Typhoid Fever and Mussel Pollution

Abstract

(1) 855 primary cases of typhoid fever in households in Birmingham were investigated.(2) In 124 or 14·5% of these cases a history of mussel eating within four weeks of the onset of the disease was obtained.(3) In 17 instances the histories were conclusive of mussel infection.(4) The curve of mussel-typhoid cases arranged in their weeks of commencement tallies closely with the importation of mussels into Birmingham.(5) Mussel infection is one of the causes contributing to the autumnal rise of enteric fever.(6) Some of the sources from which mussels are sent to the Birmingham market are known to be exposed to dangerous sewage contamination.(7) 65 samples of mussels obtained on entering the Birmingham market from 22 different known sources were analysed bacteriologically.(8) The results in terms of (a) the total number of organisms, (b) the number of glucose-fermenters, (c) the number of spores of Bacillus enteritidis sporogenes, and (d) the number of Streptococci shew that pollution to a dangerous degree of a large proportion of mussels placed on the market for human consumption exists.(9) 14 experiments were carried out in relation to mussels subjected to mussels subjected to moist heat at 100°C.(10) These shew that the ordinary method of cooking to mussels does not remove the risk of typhiod infection and that mussels may be heated in a steam steriliser at 100° C. continuously for as long as four and a half hours without sterilisation.(11) Legisaltion is necessary to prohibit the gathering of mussels for human consumption from mussel beds exposed to sewage contamination.