TABLE 1 : Specimens to obtain from patients in food

borne disease investigation.

Suspect Agent Specimen

Bacillus cereus Stool

Brucella Blood taken at several intervation

Chemical (gastrointestinal symptoms) Vomitus, stomach contents, urine

Chemical (neurological symptoms) Blood, urine

Clostridium botulinum Blood, feces

Clostridium perfringens Stool or rectal swab*

Infection hepatitis virus Urine, blood

Salmonella, Shigella, other enteric

Stool or rectal swab; occasionally blood
bacteria

Salmonella typhi (typhoid fever) Stool, urine, blood

Staphylococcus aureus Vomitus, stool

Trichinella Blood, biopsy tissue

Other parasites Stool, sometimes blood

Vibrio parahaemolyticus Stool

Useful only if serotyping is done

 TABLE 2 : Sources and Modes of Transmission of Food Borne
pathogens by infected workers.
Source Mode of Transmission
Feces Intestinal carriers who are
excreting organisms, touch
feces or contaminated skin
with hands, fail to wash hand
adequately, and then handle
food before the organisms
succumb to drying or the pH
reaction of the skin.
Raw food of Workers touch raw food or
animal origin equipment that previously
contacted raw foods and then
handle other foods.
Nose or throat Workers touch nose or mouth
with hands and then handle
foods; coughing; sneezing
Infected lesions Worker touch food with
infected lesion or they touch
lesion with hands and then
handle foods.
Example Diseases
Typhoid fever
Paratyphoid fever
Salmonellosis
Shigellosis
Infectious hepatitis
C. perfringens foodborne
illness
Enterococcal foodborne illness
Enteropathogenic
E. coli infections
ECHO and Coxsackie
viral infections
Amebiasis
Balantidiasis
Salmonellosis
C. perfringens foodborne
illness
V. parahaemolyticus infection
Enterococcal foodborne illness.
Staphylococcal intoxication
Beta hemolytic streptococcal
infection.
Staphylococcal intoxication
Beta hemolytic streptococcal
infection.
 Table 3 : Specimens to obtain from food workers when a
particular disease is suspected.

Suspected Disease Specimen from Food Worker

Staphylocaccal intoxication Anterior nasal

Nasopharyngeal
Septic lesion or pus
Skin surface swab
Hand swab or rinse

Salmonellosis Stool or rectal swab Blood (on rare

occasions)

Stool or rectal swab

C. perfringens foodborne illness
Typhoid fever Stool
Blood
Urine

Stool or rectal swab

Shigellosis
Stool
Parasitic infections
Beta hemolytic streptococcal infections Throat
Anterior nasal
Nasopharyngeal
Septic lesions or pus

Stool or rectal swab

Enterrococcal infections
Stool or rectal swab
Enteropathogenic E. coli
Stool or rectal swab
ECHO or Coxsackie viral infection