Epidemiological profile of the collective Foodborne Toxi-Infections in Marrakech city (Morocco)

IF 1.7 Q2 PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH

Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health Pub Date : 2025-09-18 DOI:10.1016/j.cegh.2025.102189

Ait Melloul Abdelaziz , Morad Kaddouri , El Fadeli Sana , Ouhammou Mourad , Imane Abbad , Barakate Mustapha , Barkouch Yassir , Omar Ait El Alia , Khalid Boutoial

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Problem considered

Despite the implementation of food safety regulations in Morocco, Collective Foodborne Toxi-Infections (CFTIs) continue to represent a persistent public health issue. The present study aimed to assess their epidemiological profile in Marrakech city.

Methods

The manuscript presents a comprehensive study on the state of food poisoning in Marrakech city, Morocco, from 2018 to 2022. Data were collected from hospital records, epidemiological surveillance reports, and laboratory-confirmed cases to provide a comprehensive analysis. Microbiological analysis of food poisonings was conducted at the Regional Laboratory for Epidemiological Diagnosis, Marrakech.

Results

During the study period, CFTIs constituted a substantial public health threat, with 67 recorded outbreaks. The majority of outbreaks occurred in urban areas (86.67 %) and during summer (76.67 %). Most affected were individuals under 30 (56.96 %) and females (60 %), with children and adolescents being highly vulnerable. Dairy and pastry shops were the primary outbreak sites (44.16 %), with vegetables and fruits (31.45 %) being the most commonly implicated food items. Causative agents were identified among 77.79 % of the outbreaks. Escherichia coli (35.56 %), yeast and molds (20 %), and Staphylococcus aureus (16.67 %) were the most prevalent, and outbreaks of polymicrobial contamination were reported.

Conclusion

These findings highlight the urgent need to identify contamination sources and enforce hygienic practices. Notably, Morocco demonstrates relatively favorable epidemiological statistics compared to certain European states, alongside marked improvements in food safety indicators versus other developing countries. Enhanced food safety training, improved surveillance systems, and more stringent regulatory controls remain critical to sustain this progress and further reduce outbreak incidence.

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摩洛哥马拉喀什市集体食源性毒素感染流行病学概况

尽管摩洛哥实施了食品安全法规，但集体食源性毒素感染（CFTIs）仍然是一个持续存在的公共卫生问题。本研究旨在评估其在马拉喀什市的流行病学概况。方法对2018年至2022年摩洛哥马拉喀什市食物中毒状况进行综合研究。从医院记录、流行病学监测报告和实验室确诊病例中收集数据，以提供全面分析。在马拉喀什的流行病学诊断区域实验室对食物中毒进行了微生物分析。结果在研究期间，CFTIs构成了重大的公共卫生威胁，共发生67次暴发。主要发生在城区（86.67%）和夏季（76.67%）。受感染人群以30岁以下（56.96%）和女性（60%）居多，儿童和青少年易受感染。乳品店和糕点店是主要暴发场所（44.16%），蔬菜和水果（31.45%）是最常见的受影响食品。病原菌在77.79%的暴发中被鉴定出来。以大肠杆菌（35.56%）、酵母菌和霉菌（20%）、金黄色葡萄球菌（16.67%）最为常见，并有多菌污染暴发报告。结论这些发现突出了识别污染源和加强卫生习惯的迫切需要。值得注意的是，与某些欧洲国家相比，摩洛哥的流行病学统计数据相对有利，与其他发展中国家相比，摩洛哥的食品安全指标也有显著改善。加强食品安全培训、改进监测系统和更严格的监管控制对于维持这一进展和进一步减少疫情发生率仍然至关重要。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH-

CiteScore

4.60

自引率

7.70%

发文量

218

审稿时长

66 days

期刊介绍： Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health (CEGH) is a multidisciplinary journal and it is published four times (March, June, September, December) a year. The mandate of CEGH is to promote articles on clinical epidemiology with focus on developing countries in the context of global health. We also accept articles from other countries. It publishes original research work across all disciplines of medicine and allied sciences, related to clinical epidemiology and global health. The journal publishes Original articles, Review articles, Evidence Summaries, Letters to the Editor. All articles published in CEGH are peer-reviewed and published online for immediate access and citation.