An outbreak of campylobacter food poisoning in a health care setting

An outbreak of campylobacter food poisoning in a group of health care workers is reported. The outbreak involved 12 of 31 staff members attending a departmental party. Investigations revealed that a chicken dish was the most likely vehicle of infection. The relative risk of developing symptoms after eating this dish was 6.15 (P < 0.002). Further investigation established that not only had the cooking instructions been misunderstood but storage of the the food the morning of the party did not comply with Department of Health guidelines. The outbreak was associated with considerable morbidity and cost. It is important that health care workers other than professional catering staff are aware of the guidelines available to ensure the correct preparation and storage of food if such events are to be held in hospital departments. It is also important that manufacturers of chicken products ensure that labelling regarding further cooking is clear and in large print.