Swati Bajaj1, Puja Dudeja2. 1. Classified Specialist (Community Medicine), 121 FHO, Udhampur, 182101, India. 2. Professor, Department of Community Medicine, Armed Forces Medical College, Pune 411040, India.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Food poisoning outbreaks are commonly seen in mass social events where food is prepared under temporary arrangements. This study reports a food poisoning outbreak in a city of western Maharashtra, India, where around 4000 people had consumed food during a religious community lunch and reported sick to the nearby hospital with complaints of diarrhea, abdominal cramps, fever with chills, and vomiting. METHODS: This was a retrospective-prospective study. Investigation of the food poisoning outbreak was conducted to identify the causes and recommend preventive measures. Interview method was used to elicit food history from the affected and non-affected persons. Inspection of the cooking area was conducted to find the likely source of contamination. RESULTS: A total of 291 patients reported sick after consumption of meal at a religious mass gathering. The range of incubation period was from 10 hours to 40 hours. Predominant features were diarrhea (100%), abdominal cramps (89%), fever with chills (81%), and vomiting (28.5%). Maximum relative risk of 14.89 was seen for green gram (moong dal) with 95% confidence interval of 2.16-102.6. Keeping the incubation period and clinical profile in view, the likely organisms are enteropathogenic Escherichia coli or Salmonella spp. CONCLUSION: Maintaining food safety during mass gatherings is a major challenge for public health authorities. The Food Safety and Standards Act (2006) in India brings the food consumed during religious gatherings such as 'prasad' and 'langar' under its purview and comprehensively addresses this issue.
BACKGROUND: Food poisoning outbreaks are commonly seen in mass social events where food is prepared under temporary arrangements. This study reports a food poisoning outbreak in a city of western Maharashtra, India, where around 4000 people had consumed food during a religious community lunch and reported sick to the nearby hospital with complaints of diarrhea, abdominal cramps, fever with chills, and vomiting. METHODS: This was a retrospective-prospective study. Investigation of the food poisoning outbreak was conducted to identify the causes and recommend preventive measures. Interview method was used to elicit food history from the affected and non-affected persons. Inspection of the cooking area was conducted to find the likely source of contamination. RESULTS: A total of 291 patients reported sick after consumption of meal at a religious mass gathering. The range of incubation period was from 10 hours to 40 hours. Predominant features were diarrhea (100%), abdominal cramps (89%), fever with chills (81%), and vomiting (28.5%). Maximum relative risk of 14.89 was seen for green gram (moong dal) with 95% confidence interval of 2.16-102.6. Keeping the incubation period and clinical profile in view, the likely organisms are enteropathogenic Escherichia coli or Salmonella spp. CONCLUSION: Maintaining food safety during mass gatherings is a major challenge for public health authorities. The Food Safety and Standards Act (2006) in India brings the food consumed during religious gatherings such as 'prasad' and 'langar' under its purview and comprehensively addresses this issue.
Authors: Ibrahim Abubakar; Philippe Gautret; Gary W Brunette; Lucille Blumberg; David Johnson; Gilles Poumerol; Ziad A Memish; Maurizio Barbeschi; Ali S Khan Journal: Lancet Infect Dis Date: 2012-01 Impact factor: 25.071
Authors: James A Flint; Yvonne T Van Duynhoven; Fredrick J Angulo; Stephanie M DeLong; Peggy Braun; Martyn Kirk; Elaine Scallan; Margaret Fitzgerald; Goutam K Adak; Paul Sockett; Andrea Ellis; Gillian Hall; Neyla Gargouri; Henry Walke; Peter Braam Journal: Clin Infect Dis Date: 2005-07-22 Impact factor: 9.079