Journal article
A foodborne outbreak of Cryptosporidium hominis infection
Section for Veterinary Diagnostics, Division of Veterinary Diagnostics and Research, National Veterinary Institute, Technical University of Denmark1
Division of Veterinary Diagnostics and Research, National Veterinary Institute, Technical University of Denmark2
National Veterinary Institute, Technical University of Denmark3
Adaptive Immunology & Parasitology, Division of Veterinary Diagnostics and Research, National Veterinary Institute, Technical University of Denmark4
Division of Microbiology and Risk Assessment, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark5
National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark6
Foodborne outbreaks of cryptosporidiosis are uncommon. In Denmark human cases are generally infrequently diagnosed. In 2005 an outbreak of diarrhoea affected company employees near Copenhagen. In all 99 employees were reported ill; 13 were positive for Cryptosporidium hominis infection. Two analytical epidemiological studies were performed; an initial case-control study followed by a cohort study using an electronic questionnaire.
Disease was associated with eating from the canteen salad bar on one, possibly two, specific weekdays [relative risk 4-1, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.1-8.3]. Three separate salad bar ingredients were found to be likely sources: peeled whole carrots served in a bowl of water, grated carrots, and red peppers (in multivariate analysis, whole carrots: OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.1-4.0; grated carrots: OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.2-3.9; peppers: OR 3.3, 95% CI 1.7-6.6).
We speculate that a person excreting the parasite may have contaminated the salad buffet.
| Language: | English |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Cambridge University Press |
| Year: | 2009 |
| Pages: | 348-356 |
| ISSN: | 14694409 and 09502688 |
| Types: | Journal article |
| DOI: | 10.1017/S0950268808001817 |
Case-control study Cryptosporidium hominis SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being cohort study foodborne outbreak
Adult Animals Case-Control Studies Chi-Square Distribution Cryptosporidiosis Cryptosporidium Denmark Disease Outbreaks Female Food Contamination Food Handling Food Microbiology Foodborne Diseases Fruit Humans Logistic Models Male Polymerase Chain Reaction Surveys and Questionnaires Vegetables
