The protective effect of alcoholic beverages on the occurrence of a Salmonella food-borne outbreak.
BACKGROUND
There are few studies about the effect of alcoholic beverages in food-borne disease outbreaks.


METHODS
We studied this effect during an outbreak of Salmonella ohio infection that occurred in Castellón (Spain) in May 2000. S. ohio was isolated in stools of patients and also in implicated foods.


RESULTS
Analysis was restricted to the group that was exposed to contaminated food (51 persons). We compared attack rates by level of alcohol intake (none, 1-40 gm, and >40 gm). The adjusted relative risks in the two alcohol categories were 0.73 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.46-1.15] and 0.54 (95% CI = 0.31-0.96), respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
We discuss the possible protective effect of alcoholic beverages in some food-borne infectious outbreaks.
Bellido-Blasco
Juan B
JB
Sección de Epidemiología, Center of Public Health, Castellón, Spain. juan.bellido@sanidad.m400.gva.es
Arnedo-Pena
Alberto
A
Cordero-Cutillas
Enrique
E
Canós-Cabedo
Manuel
M
Herrero-Carot
Concha
C
Safont-Adsuara
Lourdes
L
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D001628:Beverages; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012478:Salmonella Food Poisoning / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019779:Salmonella enterica; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology