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Food poisoning caused by heat-sensitive Clostridium welchii. A report of five recent outbreaks

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 May 2009

R. G. A. Sutton  and
Betty C. Hobbs
R. G. A. Sutton
Affiliation:
Food Hygiene Laboratory, Central Public Health Laboratory, Colindale Avenue, London, N. W. 9
Betty C. Hobbs
Affiliation:
Food Hygiene Laboratory, Central Public Health Laboratory, Colindale Avenue, London, N. W. 9
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Details of confirmed outbreaks of food poisoning due to heat-sensitive Cl. welckii are given. In 4/5 incidents heat-sensitive Cl. welckii were isolated in large numbers from the majority of the faeces. In the remaining outbreak the faecal samples were not collected until 7–9 days after the illness. The causative organism was isolated from the food in 3/5 instances.

In addition four outbreaks of food poisoning in which both heat-sensitive and heat-resistant Cl. welckii were isolated are described.

The role of heat-sensitive Cl. welckii in food poisoning outbreaks is discussed and a suggested method of examining faeces for Cl. welchii is given.

We are indeed grateful for the assistance given in collecting faecal specimens and obtaining detailed information on the food preparation, etc., by Drs G. C. Turner, J. Epsom, J. G. Wallace, P. J. Wormald, H. D. Holt, D. G. Fleck, J. M. Graham, E. Tanner and J. D. Abbott. We would also like to thank Mrs I. Batty of the Wellcome Research Laboratory for carrying out toxicological examinations for us.

One of us (R.G.A.S.) is attached to the Commonwealth Department of Health, Australia, and is at present the holder of a Public Service Board Postgraduate scholarship.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Hygiene , Volume 66 , Issue 1 , March 1968 , pp. 135 - 146
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1968

References

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