Hostname: page-component-5c6d5d7d68-pkt8n Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-08-09T10:08:20.838Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The carrier food-handler and non-typhoid salmonellosis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 October 2009

J. G. Cruickshank  and
T. J. Humphrey
J. G. Cruickshank
Affiliation:
Public Health LaboratoryChurch Lane, Heavilree, Exeter EX2 5AD
T. J. Humphrey
Affiliation:
Public Health LaboratoryChurch Lane, Heavilree, Exeter EX2 5AD
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

The number of reported cases of food poisoning and food-borne disease continues to increase in most countries. The published figures are recognized as being only a small fraction of the true total and the problem is clearly both very large and international.

Of the variety of micro-organisms responsible for outbreaks, Salmonella spp. are by far the most frequently incriminated and in the United Kingdom these organisms cause over 90% of cases (Epidemiology, 1986). The almost universal presence of these organisms in certain common foods, their ability to grow in a wide variety of foodstuffs over a substantial temperature range, the ease with which dissemination occurs from person to person and the prolonged period of excretion following recovery are the properties which, taken together, distinguish Salmonella spp. from other food-poisoning organisms. It is because of these characteristics that salmonellas are really the only food-poisoning organisms in which human beings as carriers pose potential problems as sources of outbreaks. This review is, therefore, confined to a consideration of the practical significance of the faecal carriage of salmonellas by asymptomatic food handlers, to an evaluation of the degree of risk, if any, that such a person may pose and to an assessment as to whether the time and money devoted to the investigation and exclusion of such persons is well spent.

Type
Special Article
Information
Epidemiology & Infection , Volume 98 , Issue 3 , June 1987 , pp. 223 - 230
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1987

References

REFERENCES

Abrams, I. F., Cochran, W. D., Holmes, L. B., Marsh, E. B. & Moore, J. W. (1966). A Salmonella newport outbreak in a premature nursery with a one year follow-up. Paediatrics 37, 616–623.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bader, R. E. (1972). Are examinations of food handlers for salmonellae and shigellae to be advocated? A suggestion for amendment of section 18 of the Federal Communicable Disease Law. Das Offentliche Oesundheitswessen 34, 283–285.Google Scholar
Blaser, M. J. & Newman, L. S. (1982). A review of human salmonellosis: I. Infective dose. Reviews of Infectious Diseases 4, 1096–1106.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Buchwald, D. S. & Blaser, M. J. (1984). A review of human salmonellosis: II. Duration of excretion following infection with non-typhi salmonella. Reviews of Infectious Diseases 6, 345–356.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bush, M. F. H. (1985). The symptomless salmonella excretor working in the food industry. Community Medicine 7, 133–135.Google ScholarPubMed
Charles, R. H. G. (1982). Prevention and control of salmonella food poisoning. Education of the food handler and consumer. Health and Hygiene 4, 49–53.Google Scholar
Charles, R. H. G. (1985). Food handlers and food poisoning. Health and Hygiene 6, 2–7.Google Scholar
de Wit, J. C. & Kampelmacher, E. H. (1981). Some aspects of microbial contamination of hands of workers in food industries. Zenlralblatt for Bakteriologie 172, 390–400.Google ScholarPubMed
Edwards, P. R., Galton, M. M., Brachman, P. S. & McCall, C. E. (1964). A perspective of salmonellosis. U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare Public Health Service, Communicable Disease Center, Atlanta.Google Scholar
Epidemiology (1978). Persistent excretion of salmonellas. British Medical Journal 2, pp. 509.Google Scholar
Epidemiology (1985). Food-borne disease surveillance in England and Wales, (1983). British Medical Journal 291, 394–396.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Epidemiology (1966). Food-borne disease surveillance in England and Wales, 1984. British Medical Journal 293, 1424–1427.Google Scholar
Fontaine, R. E., Cohen, M. L., Martin, W. T. & Vernon, T. M. (1980). Epidemic salmonellosis from cheddar cheese: surveillance and prevention. American Journal of Epidemiology 111, 247–253.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gill, O. N., Sockett, P. N., Bartlett, C. L. R., Vaile, M. S. B., Rowe, B., Gilbert, R. J., Dulake, C., Murrell, H. C. & Salmaso, S. (1983). An outbreak of Salmonella napoli infection caused by contaminated chocolate bars. Lancet 1, 574–577.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Musher, D. M. & Rubenstein, A. D. (1973). Permanent carriers of non-typhosa salmonellae. Archives of Internal Medicine 132, 869–872.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pether, J. V. S. & Gilbert, R. J. (1971). The survival of salmonellas on finger-tips and transfer of the organisms to foods. Journal of Hygiene 69, 673–681.Google ScholarPubMed
Pether, J. V. S. & Scott, R. J. D. (1982). Salmonella carriers; are they dangerous? A study to identify finger contamination with salmonellae by convalescent carriers. Journal of Infection 5, 81–85.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Public Health Laboratory Service (1961). Report of the PHLS Working Party on the bacteriological examination of water works employees. The detection of the typhoid carrier state. Journal of Hygiene 59, 231–245.Google Scholar
Public Health Laboratory Service (1983). Notes on the control of human sources of gastrointestinal infections, infestations and bacterial intoxications in the United Kingdom. Community Medicine 5, 152–169.Google Scholar
PHLS and Society of Medical Officers of Health (1965). Report: Excretion of salmonella and shigella organisms and enteropathogenic Escherichia coli in normal children. Monthly Bulletin of the Ministry of Health and the Public Health Laboratory Service 24, 376–381.Google Scholar
Roberts, D. (1982). Factors contributing to outbreaks of food poisoning in England and Wales, 1970–1979. Journal of Hygiene 89, 491–498.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sakai, S. (1978). Surveillance on food-borne infections and bacterial food poisonings in Tokyo, in gastrointestinal infections in Southeast Asia. III. Food hygiene in the problem of gastrointestinal infections. Proceedings of the Fifth SEAMIC Seminar, Tokyo, 1978 (ed. Fukumi, H., Ohashi, M., Mukurami, H., Kudoh, Y. & Nakamura, A.), pp. 70–77. Tokyo Southeast Asia Medical Information Centre.Google Scholar
Schothorst, Van M. & Beckers, H. J. (1978). Persistent excretion of salmonellas. British Medical Journal ii, 1301.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stanwell-Smith, R. & Ward, L. R. (1986). An international point source outbreak of typhoid: a European collaborative investigation. Bulletin of the World Health Organisation 64, 271–278.Google ScholarPubMed
WHO Working Group. (1979). As reported by Pan American Health Organisation. Health examination of food handlers. Epidemiological Bulletin (1980) 1, 9–10.Google Scholar
Winter, J. (1983). Certification of food handlers. A system to fulfil EEC requirements. Journal of the Society of Occupational Medicine 33, 93–97.CrossRefGoogle Scholar