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Preventable disease in correctional facilities. Desmoteric foodborne outbreaks in the United States, 1974-1991. 1996

P R Cieslak, and M B Curtis, and D M Coulombier, and A L Hathcock, and N H Bean, and R V Tauxe
Foodborne and Diarrheal Diseases Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Ga, USA.

BACKGROUND Various disease outbreaks have been reported among prisoners. Recent foodborne outbreaks in correctional facilities in Georgia and Delaware prompted us to review the epidemiological characteristics of such outbreaks reported in the United States. METHODS Foodborne outbreaks reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as part of routine surveillance from 1974 to 1991 were examined to identify outbreaks in jails, prisons, correctional facilities, and juvenile detention centers. Outbreak sizes, temporal trends, food vehicles, pathogens, and hygienic transgressions were analyzed. RESULTS Eighty-eight desmoteric foodborne outbreaks involving 14307 cases of illness were reported from 31 states and territories. The mean outbreak size was 163 cases, compared with a mean of 31 cases for the 9107 reported outbreaks not involving prisoners. No fatalities among prisoners were reported. No pathogen was identified in 47 (53%) of the 88 outbreaks Salmonella species accounted for 15 (37%) of 41 outbreaks of known cause from 1974 to 1991, Clostridium perfringens for 14 (34%), and Staphylococcus aureus for 9 (22%). Fourteen of 15 Salmonella outbreaks occurred from 1984 to 1991. Food vehicles were reported for 63 (72%) of the outbreaks. Beef and poultry each were implicated in 9 (14%) of these, followed by fish or poultry salads and Mexican food, which accounted for 6 outbreaks (10%). Food-handling errors were reported for 69 (78%) of the 88 outbreaks. Improper food storage was reported in 62 (90%) of these. CONCLUSIONS Foodborne outbreaks are reported regularly from correctional facilities in the United States. Outbreaks caused by Salmonella species, a special threat to prisoners with human immunodeficiency virus infection, seem to be increasing. Food production in correctional facilities should meet minimum safety standards, including sufficient refrigeration facilities, training of food handlers, and exemption of ill food handlers from work.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D011159 Population Surveillance Ongoing scrutiny of a population (general population, study population, target population, etc.), generally using methods distinguished by their practicability, uniformity, and frequently their rapidity, rather than by complete accuracy. Surveillance, Population
D011330 Prisons Penal institutions, or places of long-term confinement for prisoners. Penitentiaries,Penitentiary,Prison
D011795 Surveys and Questionnaires Collections of data obtained from voluntary subjects. The information usually takes the form of answers to questions, or suggestions. Community Survey,Nonrespondent,Questionnaire,Questionnaires,Respondent,Survey,Survey Method,Survey Methods,Surveys,Baseline Survey,Community Surveys,Methodology, Survey,Nonrespondents,Questionnaire Design,Randomized Response Technique,Repeated Rounds of Survey,Respondents,Survey Methodology,Baseline Surveys,Design, Questionnaire,Designs, Questionnaire,Methods, Survey,Questionnaire Designs,Questionnaires and Surveys,Randomized Response Techniques,Response Technique, Randomized,Response Techniques, Randomized,Survey, Baseline,Survey, Community,Surveys, Baseline,Surveys, Community,Techniques, Randomized Response
D002487 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. An agency of the UNITED STATES PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE that conducts and supports programs for the prevention and control of disease and provides consultation and assistance to health departments and other countries. United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,CDC,CDCP,Center for Disease Control,Center for Disease Control and Prevention,Centers for Disease Control,Centers for Disease Control (U.S.),Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.),Centers for Disease Control, U.S.,United States Centers for Disease Control
D003691 Delaware State bounded on the north by Pennsylvania, on the west and south by Maryland, and on the east by Delaware Bay and the Atlantic Ocean.
D004196 Disease Outbreaks Sudden increase in the incidence of a disease. The concept includes EPIDEMICS and PANDEMICS. Outbreaks,Infectious Disease Outbreaks,Disease Outbreak,Disease Outbreak, Infectious,Disease Outbreaks, Infectious,Infectious Disease Outbreak,Outbreak, Disease,Outbreak, Infectious Disease,Outbreaks, Disease,Outbreaks, Infectious Disease
D005506 Food Contamination The presence in food of harmful, unpalatable, or otherwise objectionable foreign substances, e.g. chemicals, microorganisms or diluents, before, during, or after processing or storage. Food Adulteration,Adulteration, Food,Adulterations, Food,Contamination, Food,Contaminations, Food,Food Adulterations,Food Contaminations
D005516 Food Microbiology The presence of bacteria, viruses, and fungi in food and food products. This term is not restricted to pathogenic organisms: the presence of various non-pathogenic bacteria and fungi in cheeses and wines, for example, is included in this concept. Microbiology, Food
D005759 Gastroenteritis INFLAMMATION of any segment of the GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT from ESOPHAGUS to RECTUM. Causes of gastroenteritis are many including genetic, infection, HYPERSENSITIVITY, drug effects, and CANCER. Gastroenteritides
D005845 Georgia A state located in the southeastern United States, The capital is Atlanta.

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