Postepidemic surveillance studies of a food-borne epidemic of streptococcal pharyngitis at the United States Air Force Academy.

Abstract

One of the largest food-borne epidemics of streptococcal infection on record occurred among cadets at the U.S. Air Force Academy in the spring of 1968. Over 1,200 cadets (38.996 of the population) developed symptoms of streptococcal pharyngitis. In the manner characteristic of a common-source epidemic, the majority of cases fell ill in a short period of time. Many were acutely toxic. Of the patients interviewed, over 8096 reported abrupt onset of chills, fever, sore throat, and headache. Epidemiological studies in-