Stephanie Fletcher1, Leng Boonwaat1, Terry Moore2, Ruchir Chavada3, Stephen Conaty1. 1. Public Health Unit, South Western Sydney Local Health District, New South Wales, Australia . 2. Environmental Health Services, Public Health Unit, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia . 3. Sydney South West Pathology Service, Liverpool Hospital, New South Wales, Australia .
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Staphylococcus aureus is a common cause of staphylococcal food poisoning in Australia with several outbreaks associated with foods prepared by commercial caterers. Laboratory testing on cases of gastrointestinal illness caused by enterotoxin-producing S. aureus is not routinely done as this condition is self-limiting. Hence outbreaks of such illness may go undetected. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted among a group of tourists who were hospitalized in Sydney shortly after flying from Queensland. The group had consumed food prepared by a restaurant on the Gold Coast before transit. Laboratory analyses on stool specimens were conducted in Sydney. An environmental assessment of the restaurant in the Gold Coast was conducted, and environmental specimens were assessed for contamination. RESULTS: Epidemiological investigations linked the outbreak to a restaurant in the Gold Coast where the suspected food was produced. Stool samples from two of the hospitalized cases were confirmed to have enterotoxin-producing S. aureus, and several environmental samples were found to be contaminated with S. aureus as well. Investigations suggested that absence of hand washing and other unhygienic food handling at the implicated restaurant was the likely cause of this outbreak. CONCLUSION: Food poisoning due to toxin-mediated S. aureus is frequently undetected and underreported. Public health units should consider toxin-producing pathogens such as S. aureus when investigating outbreaks where vomiting is the predominant symptom and occurs rapidly after consuming food.
INTRODUCTION:Staphylococcus aureus is a common cause of staphylococcal food poisoning in Australia with several outbreaks associated with foods prepared by commercial caterers. Laboratory testing on cases of gastrointestinal illness caused by enterotoxin-producing S. aureus is not routinely done as this condition is self-limiting. Hence outbreaks of such illness may go undetected. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted among a group of tourists who were hospitalized in Sydney shortly after flying from Queensland. The group had consumed food prepared by a restaurant on the Gold Coast before transit. Laboratory analyses on stool specimens were conducted in Sydney. An environmental assessment of the restaurant in the Gold Coast was conducted, and environmental specimens were assessed for contamination. RESULTS: Epidemiological investigations linked the outbreak to a restaurant in the Gold Coast where the suspected food was produced. Stool samples from two of the hospitalized cases were confirmed to have enterotoxin-producing S. aureus, and several environmental samples were found to be contaminated with S. aureus as well. Investigations suggested that absence of hand washing and other unhygienic food handling at the implicated restaurant was the likely cause of this outbreak. CONCLUSION:Food poisoning due to toxin-mediated S. aureus is frequently undetected and underreported. Public health units should consider toxin-producing pathogens such as S. aureus when investigating outbreaks where vomiting is the predominant symptom and occurs rapidly after consuming food.
Authors: Dinh Thiem Vu; Orntipa Sethabutr; Lorenz Von Seidlein; Van Tung Tran; Gia Canh Do; Trong Chien Bui; Huu Tho Le; Hyejon Lee; Huo-Shu Houng; Thomas L Hale; John D Clemens; Carl Mason; Duc Trach Dang Journal: J Clin Microbiol Date: 2004-05 Impact factor: 5.948
Authors: Stephanie Fletcher; David Sibbritt; Damien Stark; John Harkness; William Rawlinson; David Andresen; Sebastian Van Hal; Juan Merif; John Ellis Journal: Western Pac Surveill Response J Date: 2015-10-06