OUTBREAK OF FOOD POISONING DUE TO SALMONELLA MONTEVIDEO IN AN ARMY GENERAL HOSPITAL

Abstract

This is a report of an outbreak of food poisoning due to Salmonella montevideo affecting both the organizational personnel and the patient population of an army general hospital. The clinical features were varied, and isoagglutinins and heteroagglutinins were demonstrated in the blood of infected persons. The first cases appeared during the night of April 11-12, 1944 with manifestations of an acute, prostrating gastrointestinal disturbance. Within twenty-four hours 267 persons had the ailment. In the next twenty-four hours 70 more cases appeared, and in the third twenty-four hour period an additional 13 cases developed. In all 350 persons were afflicted, and of these 303 were patients. Of the remainder, 45 were enlisted corpsmen and 2 were nurses of the hospital staff. It was found that, of the three hospital messes (officers', enlisted men's and patients') only the patients' mess was implicated. Of the 350 individuals affected 346 had eaten food from