FOODBORNE DISEASE OUTBREAKS

I. IDENTIFICATION

A. CLINICAL DESCRIPTION: Symptoms may vary depending upon the causative agent.

B. REPORTING CRITERIA: Suspicion of a foodborne outbreak.

C. OUTBREAK DEFINITION: An incident in which two or more persons experience a similar illness after ingestion of a common food, and analysis of epidemiologic data implicates the food as the source of the illness.

 II. ACTIONS REQUIRED / PREVENTION MEASURES

A. WISCONSIN DISEASE SURVEILLANCE CATEGORY I: Report IMMEDIATELY BY TELEPHONE to the patient's local health officer upon identification of a case or suspected case. Complete and mail an Acute and Communicable Disease Case Report (DPH 4151) to the local health officer within 24 hours.

B. EPIDEMIOLOGY REPORTS REQUESTED:

1. Local health department and/or the BCDP/CDES staff prepare final narrative of outbreak investigation to be filed with the BCDP/CDES and the local health department.
2. BCDP/CDES staff electronically transmit outbreak data to CDC via the Electronic Foodborne Outbreak Reporting System (EFORS).

C. PUBLIC HEALTH INTERVENTIONS:

• Source investigation by LHD.
• Specific intervention dependent upon etiologic agent.
• Inspections of suspected sources or facilities.
• Foods may be tested after consultation with BCDP/CDES.

* ALWAYS NOTIFY BCD/CDES STAFF BEFORE SUBMITTING CLINICAL OR ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIMENS FROM AN OUTBREAK.

III. CONTACTS FOR CONSULTATION

A. BCDP / COMMUNICABLE DISEASE EPIDEMIOLOGY SECTION: (608) 267-9009 or (608) 267-7422.

B. REGIONAL STAFF: See Epinet Introduction: “REGIONAL OFFICE CONTACTS”.

C. WSLH / BACTERIOLOGY UNIT: (608) 263-3421.

D. WDATCP / BUREAU OF LABORATORY SERVICES (QUESTIONS RELATED TO FOOD TESTING): (608) 267-3509.

IV. RELATED REFERENCES

1. FOODBORNE AND WATERBORNE DISEASE OUTBREAK INVESTIGATION MANUAL . Wisconsin Health Alert Network (HAN).

2. Diagnosis and Management of Foodborne Illnesses: A Primer for Physicians. MMWR 2004, (No. RR-4): 53:1-33.

 

V. DISEASE TRENDS: