Food poisoning in a nursery in Ponte de Lima

Abstract

Background: The increasing incidence rate of infectious acute diarrhoea due to food borne disease outbreaks and the resulting socioeconomic problems are still a matter of concern in Viana do Castelo council. Between 2001 and 2003 several food borne disease outbreaks have occurred, six of which being so serious that many of the patients had to be hospitalized. This study concerns an outbreak that occurred in the crèche canteen of Santa Casa da Misericórdia, in Ponte de Lima, during September 2003. Objectives: The main objectives of this case study were to identify the agent and the source of infection in order to implement preventive and control measures. Type of study: A cohort study of observational and analytical nature was carried out, being the data collected through an epidemiological survey, in cases of epidemic. Population: The universe of the study corresponded to the 88 children who had eaten the meals served in the crèche canteen. Results: The average period of incubation was of 42 hours; the most recurrent set of signals and symptoms was fever, headache, nausea, vomit, abdominal pain and watery diarrhoea; the degree of seriousness was not too worrying and the average duration of the disease was of 5,8 days; the attack rates per food item were not calculated because all the children eat all the different products served in crèche canteen meals; In the food products submitted to microbiological tests both faecal bacteria and Escherichia coli were identified; two food handlers were identified as chronic carriers of Salmonella enterica. Conclusions: These findings, together with the fact that the period of incubation was the same of enterotoxic E. coli, point to this agent as the most likely infection source. Carrying out this case study proved to be relevant due to its contribution to the improvement of the hygiene and safety food conditions in the crèche canteen of Santa Casa da Misericórdia, in Ponte de Lima.