Outbreak of food poisoning caused by Salmonella enterica serovar Orion

Introduction: Foodborne illnesses are frequent events in developing countries, causing significant morbidity. Multiple sources and various infectious agents have been described, but there is undoubtedly a large underreporting. This study aimed to describe the demographic, epidemiological, clinical, and microbiological characteristics of patients affected by an outbreak of food-borne disease due to Salmonella enterica serovar Orion. Materials and methods: A retrospective descriptive study was conducted on patients affected by an outbreak of foodborne disease in Medellín, Colombia. Demo- graphic, epidemiological, clinical, and microbiological variables were analyzed using descriptive statistics were used for data analysis. Results: Ninety people who met the case definition were included; the median age was 31 years, and 70.5% were male. The attack rate was 100%, and the food involved was chicken sandwich. Most patients presented with diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and/or abdominal pain. Forty patients were hospitalized, and one outpa- tient died during follow-up. The agent identified in the fecal matter of the patients was Salmonella enterica serovar Orion. Discussion: An outbreak of food-borne disease is described with an attack rate of 100%, with severe involvement in some patients, which alerts us about the importance of intensifying educational campaigns for food handlers.