Epidemiological Investigation of a Food Poisoning Outbreak in a Tainan Hotel, Taiwan

DD Jiang

1997 Vol.13 NO.6

Correspondence Author:

Abstract:

A family in Tainan invited guests of 30 tables to a wedding party at a hotel on 19 May 1996. The party started at 1:00 pm and ended at 2:30. Some 60 guests began to develop symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea in that evening and were treated at the local health station, the Chimei Hospital and other hospitals. Upon report of the health station, the Tainan City Health Bureau took immediate action for investigation on 20 May. As the number affected was too large, request for support was made by the Health Bureau to FETP through the Bureau of Food Sanitation of the Department of Health (DOH). A team from FETP was despatched for investigation together with the Tainan City Health Bureau on 21 May. The team visited homes of victims and the hotel for epidemiological investigation to understand the causes of the incident, the food items contaminated, and the probable pathogenic microbes of the outbreak.