Food poisoning caused by heat-sensitive<i>Clostridium welchii</i>. A report of five recent outbreaks

Abstract

SUMMARY Details of confirmed outbreaks of food poisoning due to heat-sensitive Cl. welckii are given. In 4/5 incidents heat-sensitive Cl. welckii were isolated in large numbers from the majority of the faeces. In the remaining outbreak the faecal samples were not collected until 7–9 days after the illness. The causative organism was isolated from the food in 3/5 instances. In addition four outbreaks of food poisoning in which both heat-sensitive and heat-resistant Cl. welckii were isolated are described. The role of heat-sensitive Cl. welckii in food poisoning outbreaks is discussed and a suggested method of examining faeces for Cl. welchii is given. We are indeed grateful for the assistance given in collecting faecal specimens and obtaining detailed information on the food preparation, etc., by Drs G. C. Turner, J. Epsom, J. G. Wallace, P. J. Wormald, H. D. Holt, D. G. Fleck, J. M. Graham, E. Tanner and J. D. Abbott. We would also like to thank Mrs I. Batty of the Wellcome Research Laboratory for carrying out toxicological examinations for us. One of us (R.G.A.S.) is attached to the Commonwealth Department of Health, Australia, and is at present the holder of a Public Service Board Postgraduate scholarship.