Epidemiological investigation of food poisoning outbreak among hajj pilgrims from Sudan at hotel in Jeddah, KSA in August 2017

Abstract

Objective: An investigation of the outbreak was initiated because of the number of cases of gastroenteritis among Sudanese population reporting to a general hospital Jeddah during the pilgrimage to Makkah (HAJJ). This cases control study was conducted to identify the source of the outbreak, assess its magnitude, and make recommendations to prevent similar outbreaks in the future. Materials and Methods: A case was defined as any individual who developed. A case was defined as anyone who stayed at the hotel on 23rdAugust 2017 and developed GI illness (nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain or diarrhea) diarrhea with or without abdominal pain after eating at the hotel on 24th August 2017. Laboratory tests included stool cultures of all diarrhea patients, and rectal swabs from all food handlers were cultured for enteric pathogens and result were negative. Results: A total of 141 cases hajj pilgrims Sudanese living in hotel were interviewed. Out of these, 83% had developed nausea, 80% abdominal pain and 75% diarrhoea most commonly and the mean incubation period was 2.16(±0.98) hours and the epidemic curve suggested a common point source outbreak. Out of three food items, chicken was found a statistically significant association with illness (p=0.033) food leftovers were found for sampling. All results of stool cultures of all diarrhea patients, and rectal swabs from all food handlers were inconclusive. Conclusions: This outbreak was most likely caused by eating contaminated chicken served at lunch on 23rd august 2017. The most likely organisms were Bacillus cereus, and/or Clostridium perfringens. Consuming food that was kept at an unsafe temperature poor level of food hygiene among food handler probable important factor leading to this outbreak. Keywords: Foodborne outbreak, Saudi Arabia, Hajj, Sudanese.