Public health and agriculture officials in Kansas investigated an outbreak of Clostridium perfringens intoxications associated with a meal catered by Bambino's Italian Restaurant located in Lawrence, Kansas. The implicated meal date was May 31, 2013.

Thirty‐five people attended the rehearsal dinner; 26 (74%) completed the online questionnaire.
Nineteen (73%) respondents were ill and all met the case definition. No one was hospitalized and no one died.

Each item served at the rehearsal dinner was analyzed for statistical association with illness.
Attendees who reported consuming the lasagna with meat sauce were 13 times more likely to
have become ill than those who did not report consuming the lasagna (Relative Risk = 13.0, p‐
value < 0.0001, 95% Confidence Interval = 0.9 – 188.4). Lasagna was the only item served that
was significantly associated with illness. Samples from two trays of lasagna with meat sauce tested positive for Clostridium perfringens bacteria by culture.

Investigators concluded that C. perfringens spores were likely present in an ingredient of the lasagna with meat sauce prior to preparation, and temperature abuse that occurred between preparation and consumption allowed for growth of the bacteria. After the lasagna was prepared at Bambino’s, it was transported to the rehearsal dinner location, which took approximately thirty
minutes. The food was then held for an additional hour prior to serving. In the time between
preparation and consumption, the lasagna with meat sauce was most likely not held at
appropriate temperatures to prevent bacterial growth.