Twenty-two confirmed cases of Salmonella Infantis were identified in 70 residents of high-level care areas of a residential aged care facility in Sydney in April 2010 during an outbreak of gastroenteritis. A retrospective cohort study was conducted to identify a possible cause. Consuming a soft diet, puréed diet, or thickened fluid were each independently associated with illness. A logistic regression showed consumption of thickened fluid to be the only significant exposure associated with illness (adjusted odds ratio 11·8, 95% confidence interval 1·9-75·9). It was postulated that the thickened fluid had been contaminated by chicken mince, a sample of which also cultured S. Infantis. This finding reinforces the need to educate food-handlers on the risk of potential cross-contamination; it also highlights the need to consider all dietary components, such as thickened fluids, as potential vehicles for transmission in an outbreak.

Item Type:	Refereed Article
Keywords:	food poisoning, food safety, nursing homes, Salmonella, Salmonella outbreak, residential aged care
Research Division:	Medical and Health Sciences
Research Group:	Public Health and Health Services
Research Field:	Epidemiology
Objective Division:	Health
Objective Group:	Public Health (excl. Specific Population Health)
Objective Field:	Disease Distribution and Transmission (incl. Surveillance and Response)
UTAS Author:	Stephens, N (Dr Nicola Stephens)
ID Code:	132649
Year Published:	2012
Web of Science® Times Cited:	9
Deposited By:	Medicine
Deposited On:	2019-05-16
Last Modified:	2019-07-26
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