A Foodborne Disease Outbreak Caused by Salmonella — Guiyang City, Guizhou Province, China, September 2024

Abstract

Introduction: On September 11, 2024, a foodborne disease outbreak occurred at a middle school. Upon receiving the report, investigators promptly arrived at the scene to verify the incident, identify suspicious food items and risk factors that contributed to the outbreak, providing a reference for the prevention and investigation of similar incidents in the future. Methods: Epidemiological methods were employed to characterize the clinical and epidemiological features of cases. A case-control study was conducted to identify suspicious meals and food items. Samples from cases, food products, and environmental sources were collected for laboratory testing. Results: A total of 112 cases met the case definition, with an attack rate of 3.20%. The predominant clinical manifestations included fever (100.00%), diarrhea (92.86%), and vomiting (34.82%). The case-control study indicated that egg cakes and soybean milk sold at window 17 of the Second canteen were the suspicious food items. By September 12, 252 samples had been collected, with laboratory testing detecting Salmonella Newport in 26 samples. Conclusion: Based on epidemiological investigation, hygienic assessment, and laboratory testing results, this incident is classified as an outbreak of foodborne disease caused by Salmonella Newport contamination. The health and well-being of students is paramount, necessitating strengthened food hygiene supervision in schools, regular food safety knowledge training, and comprehensive measures to reduce the risk of foodborne disease in educational settings.