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Published on: November 16, 2016
An outbreak of food-borne group A Streptococcus (GAS) tonsillopharyngitis among residents of a dormitory
M R Sarvghad1, H R Naderi, M Naderi-Nassab
1Department of Infectious Diseases, Imam Reza General Hospital, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Iran.
Abstract:
Epidemics of food-borne pharyngitis due to group A Streptococcus are rarely reported. Here we present an outbreak of food-borne tonsillopharyngitis in female dormitories in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Throat swabs and cultures were performed on a number of patients, and of specimens from the nasopharynx and hands of staff who were involved in food processing. We planned a case-control study for assessing the source of epidemics. 11 out of 17 throat swabs of students were positive for Streptococcus group A and also 2 throat samples from asymptomatic cooks were positive. A DNA fingerprinting study showed that Streptococcus group A strains of 11 students and 1 cook had the same T agglutination pattern and M protein factor (M3/T13). It is suggested that group A streptococci as well as group C and G streptococci can cause epidemic food-borne pharyngitis. Regular health surveillance of food handlers and food preparation processes are important for prevention of such outbreaks.
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