Open AccessA Food Poisoning Outbreak Caused by Shigella in Al-Mafraq, Jordan, in 2019
Author(s) -
Mais Alkhalili
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
iproceedings
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2369-6893
DOI - 10.2196/36438
Subject(s) - outbreak , food poisoning , environmental health , christian ministry , medicine , shigella , contaminated food , geography , salmonella , biology , virology , microbiology and biotechnology , philosophy , theology , pathology , bacteria , genetics
Background On October 6, 2019, 55 residents of Bala'ama town in Al-Mafraq, Jordan, were admitted to the local health care center with symptoms of food poisoning. Objective This study aimed to identify the cause of the food poisoning outbreak. Methods This descriptive study is a cross-sectional study. Data were obtained from the Directorate of Communicable Diseases in the Ministry of Health. A total of 25 stool samples from patients and an additional 2 samples from workers in the restaurant were collected and tested. An environmental survey of the food and water was also conducted. Results The period of the outbreak was from October 6 to 10, 2019. The highest proportion of patients were children under 5 years of age. More females than males were affected. Stool test results were positive for Shigella sonnei in 15 samples and rotavirus in 7 samples. Chloride concentration was 0 in the water samples. Conclusions The food poisoning outbreak was caused by consumption of hummus from a neighborhood restaurant, which was contaminated with S. sonnei.