Investigation of Salmonella Enteritidis Outbreak Associated with Truffle Oil - District of Columbia, 2015

• Published in: MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report Vol. 66; no. 10; p. 278
• Main Authors: Kuramoto-Crawford, S Janet, McGee, Sasha, Li, Keith, Hennenfent, Andrew K, Dassie, Kossia, Carney, Jhetari T, Gibson, Arian, Cooper, Ivory, Blaylock, Morris, Blackwell, Reginald, Fields, Angela, Davies-Cole, John
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Published: Atlanta U.S. Center for Disease Control 17-03-2017
• Subjects: Collaboration; Employees; Food; Gastrointestinal diseases; Health care; Medical laboratories; Public health; Restaurants; Salmonella; Washington DC
• ISSN: 0149-2195; 1545-861X

On Sep 8, 2015, the District of Columbia Department of Health (DCDOH) received a call from a person who reported experiencing gastrointestinal illness after eating at a District of Columbia (DC) restaurant with multiple locations throughout the US (restaurant A). Later the same day, a local emergency department notified DCDOH to report four persons with gastrointestinal illness, all of whom had eaten at restaurant A during August 30-September 5. Two patients had laboratory-confirmed Salmonella group D by stool culture. Investigation of the outbreak by DCDOH identified 159 patrons who were residents of 11 states and DC with gastrointestinal illness after eating at restaurant A during July 1-September 10. A case-control study was conducted, which suggested truffle oil-containing food items as a possible source of Salmonella enterica serotype Enteritidis infection. The collaboration and cooperation of the public, media, health care providers, and local, state, and federal public health officials facilitated recognition of this outbreak involving a pathogen commonly implicated in foodborne illness.