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11
EPIDEMIOLOGY
(Dr. M.T. Fernandes, M.B., B.S., D.P.H., D.I.H., D.C.H., L.M.,
Deputy Medical Officer of Health)
Dysentery
and Food
Poisoning
Although compared with last year, the notified cases of d/sentery
dropped from 543 to 345, notified cases of food poisoning increased from
24 to 78. To this latter figure, however, must be added 53 cases which
were notified by general practitioners as suspected food poisoning and a
further 77 cases which came to the knowledge of the Department other
than by notification.
All of the cases were investigated and amongst the 99 proven cases
10 salmonella infections were found, but these were isolated cases.
The 77 cases referred to above were discovered due to the initiative
of an Ambulance Officer advising the Medical Officer of Health of
persons attending a wedding reception who were being removed to five
local hospitals with food poisoning symptoms. This timely information
enabled us to make complete and full investigations, including the taking
of samples of food on the spot, and with the co-operation of the staffs of
local bacteriological laboratories the cause of this staphylococcal food
poisoning was traced. The complete investigation elicited that the
chicken, cooked, and carved the evening prior to this wedding, and the
jelly and cream served at the reception, were contaminated by staphylococcal
pyogenes.
The caterer who carried out the preparation of the food had an
eczematous condition with secondary infection of all his fingers. Swabs
taken of his fingers revealed a profuse growth of staphylococcus
pyogenes.
Paratyphoid
4. cases of paratyphoid were notified but were not confirmed
bacteriologocally.
Influenza
In an endeavour to mitigate the effect of the much publicised "Hong
Kong" A2 strain of influenza which in alarmist propaganda was scheduled
to reach this country in late 1968 or early 1969 with consequential
havoc, the Council agreed to immunise certain key personnel to enable
vital services to continue.
Fortunately the predictions were wrong and apart from small outbreaks
in parts of the country and local incidents the effect was minimal.