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Salmonella Enteritidis phage type 21 outbreak in Austria, 2005.
D Schmid1, S Schandl, A M Pichler
1Osterreichische Agentur fur Gesundheit und Ernahrungssicherheit, Vienna, Austria.
Summary
An outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis PT 21 gastroenteritis was linked to a village fair. Mixed salad, likely contaminated by eggs, caused the outbreak, highlighting risks from traditionally farmed eggs.
Area of Science:
- Foodborne illness epidemiology
- Microbial food safety
Background:
- Gastroenteritis outbreaks pose significant public health challenges.
- Traditional food fairs can be venues for foodborne disease transmission.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate an outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis PT 21 gastroenteritis.
- To identify the source and risk factors associated with the outbreak.
Main Methods:
- Descriptive and analytical epidemiological investigations.
- Microbiological testing of patient samples and food sources.
- Molecular subtyping (pulsed-field gel electrophoresis) for strain identification.
Main Results:
- 85 out of 115 fair attendees became ill (73.9% attack rate).
- Salmonella Enteritidis PT 21 was identified as the causative agent.
- Mixed salad, containing potatoes, was identified as the likely source (RR: 10.4).
- The outbreak strain was isolated from eggs, the hen flock, and human cases, with indistinguishable molecular profiles.
Conclusions:
- Cross-contamination between raw eggs and prepared food (boiled potatoes) in the kitchen is the probable transmission route.
- Improper food handling and unrefrigerated storage of prepared foods facilitated bacterial growth.
- Eggs from small, traditionally managed flocks should not be presumed Salmonella-free.