Outbreak of Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus infections on the island of Gran Canaria associated with the consumption of inadequately pasteurized cheese

• Published in: European journal of clinical microbiology & infectious diseases Vol. 25; no. 4; pp. 242 - 246
• Main Authors: BORDES-BENITEZ, A, SANCHEZ-ONORO, M, SUAREZ-BORDON, P, GARCIA-ROJAS, A. J, SAEZ-NIETO, J. A, GONZALEZ-GARCIA, A, ALAMO-ANTUNEZ, I, SANCHEZ-MAROTO, A, BOLANOS-RIVERO, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin Springer 01.04.2006; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Aorta; Arthritis; Bacteremia; Bacteria; Biological and medical sciences; Case-Control Studies; Cheese; Cheese - microbiology; Dairy products; Disease Outbreaks; Epidemics; Epidemiology; Female; Food contamination; Food Microbiology; Humans; Infections; Infectious diseases; Male; Medical sciences; Meningitis; Middle Aged; Milk; Outbreaks; Pasteurization; Patients; Spain - epidemiology; Streptococcal Infections - diagnosis; Streptococcal Infections - epidemiology; Streptococcus equi; Streptococcus equi - isolation & purification; Spain; Epidemic; Infection; Streptococcaceae; Microbiology; Bacteria; Micrococcales; Cheese; Streptococcus equi
• ISSN: 0934-9723; 1435-4373
• DOI: 10.1007/s10096-006-0119-x

Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus infections are infrequent in humans. A clinical and epidemiological study of a milk-borne outbreak caused by this organism is described. Fifteen patients (5 females, 10 males) with a median age of 70 years (range 47-86) were infected. Twelve (80%) had underlying diseases. Infection with S. equi subsp. zooepidemicus presented as primary bacteremia in six cases, as bacteremia associated with aortic aneurism in four cases, as septic arthritis in two cases, as pneumonia in two cases, and as meningitis in one case. Five (33.3%) patients died. A case-control study proved that consumption of inadequately pasteurized cheese of a specific brand was associated with S. equi subsp. zooepidemicus disease (OR=4.5; 95% CI 1.57-19.27; p<0.001). This outbreak serves as a reminder that S. equi subsp. zooepidemicus causes serious infections that are usually zoonoses. Identification of beta-hemolytic streptococci to the species level to detect contaminated foods of animal origin is important for preventing new food-borne outbreaks. For a precise characterization of the isolates, the application of molecular markers is recommended.