Abstract
An increased number of Salmonella Typhimurium cases were reported in Switzerland between May and June 2008. Investigations involved 72 cases. Results of PFGE typing identified several outbreak strains, the dominating one present in 43 of the 72 isolates. Strains affecting one third of the cases were also found in animal samples, in particular pork. However, no specific food source could be identified. Outbreaks described in this paper highlight the importance of food safety regulations such as those on minced meat and meat preparations issued by the European Commission and adopted by Switzerland into the national law.
Highlights
A sharp and countrywide increase of the number of reported Salmonella Typhimurium isolates was observed in May 2008 starting in week 19 and peaking in week 24 (Figure 1)
A total of 72 patient isolates with dates of isolation extending from week 17 to 27 were subjected to molecular analysis using Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) [1] by the National Centre of Enteropathogenic Bacteria (NENT) and the Institute for Food Safety, University of Zurich
Typhimurium in pork samples, the cantonal authorities of official food control were asked to intensify the sampling and testing activity of meat products and to submit all Salmonella isolates from food analyses to the National Centre for Enteropathogenic Bacteria (NENT)
Summary
A sharp and countrywide increase of the number of reported Salmonella Typhimurium isolates was observed in May 2008 starting in week 19 and peaking in week 24 (Figure 1). Between early May to late June (weeks 19 – 27), 205 cases (2.70 cases / 100,000 inhabitants) were recorded compared to 44 (0.58 / 100,000 inhabitants) in the same period of the preceding year. In week 28, the number of cases returned to the level of 2007
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