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International outbreak of staphylococcal food poisoning caused by contaminated lasagne

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 October 2009

M. C. Woolaway ,
C. L. R. Bartlett ,
Antonnette A. Wieneke ,
R. J. Gilbert ,
Helen C. Murrell  and
P. Aureli
M. C. Woolaway
Affiliation:
Public Health Laboratory Service, Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre, London NW9 5EQ
C. L. R. Bartlett
Affiliation:
Public Health Laboratory Service, Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre, London NW9 5EQ
Antonnette A. Wieneke
Affiliation:
Central Public Health Laboratory, LondonNW9 5HT
R. J. Gilbert
Affiliation:
Central Public Health Laboratory, LondonNW9 5HT
Helen C. Murrell
Affiliation:
Department of Health and Social Security, London, SE1
P. Aureli
Affiliation:
Instituto Superiore Di Sanita, Rome, Italy
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Summary

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An outbreak of staphylococcal food poisoning in Europe caused by contaminated lasagne was detected and monitored by both national and international surveillance systems. The common source was a pasta-producing factory in Italy and high levels of Staphylococcus aureus were detected in packets of dried lasagne distributed in Luxembourg, the UK, France and Italy. Forty-seven cases were reported in the UK. Outbreaks of staphylococcal food poisoning attributed to mishandling during the food processing stage are uncommon and pasta as the food vehicle is rare. Prompt recognition of the outbreak and rapid identification of the food vehicle enabled most of the consignment to be withdrawn from the market.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Hygiene , Volume 96 , Issue 1 , February 1986 , pp. 67 - 73
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1986

References

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