Food poisoning and salmonella infections in England and Wales, 1973–75: An analysis of reports to the Public Health Laboratory Service

Abstract

An analysis of cases of bacterial food poisoning and salmonella infections reported to the Public Health Laboratory Service during the three years 1973 to 1975 is presented. 21,428 of the 29,108 cases in which the causal organism was identified were due to salmonellas. Clostridium welchii, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Escherichia coli were also incriminated in outbreaks. In 1973 and 1974 the number of cases was slightly above the average for the previous 10 years; but in 1975 there was an increase of more than 50% above the average, mainly in salmonella infections. Salmonella infections contributed to the deaths of 131 persons, C. welchii to that of two and S. aureus to that of one. Many of the patients were already seriously ill and most were elderly, but there were eight deaths in children under one year of age. Six hundred and thirty-two general outbreaks were recorded. Of these, 296 were in hospitals, schools and other institutions and 201 were associated with restaurants, hotels, receptions and parties. This distribution may in part be due to better reporting of institutional outbreaks. Of the 333 outbreaks in which the type of food was identified, 39% were associated with meat, 31% with poultry and 30% with other foods.