title: An outbreak of food poisoning in Tamil Nadu associated with Yersinia enterocolitica.
abstract: An outbreak of food poisoning in a Tamil Nadu village, affecting 25 of 48 individuals who participated in a feast, was investigated. The risk of developing illness was associated with consumption of buttermilk (relative risk 3.8). None of the food items consumed during the feast was available for analysis. Toxin-producing Y. enterocolitica (serotype 3, biotype 4) was grown from 1 of 11 stool samples from affected individuals, as well as from a water sample from the source used to dilute the buttermilk. High titres of antibody of Yersinia were detected in 2 of 12 patients but in neither of the two groups of controls. Toxin production was noted in buttermilk incubated for 6 h with Y. enterocolitica. This is the first report from India of a food poisoning outbreak associated with this organism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health, Christian Medical College, Vellore.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abraham
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pai
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: G V
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Asokan
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Magesh
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bhattacharji
authors.forename: B S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Ramakrishna
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005517:Foodborne Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D008892:Milk / Q000382:microbiology; D015009:Yersinia Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015008:Yersinia enterocolitica