A salmonellosis outbreak linked to internally contaminated pork meat

In August 1995, we investigated an outbreak of salmonellosis among patrons who attended a church camp in southern Sydney. Of the 73 attendees interviewed, 22 reported a gastroenteritis illness within two days of the conclusion of the camp, with one attendee hospitalised. Two stool specimens, one from each of two attendees, were both positive for Salmonella typhimurium phage type 9. A cohort study of 68 attendees established a statistically significant association between illness and the consumption of de-boned roast pork (estimated relative risk infinite, p = 0.03) and between illness and the degree of cooking of the pork meat (chi 2 for trend 5.8, p < 0.02). The outbreak was most likely caused by consumption of roast pork that had been internally contaminated during the de-boning process. Meat and meat products that may be internally contaminated, such as de-boned meats, should be thoroughly cooked. Guidelines about minimum cooking temperatures of meats liable to internal contamination should be developed for commercial food handlers in Australia.