Skip to main content
PMC home page
Epidemiology and Infection logoLink to Epidemiology and Infection
. 1993 Dec;111(3):473–481. doi: 10.1017/s0950268800057204

An outbreak of Salmonella mikawasima associated with doner kebabs.

M Synnott 1, D L Morse 1, H Maguire 1, F Majid 1, M Plummer 1, M Leicester 1, E J Threlfall 1, J Cowden 1
PMCID: PMC2271257  PMID: 8270007

Abstract

During October 1992 an increase in the number of isolates of Salmonella mikawasima, a rare serotype, was noted including a cluster of nine cases in the South West Thames region. A case control study was conducted and univariate analysis showed a statistical association between illness and eating at take-away A for cases compared with household controls (P = 0.003) and with neighbourhood controls (P = 0.0245). Cases were also more likely to have eaten kebabs than were controls or average take-away A customers, implicating doner kebabs as the most likely vehicle of infection. Plasmid profile analysis of the nine cases' isolates showed them to be indistinguishable and to be characterized by a single plasmid of approximately 60 MDa. The original source of the Salmonella mikawasima contamination was not determined, but food preparation practices for kebabs at take-away A were insufficient to protect against illness if contaminated. This outbreak was only recognized because of the unusual serotype, but could be an indication of a more widespread problem with doner kebabs.

Full text

PDF
473

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Barrell R. A. Isolations of salmonellas from humans and foods in the Manchester area: 1981-1985. Epidemiol Infect. 1987 Jun;98(3):277–284. doi: 10.1017/s0950268800062038. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Bartlett K. H., Trust T. J., Lior H. Isolation of bacteriophage 14-lysogenized Salmonella from the freshwater aquarium snail Apullaria. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1978 Jan;35(1):202–203. doi: 10.1128/aem.35.1.202-203.1978. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. HOBBS B. C., WILSON J. G. Contamination of wholesale meat supplies with salmonellae and heat-resistant Clostridium welchii. Mon Bull Minist Health Public Health Lab Serv. 1959 Dec;18:198–206. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Kado C. I., Liu S. T. Rapid procedure for detection and isolation of large and small plasmids. J Bacteriol. 1981 Mar;145(3):1365–1373. doi: 10.1128/jb.145.3.1365-1373.1981. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Tebbutt G. M. Development of standardized inspections in restaurants using visual assessments and microbiological sampling to quantify the risks. Epidemiol Infect. 1991 Oct;107(2):393–404. doi: 10.1017/s0950268800049037. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Threlfall E. J., Rowe B., Ward L. R. Subdivision of Salmonella enteritidis phage types by plasmid profile typing. Epidemiol Infect. 1989 Jun;102(3):459–465. doi: 10.1017/s095026880003017x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Tillett H. E. Statistical analysis of case-control studies of communicable diseases. Int J Epidemiol. 1986 Mar;15(1):126–133. doi: 10.1093/ije/15.1.126. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Epidemiology and Infection are provided here courtesy of Cambridge University Press

RESOURCES