Isolation of Bacillus cereus in the feces of healthy adults in Taipei City.

Fecal specimens from 100 healthy adults were collected and examined for the presence of Bacillus cereus which has been associated with 28% of the outbreaks of food poisoning on Taiwan within the last 3 years. Total isolate rate from these specimens was 8%. Variations in isolation rates were found not only in sexes, but also in different age-groups. Therefore, presence of B. cereus in the feces of healthy adults may be unpredictable and relate to foods consumed or to other factors. Obviously, an isolation rate of B. cereus as high as 30% during the outbreak investigation is still not a strong evidence to implicate this organism as an etiological agent.