An outbreak of Salmonella dublin infection in England and Wales associated with a soft unpasteurized cows' milk cheese.
An outbreak of Salmonella dublin infection occurred in England and Wales in October to December 1989. Forty-two people were affected, mainly adults, and most lived in south-east England. Microbiological and epidemiological investigations implicated an imported Irish soft unpasteurized cows' milk cheese as the vehicle of infection. A case-control study showed a statistically significant association between infection and consumption of the suspect cheese (p = 0.001). Salmonella dublin was subsequently isolated from cheeses obtained from the manufacturer's premises. Initial control measures included the withdrawal of the cheese from retail sale and a Food Hazard Warning to Environmental Health Departments, as well as a press release, from the Department of Health. Subsequently, a decision was taken by the manufacturer to pasteurize milk used in the production of cheese for the UK market and importation of the cheese resumed in June 1990.
Maguire
H
H
Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre, London.
Cowden
J
J
Jacob
M
M
Rowe
B
B
Roberts
D
D
Bruce
J
J
Mitchell
E
E
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002611:Cheese / Q000382:microbiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012475:Salmonella / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012478:Salmonella Food Poisoning / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D014852:Wales / Q000453:epidemiology