likely to have been contaminated by irrigated water and to extent cattle manure or grazing cattle. The cattle mature might have contaminated the fields because of the cattle fields and if the seeds were then harvested and cleaned with no further processing.
What interventions/control measures would you suggest? Why?
One needs to consider the seeds as possible avenue of contaminating the food, where the alfalfa seeds from specific fields, which have been identified as contaminated (Morris & Potter, 2013). The seeds are then to be removed from the market, with investigator tracing back the movement of these seeds. Individuals who have purchased the alfalfa seeds should be sensitiz...