An outbreak of food-borne group A Streptococcus (GAS) tonsillopharyngitis among residents of a dormitory

Epidemics of food-borne pharyngitis due to group A Streptococcus are rarely reported. Here we present an outbreak of food-borne tonsillopharyngitis in female dormitories in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Throat swabs and cultures were performed on a number of patients, and of specimens from the nasop...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Scandinavian journal of infectious diseases 2005, Vol.37 (9), p.647-650
Main Authors: Sarvghad, M.R., Naderi, H.R., Naderi-Nassab, M., Majdzadeh, R., Javanian, M., Faramarzi, H., Fatehmanesh, P.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Bacterial diseases
Biological and medical sciences
Disease Outbreaks
Female
Food Microbiology
Human bacterial diseases
Humans
Infectious diseases
Iran
Male
Medical sciences
Pharyngitis - epidemiology
Pharyngitis - microbiology
Staphylococcal infections, streptococcal infections, pneumococcal infections
Streptococcal Infections - epidemiology
Streptococcal Infections - microbiology
Streptococcus pyogenes - isolation & purification
Students
Tonsillitis - epidemiology
Tonsillitis - microbiology
Universities
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Summary:Epidemics of food-borne pharyngitis due to group A Streptococcus are rarely reported. Here we present an outbreak of food-borne tonsillopharyngitis in female dormitories in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Throat swabs and cultures were performed on a number of patients, and of specimens from the nasopharynx and hands of staff who were involved in food processing. We planned a case-control study for assessing the source of epidemics. 11 out of 17 throat swabs of students were positive for Streptococcus group A and also 2 throat samples from asymptomatic cooks were positive. A DNA fingerprinting study showed that Streptococcus group A strains of 11 students and 1 cook had the same T agglutination pattern and M protein factor (M3/T13). It is suggested that group A streptococci as well as group C and G streptococci can cause epidemic food-borne pharyngitis. Regular health surveillance of food handlers and food preparation processes are important for prevention of such outbreaks.
ISSN:0036-5548
1651-1980
DOI:10.1080/00365540510044085