Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-qsmjn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-19T14:29:01.388Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Outbreaks of salmonellosis associated with eating uncooked tomatoes: implications for public health

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 June 1999

C. W. HEDBERG ,
F. J. ANGULO ,
K. E. WHITE ,
C. W. LANGKOP ,
W. L. SCHELL ,
M. G. STOBIERSKI ,
A. SCHUCHAT ,
J. M. BESSER ,
S. DIETRICH  and
L. HELSEL
...Show all authors
C. W. HEDBERG
Affiliation:
Acute Disease Epidemiology Section, Minnesota Department of Health, Minneapolis, MN, USA
F. J. ANGULO
Affiliation:
Foodborne and Diarrheal Diseases Branch, Division of Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
K. E. WHITE
Affiliation:
Acute Disease Epidemiology Section, Minnesota Department of Health, Minneapolis, MN, USA
C. W. LANGKOP
Affiliation:
Communicable Disease Control Section, Illinois Department of Health, Springfield, IL, USA
W. L. SCHELL
Affiliation:
Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services, Madison, WI, USA
M. G. STOBIERSKI
Affiliation:
Michigan Department of Public Health, Lansing, MI, USA
A. SCHUCHAT
Affiliation:
Foodborne and Diarrheal Diseases Branch, Division of Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
J. M. BESSER
Affiliation:
Public Health Laboratory, Minnesota Department of Health, Minneapolis, MN, USA
S. DIETRICH
Affiliation:
Michigan Department of Public Health, Lansing, MI, USA
L. HELSEL
Affiliation:
Foodborne and Diarrheal Diseases Branch, Division of Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
P. M. GRIFFIN
Affiliation:
Foodborne and Diarrheal Diseases Branch, Division of Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
J. W. McFARLAND
Affiliation:
Acute Disease Epidemiology Section, Minnesota Department of Health, Minneapolis, MN, USA Division of Field Epidemiology and Epidemic Intelligence Service, Epidemiology Program Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
M. T. OSTERHOLM
Affiliation:
Acute Disease Epidemiology Section, Minnesota Department of Health, Minneapolis, MN, USA
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Laboratory-based surveillance of salmonella isolates serotyped at four state health departments (Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin) led to the identification of multistate outbreaks of salmonella infections during 1990 (176 cases of S. javiana) and 1993 (100 cases of S. montevideo). Community-based case-control studies and product traceback implicated consumption of tomatoes from a single South Carolina tomato packer (Packer A) MOR 16·0; 95% CI 2·1, 120·6; P<0·0001 in 1990 and again in 1993 (MOR 5·7; 95% CI 1·5, 21·9; P=0·01) as the likely vehicle. Contamination likely occurred at the packing shed, where field grown tomatoes were dumped into a common water bath. These outbreaks represent part of a growing trend of large geographically dispersed outbreaks caused by sporadic or low-level contamination of widely distributed food items. Controlling contamination of agricultural commodities that are also ready-to-eat foods, particularly fruits and vegetables, presents a major challenge to industry, regulators and public health officials.

Type
Research Article
Information
Epidemiology & Infection , Volume 122 , Issue 3 , June 1999 , pp. 385 - 393
Copyright
© 1999 Cambridge University Press