Epidemiology of Campylobacter jejuni outbreak in a middle school in Incheon, Korea.
On July 6, 2009, an outbreak of gastroenteritis occurred among middle school students in Incheon. An investigation to identify the source and describe the extent of the outbreak was conducted. A retrospective cohort study among students, teachers, and food handlers exposed to canteen food in the middle school was performed. Using self-administered questionnaires, information was collected concerning on symptoms, days that canteen food was consumed, and food items consumed. Stool samples were collected from 66 patients and 11 food handlers. The catering kitchen was inspected and food samples were taken. Of the 791 people who ate canteen food, 92 cases became ill, representing an attack rate of 11.6%. Thirty-one (40.3%) of the 77 stool specimens were positive for Campylobacter jejuni. Interviews with kitchen staff indicated the likelihood that undercooked chicken was provided. This is the first recognized major C. jejuni outbreak associated with contaminated chicken documented in Korea.
Department of Gastroenterology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea. dubogi@hanmail.net
Jun-Hwan
JH
Yu
Na-Yeon
NY
Kim
Nam-Gue
NG
Cho
Jung-Hee
JH
Kim
Young-Ah
YA
Kang
Ha-Gyung
HG
Lee
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002169:Campylobacter Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016123:Campylobacter jejuni; D002645:Chickens; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005260:Female; D005506:Food Contamination; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D056910:Republic of Korea; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014871:Water Microbiology