title: An epidemic outbreak of Salmonella typhimurium in a Romany ethnic community--a clinical-epidemiological survey.
abstract: An epidemic outbreak in October 2005 in a Romany community associated with consumption of minced meat, produced and sold by a private manufacturer without any sanitary surveillance is reported. Salmonella typhimurium was confirmed as an etiologic agent. The aim was to study the clinical and epidemiological findings in this outbreak. The study group included 40 Romanies, 15 male and 25 female, aged 2 to 77 years. Clinical, laboratory, microbiological and epidemiological investigations were performed. Twenty two (55%) patients had clinical manifestations such as prostration, fever and diarrhea. A mild clinical form was observed in 6, moderate form in 9 and severe form in 7 patients. Eighteen (45%) patients were asymptomatic. Most patients had typical clinical presentation, whereby moderate and severe forms prevailed. Using foodstuffs beyond sanitary control is quite possible in a Romany community because of poor living conditions and low health education.
authors: Department of Infectious Diseases, Medical Faculty, Trakian University, Stara Zagora, Bulgaria.
authors: Liliya
authors: L
authors: Pekova
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002031:Bulgaria / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat / Q000382:microbiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D006178:Romani People; D012478:Salmonella Food Poisoning / Q000208:ethnology*; D012486:Salmonella typhimurium