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American Journal of Epidemiology Vol. 124, No. 2: 299-305
Copyright © 1986 by The Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health

research-article

CONTAMINATED PRODUCE—A COMMON SOURCE FOR TWO OUTBREAKS OF SHIGELLA GASTROENTERITIS

DEBORAH L. MARTIN1,1, TRACY L. GUSTAFSON1, JAN W. PELOSI1, LUCINA SUAREZ1 and GLORIA V. PIERCE2

1 Bureau of Epidemiology, Texas Department of Health 1100 West 49th Street, Austin, TX 78756
2 Bureau of Laboratories, Texas Department of Health Austin, TX

Reprint requests to Deborah L. Martin

Simultaneous outhreaks of Shigella sonnel gastroenteritis occurred in October 1983 at two Texas university campuses 60 miles (96 km) apart. There were no common food handlers, recreational activities, water sources or swimming areas to explain the introduction of Shigella at both campuses. However, tossed salads were found to be associated with illness at both campuses. The investigation disclosed that both schools had received produce shipments from the same company during the week preceding these outbreaks. Shigella isolates from cases at both universities, sent to the Centers for Disease Control for plasmid analysis and colicin typing, were found to be identical. The same organism was evidently not a frequent cause of shigellosis within a 160-mile (256 km) radius of these universities since only 19% of control isolates chosen from this area were identical to the type which caused these outbreaks. This is the first report of two related outbreaks of shigellosis that were caused by a contaminated food source and not by a food handler. Simultaneous foodbome outbreaks of shlgellosis should trigger a search for potential contamination at every step of food handling from farm to kitchen.

disease outbreaks; food poisoning; gastroenteritis; Shigella sonnel


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