[Collective food poisoning in a camp for unaccompanied refugee children in the city of Goma, Zaire, September 1994].

We report a retrospective study of a group of 440 children following an outbreak of infectious food poisoning in Goma in 1994. The study was part of the epidemiological surveillance in a non-accompanied child refugee reception centre. There were 11 cases (rate 2.5%). We evidence a problem of hygiene in the food preparation chain. Despite the numerous epidemics in the region (cholera, dysentery) this study demonstrated that they were not responsible. Similarly, the findings removed any existing doubts about the quality of the food supplied as part of the international aid.