1993 Outbreak of Campylobacteriosis and Salmonella Heidelberg Infections at a Nursing Home, New York

A mixed outbreak of Campylobacter jejuni and Salmonella Heidelberg infections occurred at a Brooklyn, New York, nursing home. Of the 93 symptomatic nursing home residents who submitted stool specimens for culture, 24 (26%) were positive for S. Heidelberg, 14 (15%) were positive for C. jejuni, and both S. Heidelberg and C. jejuni were isolated in 25 (27%) case patients. Only the pureed diet was highly associated highly with infection by either Salmonella or Campylobacter. Among the 42 pureed foods served during the 5 days before the outbreak, five meat or poultry items were associated most strongly with culture positivity. Of these five meat items, only a chopped-liver salad was implicated by the two employees reporting illness. A reported food-handling error occurred when ground, cooked chicken livers were placed in a bowl containing raw chicken-liver juices.

Overview

Outbreak began:1993
Affected country:US
States/territories:NY
Pathogen:Campylobacter, Salmonella Heidelberg
Vehicle(s):chicken liver
Location(s):Nursing Home
Molecular test results:Not reported

Health impact

Total ill:119

Sources & documents

Report / reference links