Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t8hqh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-27T14:31:58.211Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Staphylococcal food poisoning from sheep milk cheese

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 May 2009

F. J. Bone ,
D. Bogie  and
S. C. Morgan-Jones
F. J. Bone
Affiliation:
Area Department of Bacteriology, Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary, Dumfries DG1 4AP,
D. Bogie
Affiliation:
Department of Environmental Health, Annandale and Eskdale District Council,
S. C. Morgan-Jones
Affiliation:
Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Cheese made from sheep milk was implicated in food-poisoning incidents in December 1984 and January 1985. Bacteriological examination of batches of cheese failed to reveal a viable pathogen but enterotoxin A produced by Staphylococcus aureus was present. This was the first time that enterotoxin was detected in a food produced in the UK which was associated with poisoning and from which viable Staph. aureus could not be isolated. Subsequent detailed examination of milk, yoghurt and cheese from the same producer revealed that contamination with Staph. aureus was associated with post-infection carriage as well as clinical illness in ewes on the farm. Strains producing enterotoxin A were still intermittently present in the bulk milk used for cheese production nearly 2 years afterwards, apparently in the absence of clinical illness in the sheep. The possible effects of heat treatment are discussed. Any changes in legislation should cover all non-human mammalian milk used for human consumption.

Type
Research Article
Information
Epidemiology & Infection , Volume 103 , Issue 3 , December 1989 , pp. 449 - 458
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1989

References

REFERENCES

1.Wieneke, AA, Gilbert, RJ.Comparison of four methods for the detection of staphylococcal enterotoxins in foods from outbreaks of food poisoning. Int J Food Microbiol 1987; 4: 135–43.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
2.Statutory Instrument No. 253 (S11) (1965). Food and drugs. The Milk (Special Designations) (Scotland) Order 1965. London: HMSO.Google Scholar
3.Lachica, RV.Accelerated procedure for the enumeration and identification of food-borne Staphylococcus aureus. Appl Environ Microbiol 1980; 39: 17–9.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4.Collins-Thompson, DL, Erdman, IE, Milling, ME, Burgener, DM, Purvis, UT, Loit, A, Coulter, RM.Microbiological standards for cheese: survey and viewpoint of the Canadian Health Protection Branch. J Food Prot 1977; 40: 411–4.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5.Hajek, V.Identification of enterotoxigenic staphylococci from sheep and sheep cheese. Appl Environ Microb 1978; 35: 264–8.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6.Guitterrez, LM, Menes, I, Garcia, ML, Moreno, B, Bergdoll, MS.Characterisation and enterotoxigenicity of staphylococci isolated from mastitic ovine milk in Spain. J Food Prot 1982; 45: 1282.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
7.Mickelsen, R, Foltz, VD, Martin, WH, Hunter, CA.The incidence of potentially pathogenic staphylococci in dairy products at the consumer level. II. Cheese. J Milk Food Technol 1961; 24: 342–5.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
8.Thatcher, FS, Comtois, RD, Ross, D, Erdman, IE.Staphylococci in cheese: some public health aspects. Can J Public Health 1959; 50: 497–503.Google ScholarPubMed
9.Zehren, VL, Zehren, VF.Examination of large batches of cheese for staphylococcal enterotoxin A. J Dairy Sci 1968; 51: 635–44.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
10.Minor, TE, Marth, EH.Growth of Staphylococcus aureus in acidified pasteurised milk. J Milk Food Technol 1970; 33: 516–20.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
11.Dos Santos, EC, Genigeorgis, C.Survival and growth of Staph aureus in commercially manufactured Brazilian Minas cheese. J Food Prot 1981; 44: 177–84.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
12.Naguib, MM, Nour, MA, Noaman, AA.Survival of Staph aureus in Ras cheese. Archiv für Lebensmittelhygiene 1979; 6: 227–8.Google Scholar
13.Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Scotland (1984). Code of Practice on the Hygienic Control of Goat's Milk.Google Scholar
14.Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Scotland (1985). Code of Practice on the Hygienic Control of Sheep Milk.Google Scholar
15.De Buyser, M-L, Janin, F, Dilasser, F. Contamination of ewe cheese with Staphylococcus aureus: Study of an outbreak of food poisoning. In: Jeljaszewicz, J ed. The Staphylococci, Zentralblatt für Bakteriologie, Microbiologie und Hygiene. I. Abteilung 1985; Supplement 14.Google Scholar
16.Warren, HB, Arends, RE.Staphylococci shed in milk of freshened heifers following the use of milking machines. J Milk Food Technol 1967; 30: 363–5.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
17.Donnelly, CB, Leslie, JE, Black, LA, Lewis, KH.Serological identification of enteropathogenic staphylococci from cheese. Appl Microbiol 1967; 15: 1382–7.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
18.Dos Santos, EC, Genigeorgis, C, Farver, TB.Prevalence of Staph aureus in raw and pasteurised milk used for the commercial manufacturing of Brazilian Minas cheese. J Food Prot 1981; 44: 172–6.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
19.Gaya, P, Medina, M, Bautista, L, Nunez, M.Survival of Staph. aureus in raw sheep milk manchego cheeses ripened at different temperatures. J Appl Bacteriol 1984; 57: 3 xvii.Google Scholar
20.Petras, P.Detection of staphylococcal enterotoxin in sheep milk cheese. Cs Epidem 1985: 34: 208–11.Google Scholar
21.Gaya, P, Medina, M, Nunez, M.Influence of salting and ripening on the survival of Enterobacteriaceae in raw sheep milk cheese. J Appl Bacteriol 1983; 55: 3xiii.Google Scholar
22.Brodsky, MH.Bacteriological survey of freshly formed cheddar cheese. J Food Prot 1984; 47: 546–8.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
23.Roberts, D.Microbiological aspects of goat's milk. A PHLS survey. J Hyg 1985; 94: 31–44.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
24.Sharp, JCM, Paterson, GM, Barrett, NJ.Pasteurisation and the control of milkborne infection in Britain. Br Med J 1985; 291: 463–4.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed