Characterization of a foodborne outbreak caused by Salmonella Enteritidis in Aracaju, State of Sergipe, Brazil.

BACKGROUND

In December 2001, an outbreak of foodborne gastroenteritis infected 114 of 161 people who ate at a restaurant in Aracaju, State of Sergipe, Brazil.

METHODS

The epidemiological and microbiological aspects of the outbreak were characterized.

RESULTS

Potato salad made with homemade mayonnaise and stored at unsuitable temperatures was associated with increased risk of foodborne infection. Salmonella Enteritidis was isolated from the diarrheal stools of the hospitalized patients, and genotyping of the fecal samples generated identical randomly amplified polymorphic deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) profiles.

CONCLUSIONS

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first and the only record of a gastrointestinal outbreak in Sergipe.