Published Date: 2005-11-03 23:50:00
Subject: PRO/EDR> Staphylococcal food poisoning - Venezuela (Falcon)
Archive Number: 20051103.3218
STAPHYLOCOCCAL FOOD POISONING - VENEZUELA (FALCON)
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Date: Tue, 1 Nov 2005
From: Alfonso J. Rodriguez <ajrm_msds@yahoo.es>
Source: Boletino Epidemiologico Semanal (Weekly Epidemiologic
Bulletin 16-22 Oct 2005) [trans. & edited Mod.MPP]
<http://www.msds.gov.ve/msds/Boletines/Alertas/2005/Alerta42.zip>
On Fri, 21 Oct 2005 an outbreak of probable staphylococcal food
poisoning occurred in a school in the municipality of Falcon,
involving 172 persons.
The patients presented with the clinical picture of vomiting as the
primary symptom. The suspected food product is cheese, of which
specimens have been taken.
--
Alfonso J. Rodriguez, M.D.
<ajrm_msds@yahoo.es>
[Falcon is in the state of the same name in the northwest section of
Venezuela.
The following is extracted from the USA FDA's Bad Bug Book regarding
staphylococcal food poisoning, a disease with an incubation period of
4-8 hours that generally causes an illness with vomiting and little
fever <http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~mow/chap3.html>:
"In the diagnosis of staphylococcal foodborne illness, proper
interviews with the victims, and the gathering and analyzing of
epidemiological data, are essential. Incriminated foods should be
collected and examined for staphylococci. The presence of relatively
large numbers of enterotoxigenic staphylococci is good circumstantial
evidence that the food contains toxin. The most conclusive test is
the linking of an illness with a specific food, or, in cases where
multiple vehicles exist, the detection of the toxin in the food sample(s).
In cases where the food may have been treated to kill the
staphylococci, as in pasteurization or heating, direct microscopic
observation of the food may be an aid in the diagnosis. A number of
serological methods for determining the enterotoxigenicity of _S.
aureus_ isolated from foods, as well as methods for the separation
and detection of toxins in foods, have been developed, and used
successfully, to aid in the diagnosis of the illness. Phage typing
may also be useful when viable staphylococci can be isolated from the
incriminated food, from victims, and from suspected carriers, such as
food handlers.
A toxin dose of less than 1.0 microgram in contaminated food will
produce symptoms of staphylococcal intoxication. This toxin level is
reached when _S. aureus_ populations exceed 100 000 per gram.
Foods that are frequently incriminated in staphylococcal food
poisoning include meat and meat products; poultry and egg products;
salads such as egg, tuna, chicken, potato, and macaroni; bakery
products such as cream-filled pastries, cream pies, and chocolate
eclairs; sandwich fillings; and milk and dairy products. Foods that
require considerable handling during preparation, and that are kept
at slightly elevated temperatures after preparation, are frequently
involved in staphylococcal food poisoning." - Mod.LL]
See Also
Food poisoning, wedding - India (Karnataka): staph. susp. 20050531.1506Food poisoning, political gathering - Honduras (Comayagua) 20050124.0256
2004
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Food poisoning, staphylococcal - USA (OH) 20041006.2743
Food poisoning, birthday guests - USA (FL) 20040922.2619
2003
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Gastroenteritis, staphylococcal - China (Guangzhou)(02) 20031118.2866
Gastroenteritis, staphylococcal - China (Guangzhou) 20031117.2854
Viral gastroenteritis update 2003 (24) 20031112.2801
2000
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Food poisoning, skim milk increases risk - UK 20000929.1684
Food poisoning, milk - Japan (05) 20000821.1393
1998
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Food poisoning, staphylococcal - USA (Texas) 19980104.0026
.....................mpp/ll/pg/mpp
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