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27
incidents and there were four outbreaks involving 113 cases. Two
of the outbreaks were at schools and involved 58 persons. The
third outbreak was at a day nursery involving 36 cases and the
fourth outbreak, at a residential nursery, accounted for the remaining
19 notifications.
Food poisoning
One hundred and twenty-eight notified or otherwise reported
cases were investigated during the year. Of these 74 were found to
be not food poisoning, after laboratory examination of faecal specimens
from those affected. Half of the 54 confirmed notifications
were single and unrelated and 10 minor outbreaks were responsible
for the remaining 27 cases.
The causative organisms of the 54 cases were found to be of the
following types:—
Salmonella typhimurium 14
enteritidis 13
panama 9
virchow 4
bredeney 3
reading 3
heidelberg 2
indiana 2
abony 1
derby 1
montevideo 1
Unidentified 1
Infective jaundice
One hundred and four notifications were received compared with
54 cases in 1969. This appreciable increase in incidence was mainly
attributable to an outbreak of this usually but not invariably mild
infection of the liver at one school, affecting several classes and
involving home contacts. Investigation revealed 29 casevs of jaundice,
all but one in children, and it was decided to offer immunization
with gamma globulin to all the pupils and staff of the affected
school. The response was excellent, no fewer than 88% of the
children at risk being immunized. No further cases of infective
jaundice were reported at the school.
Measles
A total of 1,090 cases were notified as against 1,562 in 1969.
The decrease was consistent with the traditional pattern of measles
incidence which rises and falls in alternate years. It remains to be
seen, however, what proportion of the fall can be attributed to
the increase in the numbers of children being vaccinated against
this disease.