Health Protection Agency, Centre for Infections, London, UK.
Euro Surveill. 2010 Jun 24;15(25):19598. doi: 10.2807/ese.15.25.19598-en.
Food poisoning outbreaks caused by Clostridium perfringens enterotoxin occur occasionally in Europe but have become less common in recent years. This paper presents the microbiological and epidemiological results of a large C. perfringens outbreak occurring simultaneously at two weddings that used the same caterer. The outbreak involved several London locations and required coordination across multiple agencies. A case-control study (n=134) was carried out to analyse possible associations between the food consumed and becoming ill. Food, environmental and stool samples were tested for common causative agents, including enterotoxigenic C. perfringens. The clinical presentation and the epidemiological findings were compatible with C. perfringens food poisoning and C. perfringens enterotoxin was detected in stool samples from two cases. The case-control study found statistically significant associations between becoming ill and eating either a specific chicken or lamb dish prepared by the same food handler of the implicated catering company. A rapid outbreak investigation with preliminary real-time results and the successful collaboration between the agencies and the caterer led to timely identification and rectification of the failures in the food handling practices.
在欧洲，偶尔会发生由产气荚膜梭菌肠毒素引起的食物中毒暴发，但近年来这种情况已变得不那么常见。本文介绍了一起同时发生在两场婚礼上的产气荚膜梭菌大规模暴发的微生物学和流行病学结果，这两场婚礼使用了同一家餐饮服务商。暴发涉及伦敦的多个地点，需要多个机构之间的协调。进行了一项病例对照研究（n=134），以分析所食用食物与发病之间可能存在的关联。对食物、环境和粪便样本进行了常见病原体的检测，包括产肠毒素产气荚膜梭菌。临床症状和流行病学发现与产气荚膜梭菌食物中毒相符，从两例病例的粪便样本中检测到了产气荚膜梭菌肠毒素。病例对照研究发现，食用同一名受牵连餐饮服务商的特定鸡肉或羊肉菜肴与发病之间存在统计学显著关联。快速暴发调查和初步实时结果以及机构和餐饮服务商之间的成功合作，及时确定并纠正了食品处理操作中的失误。
