[Field epidemiological investigation on a foodborne outbreak caused by Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin, in Hangzhou, 2014].

Objective

To identify the cause on a foodborne breakout in a university of Hangzhou in 2014.

Methods

Data on cases were gathered from the out-patient logs of the university affiliated or neighboring hospitals to describe the disease distribution and epidemiological curves. Case-control and field studies on hazard factors were conducted simultaneously.

Results

The incubation period was 1.5-5.0 hours, of which the median was 3 during the outbreak. All the cases consumed food from a restaurant called Chen's Snacks nearby their university and suffered from the Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin. Results from the Staphylococcus enterotoxin testing were positive in 3 stool and 6 food samples, out of the total 18 samples.

Conclusion

This foodborne outbreak was caused through food poisoning by vermicelli which was contaminated with Staphylococcus aureus.