Surveillance for Foodborne Illness Outbreaks in Qassim, Saudi Arabia, 2006

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to determine the burden of foodborne illness, and to identify the specific foods and causative organisms responsible for foodborne illness outbreaks in Qassim, Saudi Arabia, during the year 2006. The study is a descriptive analysis of the surveillance data for foodborne illness outbreaks, collected by the Preventive Medicine Department, Primary Health Care Administration, Qassim province. We analyzed the foodborne illness surveillance data for the year 2006, using SPSS-11 statistical package. The distribution of foodborne illnesses was examined in relation to age, sex, nationality, and month of occurrence. In addition, types of food, place of food preparation, and pathogenic agent responsible for the outbreaks were also analyzed. During the year 2006, 31 foodborne illness outbreaks, accounting for 251 cases, were reported. The highest proportion (64.5%) of outbreaks was reported during summer months of June to August. Men constituted 66.9% of the cases, and 68.1% were adults. Salmonella species was the commonest causative agent, followed by Staphylococcus aureus. The majority (68.9%) of the cases got sick after consuming commercially prepared foods. Meat intake caused 67.7% cases, and Middle Eastern meat sandwich was a commonly implicated food. Our study concludes that foodborne illness is an important public health problem in Qassim province. A comprehensive approach is required to assure food safety in commercial food establishments. Health education of the community, food handlers, and food industry workers regarding food and personal hygiene will reduce the incidence of foodborne illnesses in Qassim and Saudi Arabia.

Cross-sectional study on food safety knowledge, attitude and practices of male food handlers employed in restaurants of King Saud University, Saudi Arabia

“…In another report, in 2011 alone, the 255 incidences for food borne diseases were reported causing illness in 2066 people (Health Ministry Saudi Arabia, 2013). During the year 2006, the main cause of foodborne illness outbreaks in Qassim, a central province of Saudi Arabia, was consuming commercially prepared foods (Al-Goblan & Jahan, 2010). Another incidence of gastroenteritis occurred in Abha city, south-west Saudi Arabia, among customers who had eaten a contaminated ready-made food item (Al-Ahmadi, Elbushra, & Al-Zahrani, 1998).…”

Prevention and Control of Foodborne Diseases in Middle-East North African Countries: Review of National Control Systems

“…Similarly, the improvement in laboratory capacities in Saudi Arabia reflected an increasing number of food poisoning cases that are attributed to norovirus [43]. In 2006, 31 foodborne illness outbreaks were attributed to Salmonella spp., followed by Staphylococcus aureus and often related to the consumption of Mediterranean meat sandwiches [64]. Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli, Bacillus cereus, and Shigella were major causative agents linked to 16 reported in earlier outbreaks in 2003 [57] and staphylococcus aureus was associated with 41% of bacterial food poisoning cases [65].…”

Isolation and Diagnosis of Pathogenic Bacteria from the Bowels of Local Chicken and Identifying Some of the Virulence Factors

“…The study showed that E. coli bacteria formed the highest percentage of intestinal isolates (28.16%). These bacteria are part of the normal flora of the intestine as they are shedding with feces and contaminate the environment therefor, they cause many infections to other birds and humans (7,9,10,16), while E. coli formed (19.44%) isolates from the liver, this bacterium was considered as a serious indicator on the poultry industry as it causes many diseases. The most common Colibacillosis disease as well as Colisepticaemia, Acute airsaculitis and Coligranuloma of liver (17,18,19).…”

“…As a result of inappropriate conditions and other reasons due to bacterial infections, opportunistic bacteria were activated and biological processes are affected within the body, intestines and liver are the most affected organs where the liver performs a variety functions in digestive system and the metabolism of proteins, lipid and carbohydrates. Bacteria in chicken intestine play important role in pollution of the environment through mixing of the intestinal content with meat during unhealthy slaughters ,these bacteria are transfer to humans and lead to intestinal infections by toxins which produced (7).The risk of bacterial pathogens represented in two important things: the first concerns with public health, the most cases of intestinal poisoning in humans due to Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli, Salmonella spp and Enterococcus faecalis which is produced intestinal toxins (8,9,10) and other bacterial causes, due to poultry meat consumption (11). The second is the economic importance of poultry diseases, which is a wide world problem, and causes significant economic losses due to a decrease in the rate of fertilization and hatching in flocks, maternal weight loss, reduced egg production and carcass contamination in the slaughterhouse (12).…”