A foodborne norovirus outbreak associated with six events and a single caterer, Canberra, November 2022.

Q3 Medicine
Alison Chew, Felicity Greenville, Nevada Pingault, Siobhan Barrett, Natasha Waters, Lyndell Hudson, Jenny Post
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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Introduction: An outbreak of gastrointestinal illness was investigated, affecting six events where attendees consumed food catered by a single catering business, in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT).

Methods: Event attendees and the catering business were surveyed using tailored food questionnaires developed in REDCap and administered on-line. Descriptive analyses were conducted for all event attendees and employees of the business, and non-fatal productivity loss estimates calculated. Retrospective cohort studies were conducted for events that occurred on two specific days. A food safety inspection was undertaken of the catering business, and food and environmental samples were collected for microbiological analysis. Faecal specimens were collected from symptomatic event attendees.

Results: A total of 82.2% of event attendees (129/157) completed a survey, of whom 49.6% (64/129) reported gastrointestinal illness resulting in an estimated non-fatal productivity loss of AUD $23,700. Univariate analysis of data collected from events on 16 November identified that illness was significantly associated with consumption of vegetarian rice paper rolls (risk ratio [RR]: 1.6; 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 1.0-3.0; p = 0.04). Multiple foods were significantly associated with illness from events that occurred on 17 November 2022. On multivariable analysis, vegetarian rice paper rolls were associated with illness on 16 November 2022 (RR: 1.7; 95% CI: 1.01-2.8; p = 0.046); however no individual food categories were significantly associated with illness on 17 November 2022. Seven faecal specimens were positive for norovirus. While no food handlers reported illness prior to the outbreak, one food handler reported that their child had had gastroenteritis in the preceding week. Environmental Health inspection of the catering business identified inadequate handwashing facilities. Microbiological testing of seven food samples produced two marginal results: coagulase positive Staphylococcus in a sandwich egg mix and a high standard plate count in the roast beef.

Discussion: This gastroenteritis outbreak was determined to be due to norovirus. The infection source was suspected to be an asymptomatic food handler and inadequate food handling controls allowing contamination of certain foods. This study demonstrates the importance of effective hand hygiene and food handling practices at all times, given that asymptomatic individuals can excrete and transmit norovirus and these outbreaks can be large and costly.

简介:对澳大利亚首都领地(ACT)爆发的一次肠胃病疫情进行了调查:我们对澳大利亚首都地区(ACT)爆发的一起胃肠道疾病进行了调查,受影响的六场活动的参与者都食用了由一家餐饮企业提供的食品:方法:使用 REDCap 开发的定制食品问卷对活动参与者和餐饮企业进行在线调查。对所有活动参与者和企业员工进行了描述性分析,并计算了非致命生产力损失的估计值。对两天内发生的事件进行了回顾性队列研究。对餐饮业进行了食品安全检查,并采集了食品和环境样本进行微生物分析。从有症状的活动参与者身上采集粪便标本:共有 82.2% 的活动参与者(129/157 人)完成了调查,其中 49.6%(64/129 人)报告了肠胃疾病,估计造成了 23,700 澳元的非致命性生产力损失。对 11 月 16 日活动收集的数据进行的单变量分析表明,生病与食用素米纸卷有显著相关性(风险比 [RR]:1.6;95% 置信区间 [95%CI]:1.0-3.0;p = 0.04)。多种食物与 2022 年 11 月 17 日发生的事件中的疾病有明显相关性。在多变量分析中,素米纸卷与2022年11月16日的发病率相关(RR:1.7;95% CI:1.01-2.8;p = 0.046);但没有单个食物类别与2022年11月17日的发病率显著相关。七份粪便样本对诺如病毒呈阳性反应。虽然没有食物处理人员报告在疫情爆发前生病,但有一名食物处理人员报告说,他们的孩子在前一周患了肠胃炎。在对该餐饮业进行环境卫生检查时发现洗手设施不足。对 7 个食品样本进行的微生物检测得出了两个边缘结果:夹心鸡蛋混合物中的凝固酶阳性葡萄球菌和烤牛肉中的高标准菌落总数:这起肠胃炎疫情被确定为诺如病毒所致。感染源被怀疑是一名无症状的食品处理人员,以及食品处理控制不当导致某些食品受到污染。这项研究表明,鉴于无症状人员可排泄和传播诺如病毒,因此在任何时候都必须采取有效的手部卫生和食品处理措施,否则疫情可能会大规模爆发,造成巨大损失。
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来源期刊
CiteScore
1.90
自引率
0.00%
发文量
72
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