Foodborne outbreak by Clostridium perfringens in a school dining room

The purpose was to investigate the etiology and epidemiological characteristics of a food-borne infection outbreak in a school dining room. Retrospective cohort study. Information about gastrointestinal symptoms and the use of the service of the school dining room was obtained. Coprocultures and det...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inMedicina clínica Vol. 121; no. 2; p. 58
Main Authors Domínguez-Berjón, M Felícitas, Sanz-Moreno, Juan Carlos, Redondo-Sobrado, Rosario, Azpiazu-Garrido, Mercedes, Moreno-Civantos, Antonio, Noguerales-de la Obra, Rosa
Format Journal Article
LanguageSpanish
Published Spain 14.06.2003
Subjects
Child
Child, Preschool
Clostridium Infections - diagnosis
Clostridium Infections - epidemiology
Clostridium Infections - therapy
Clostridium perfringens - isolation & purification
Cohort Studies
Disease Outbreaks
Enterotoxins - analysis
Feces - microbiology
Female
Food Contamination
Foodborne Diseases - diagnosis
Foodborne Diseases - epidemiology
Foodborne Diseases - therapy
Humans
Male
Retrospective Studies
Schools
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Summary:The purpose was to investigate the etiology and epidemiological characteristics of a food-borne infection outbreak in a school dining room. Retrospective cohort study. Information about gastrointestinal symptoms and the use of the service of the school dining room was obtained. Coprocultures and detection of Clostridium perfringens enterotoxin in stool samples by means of reverse passive latex agglutination were carried out in 7 ill persons. Relative risks (RR) at 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated. The attack rate was 17.5% (48/275) and the probability of becoming sick was higher in students who ate at the second shift than in those eating at the first one (RR=13.8; 95% CI: 4.4-43.1). C perfringens enterotoxin was detected in 6 stool samples from patients. A high recount of C perfringens was not observed in those food samples kept frozen after their elaboration. The determination of C perfringens enterotoxin in feces allowed to confirm the etiologic agent of the outbreak.
ISSN:0025-7753