Staphylococcus and Streptococcus Carriers. Sources of Food-borne Outbreaks in War Industry

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Food-borne outbreaks in war plants may become an ever increasing cause of absenteeism among workers. Health officers, industrial physicians and cafeteria managers working cooperatively may accomplish a great deal toward prevention of food poisoning. Although staphylo-cocci and streptococci are ubiquitous in distribution, food-handlers carrying such organisms in the nose and throat are almost invariably responsible for food-borne outbreaks. In 13 of 18 outbreaks reviewed, apparently identical organisms were recovered from incriminated foods and the nose and throat of food handlers. It is suggested that staphylococcal food-borne outbreaks are associated with a high enterotoxin-producing staphylococcus carrier rate among incriminated food handlers. Three of the outbreaks studied were produced by a streptococci, the responsible organism in each instance having been classified by group precipitation tests (Lancefield). Two of the outbreaks were caused by Group B streptococci, the 3d by Group H streptococci. Another outbreak had as its etiological agent beta hemolytic streptococci, Lancefield Group A, Griffith Type 2.