Epidemiological Studies on Food Poisoning Caused by Salmonella Enteritidis in the West of Shimane Prefecture Suspected to be Associated with Eggs in Poultry Farm A

Between August and September 1999, five outbreaks of food poisoning caused by SalmonellaEnteritidis were reported in the west of Shimane prefecture. Epidemiological studies made it clear that three outbreaks of food poisoning were caused by eggs in poultry farm A. S. Enteritidis was detected in egg shells, liquid egg and hens' feces in the poultry farm . The results of biochemical characteristics, drug sensitivities, phage typing and gene analysis by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis of the isolates from patients, eggs in farm A, and chicken feces showed the same pattern of S. Enteritidis. Therefore, we suspected at least three outbreaks of S. Enteritidis food poisonings were associated with eggs in the poultry farm.