Family Intoxication Associated to an Enterotoxigenic Staphylococcus aureus Present in a Cream Filled Pastry

Abstract

[eng] The aim of this study was to determine the origin and nature of the aetiological agent responsible of a gastroenteritis outbreak in a family party located in Majorca on June 2014. For this purpose, an epidemiological questionnaire was given to each assistant and a case control study was carried out. Microbiological analysis of suspicious food was performed by international recognized standard methods. The study included toxin production and detection in the food. The subsequent investigation revealed a total of 8 cases out of 11 attendees (73%) with onset of symptoms between 4-6 h after consumption of a party dinner. Symptoms included vomits, abdominal pain, diarrhoea and/or fever. The case control analysis demonstrated a strong epidemiological evidence of the role of a cream filled pastry. Microbiological analyses demonstrated the presence of an enterotoxin producing Staphylococcus aureus in the pastry. Moreover, the immunological analysis detected the existence of enterotoxins directly from the food. Altogether, these results demonstrated the outbreak was caused by an enterotoxigenic Staphylococcus aureus strain present in a cream-filled pastry.