A multi-state outbreak of Salmonella serotype Thompson infection from commercially distributed bread contaminated by an ill food handler

Epidemiol Infect. 2005 Oct;133(5):823-8. doi: 10.1017/S0950268805004127.

Abstract

Foodborne transmission is estimated to account for 95% of non-typhoidal Salmonella infections reported in the United States; however, outbreaks of salmonellosis are rarely traced to food handlers. In August 2000, an increase in Salmonella serotype Thompson infection was noted in Southern California; most of the cases reported eating at a restaurant chain (Chain A) before illness onset. A case-control study implicated the consumption of burgers at Chain A restaurants. The earliest onset of illness was in a burger bun packer at Bakery B who had not eaten at Chain A but had worked while ill. Bakery B supplied burger buns to some Chain A restaurants in Southern California and Arizona. This outbreak is notable for implicating a food handler as the source of food contamination and for involving bread, a very unusual outbreak vehicle for Salmonella . Inadequate food-handler training as well as delayed reporting to the health department contributed to this outbreak.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Bread / microbiology
  • California / epidemiology
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Disease Outbreaks*
  • Female
  • Food Handling
  • Food Microbiology*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Restaurants
  • Salmonella / classification
  • Salmonella / isolation & purification*
  • Salmonella Food Poisoning / epidemiology*
  • Salmonella Food Poisoning / microbiology
  • Serotyping