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Food poisoning.
54 cases of food poisoning were notified during the year. One of these a
salmonella typhi-murium infection proved to be fatal. Although the majority were
isolated cases there was one small outbreak, this occurred in a school. Several
of the school staff were affected by food poisoning with acute abdominal pains
and diarrhoea after partaking of a school meal. Specimens taken for bacteriological
examination indicated that the outbreak was due to heat resistant Clostridium
Welchii.
This outbreak stressed the importance of time and temperature factors in
storage and service of meals This particular school kitchen prepared meals for
three schools None of the school children were affected as the meals were kept
at a proper temperature before serving In the case of the teachers the meal was
served and put in a hot cupboard at an unsatisfactory temperature which permitted
sufficient organisms to grow in just over half an hour to produce the symptoms.
As is characteristic with this type of outbreak recovery was rapid.
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