Giuseppe
Emeritus
Clostridium perfringens in London, July 2009: two weddings and an outbreak (Euro Surveill., abstract, edited)
[Source: EuroSurveillance.org, <cite cite="http://www.eurosurveillance.org/ViewArticle.aspx?ArticleId=19598">Eurosurveillance - View Article</cite>. Abstract, edited.]
Eurosurveillance, Volume 15, Issue 25, 24 June 2010
Surveillance and outbreak reports
Clostridium perfringens in London, July 2009: two weddings and an outbreak
J Eriksen 1,2,3, D Zenner 1,3,4,5, S R Anderson 4, K Grant 6, D Kumar 4
1. Health Protection Agency, Centre for Infections, London, United Kingdom
2. European Programme for Intervention Epidemiology Training (EPIET), European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), Stockholm, Sweden
3. These authors contributed equally to the work and share first authorship
4. North West London Health Protection Unit, London, United Kingdom
5. London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
6. Gastrointestinal, Emerging and Zoonotic Infections Department (GEZI) - Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Pathogens (LGP), HPA Centre for Infections, London, United Kingdom
Citation style for this article: Eriksen J, Zenner D, Anderson SR, Grant K, Kumar D. Clostridium perfringens in London, July 2009: two weddings and an outbreak. Euro Surveill. 2010;15(25)
ii=19598. Available online: (LINK)
Date of submission: 11 January 2010
Food poisoning outbreaks caused by Clostridium perfringens enterotoxin occur occasionally in Europe but have become less common in recent years. This paper presents the microbiological and epidemiological results of a large C. perfringens outbreak occurring simultaneously at two weddings that used the same caterer. The outbreak involved several London locations and required coordination across multiple agencies. A case-control study (n=134) was carried out to analyse possible associations between the food consumed and becoming ill. Food, environmental and stool samples were tested for common causative agents, including enterotoxigenic C. perfringens. The clinical presentation and the epidemiological findings were compatible with C. perfringens food poisoning and C. perfringens enterotoxin was detected in stool samples from two cases. The case-control study found statistically significant associations between becoming ill and eating either a specific chicken or lamb dish prepared by the same food handler of the implicated catering company. A rapid outbreak investigation with preliminary real-time results and the successful collaboration between the agencies and the caterer led to timely identification and rectification of the failures in the food handling practices.
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[Source: EuroSurveillance.org, <cite cite="http://www.eurosurveillance.org/ViewArticle.aspx?ArticleId=19598">Eurosurveillance - View Article</cite>. Abstract, edited.]
Eurosurveillance, Volume 15, Issue 25, 24 June 2010
Surveillance and outbreak reports
Clostridium perfringens in London, July 2009: two weddings and an outbreak
J Eriksen 1,2,3, D Zenner 1,3,4,5, S R Anderson 4, K Grant 6, D Kumar 4
1. Health Protection Agency, Centre for Infections, London, United Kingdom
2. European Programme for Intervention Epidemiology Training (EPIET), European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), Stockholm, Sweden
3. These authors contributed equally to the work and share first authorship
4. North West London Health Protection Unit, London, United Kingdom
5. London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
6. Gastrointestinal, Emerging and Zoonotic Infections Department (GEZI) - Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Pathogens (LGP), HPA Centre for Infections, London, United Kingdom
Citation style for this article: Eriksen J, Zenner D, Anderson SR, Grant K, Kumar D. Clostridium perfringens in London, July 2009: two weddings and an outbreak. Euro Surveill. 2010;15(25)
ii=19598. Available online: (LINK)Date of submission: 11 January 2010
Food poisoning outbreaks caused by Clostridium perfringens enterotoxin occur occasionally in Europe but have become less common in recent years. This paper presents the microbiological and epidemiological results of a large C. perfringens outbreak occurring simultaneously at two weddings that used the same caterer. The outbreak involved several London locations and required coordination across multiple agencies. A case-control study (n=134) was carried out to analyse possible associations between the food consumed and becoming ill. Food, environmental and stool samples were tested for common causative agents, including enterotoxigenic C. perfringens. The clinical presentation and the epidemiological findings were compatible with C. perfringens food poisoning and C. perfringens enterotoxin was detected in stool samples from two cases. The case-control study found statistically significant associations between becoming ill and eating either a specific chicken or lamb dish prepared by the same food handler of the implicated catering company. A rapid outbreak investigation with preliminary real-time results and the successful collaboration between the agencies and the caterer led to timely identification and rectification of the failures in the food handling practices.
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