title: [Foodborne outbreak by Clostridium perfringens in a school dining room].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose was to investigate the etiology and epidemiological characteristics of a food-borne infection outbreak in a school dining room.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective cohort study. Information about gastrointestinal symptoms and the use of the service of the school dining room was obtained. Coprocultures and detection of Clostridium perfringens enterotoxin in stool samples by means of reverse passive latex agglutination were carried out in 7 ill persons. Relative risks (RR) at 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The attack rate was 17.5% (48/275) and the probability of becoming sick was higher in students who ate at the second shift than in those eating at the first one (RR=13.8; 95% CI: 4.4-43.1). C perfringens enterotoxin was detected in 6 stool samples from patients. A high recount of C perfringens was not observed in those food samples kept frozen after their elaboration.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The determination of C perfringens enterotoxin in feces allowed to confirm the etiologic agent of the outbreak.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Salud Pública del Area 2. Instituto de Salud Pública de la Comunidad de Madrid. Madrid. Spain. felicitas.dominguez@madrid.org
authors.forename: M Felícitas
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Domínguez-Berjón
authors.forename: Juan Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Sanz-Moreno
authors.forename: Rosario
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Redondo-Sobrado
authors.forename: Mercedes
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Azpiazu-Garrido
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moreno-Civantos
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Noguerales-de la Obra
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003015:Clostridium Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D003016:Clostridium perfringens / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000032:analysis; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D005506:Food Contamination; D005517:Foodborne Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012574:Schools
chemical_list: D004768:Enterotoxins