Abstract
Implementation of control measures in line with European Commission regulations has led to a decrease in salmonellosis in the European Union since 2004. However, control programmes do not address laying hens whose eggs are produced for personal consumption or local sale. This article reports an investigatxion of a salmonellosis outbreak linked to home-produced eggs following a family event held in a farm in September 2011 near Warsaw, Poland. In the outbreak, 34 people developed gastroenteritis symptoms. Results from a cohort study indicated a cake, prepared from raw home-produced eggs, as the vehicle of the outbreak. Laboratory analysis identified Salmonella enterica serotype Enteritidis (S. Enteritidis) in stool samples or rectal swabs from 18 of 24 people and in two egg samples. As no food items remained, we used phage typing to link the source of the outbreak with the isolated strains. Seven S. Enteritidis strains analysed (five from attendees and two from eggs) were phage type 21c. Our findings resulted in culling of the infected laying hens and symptomatic pigeons housed next to the hens. Salmonella poses as a public health problem in Poland: control measures should not forget home-produced eggs, as there is a risk of infection from their consumption.
Highlights
In Europe, infection with Salmonella is a common cause of gastroenteritis [1]
We defined a probable case of gastroenteritis as a person who took part in the family event on 4 September 2011 or who ate food that was brought home from the event and developed diarrhoea, vomiting, stomach ache or temperature higher than 39 °C within 72 hours after consumption
The National Institute of Public Health - National Institute of Hygiene prepared a closed-ended questionnaire to be completed by all people on the list provided by the hosts and those identified during the investigation, to collect information on food/beverage items consumed during or after the family event and symptoms experienced
Summary
In Europe, infection with Salmonella is a common cause of gastroenteritis [1]. Enteritidis) remains frequently reported, accounting in 2009 for 57% of all Salmonella serotypes [1]. Enteritidis is primarily linked to ingestion of contaminated meat or egg products [2]. Phage typing is a tool that is used to establish links between poultry flocks infected with S. It can be used to assess strains currently in circulation [4] and identify temporal trends [5]. It is not, routinely performed in many European countries, including Poland [4]
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