Moose soup shigellosis in Alaska.
Following a community gathering held in early September 1991, an outbreak of gastroenteritis occurred in Galena, Alaska. We conducted an epidemiologic investigation to determine the cause of the outbreak. A case of gastroenteritis was defined as diarrhea or at least 2 other symptoms of gastrointestinal illness occurring in a Galena resident within a week of the gathering. Control subjects included asymptomatic residents who either resided with an affected person or were contacted by us during a telephone survey. Of 25 case-patients, 23 had attended the gathering compared with 33 of 58 controls. Among persons who attended the gathering and from whom we obtained a food consumption history, 17 of 19 case-patients and 11 of 22 controls ate moose soup. No other foods served at the gathering were associated with illness. Ten case-patients had culture-confirmed Shigella sonnei. Many pots of moose soup were served each day, and persons attended the gathering and ate moose soup on more than 1 day. Moose soup was prepared in private homes, allowed to cool, and usually served the same day. We identified 5 women who had prepared soup for the gathering and in whose homes at least 1 person had a gastrointestinal illness occur at the time of or shortly before soup preparation. This investigation suggests that eating contaminated moose soup at a community gathering led to an outbreak of shigellosis and highlights the risk of eating improperly prepared or stored foods at public gatherings.
Gessner
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Epidemic Intelligence Service, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
Beller
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D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000413:Alaska / Q000453:epidemiology; D000818:Animals; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D004405:Dysentery, Bacillary / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005516:Food Microbiology; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat; D008875:Middle Aged; D012764:Shigella sonnei