Egg-related Salmonella enteritidis, Italy, 1991.

In recent years, Salmonella enteritidis has become an increasingly important public health problem in Italy. In some parts of the country, the fraction of total human salmonella isolates accounted for by S. enteritidis has risen from 3-4% in the mid-1980s to more than 30% in 1990. Between 1990 and 1991, the number of reported S. enteritidis outbreaks increased more than sixfold. The 33 outbreaks reported in 1991 occurred in seven contiguous regions in northern and central Italy and were clustered in time between June and October: in the majority, products containing raw or undercooked shell eggs were implicated. Five of the egg-related outbreaks that occurred within a 30 kilometre radius over a 7-week period were investigated in detail. A phage type 1 strain containing a 38.9 MDa plasmid appeared responsible for three of the outbreaks, while in the remaining two a phage type 4 strain, also with a 38.9 MDa plasmid was isolated. Efforts are being made to enhance epidemiological surveillance and laboratory evaluation, and the use of pasteurized eggs has been recommended for high-risk populations.

Third outbreak of trichinellosis caused by consumption of horse meat in Italy.

The clinical and epidemiological aspects of the largest Italian outbreak of human trichinellosis which occurred in Northern Italy in August 1986 are reported. About 300 people who ate raw horse meat were involved. The clinical and biological aspects of 161 patients were studied. None died. The causal parasite, isolated from a patient, was identified through isoenzymatic typing as Trichinella nelsoni. Fever, oedema, myalgia and headache were the most common signs and symptoms. The Fluorescent Antibody Test (FAT) proved positive for 96 percent of the patients showing clinical manifestations. Essential laboratory data are reported.