A Clostridium perfringens Outbreak Traced to Improper Cooking of Prime Rib in Rochester, New York 2011

Abstract

In December 2011, the Monroe County Department of Public Health investigated a report of gastrointestinal illness from two separate parties that had dined at a restaurant on the same day. An environmental and epidemiological investigation identified 17 individuals who met the outbreak case definition. A detailed questionnaire based on the restaurant’s menu was administered to patrons from both parties and statistically analyzed. Based on this investigation, it was hypothesized that consuming the prime rib (P < 0.001) was associated with becoming ill. The environmental investigation indicated that the prime rib was not cooked to a proper temperature and was held at an improper temperature before being served. A prime rib sample and three stool samples from ill patrons were collected and sent for laboratory testing. Clostridium perfringens was identified in all of the samples by the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) Wadsworth Laboratory. This outbreak demonstrates the importance of proper food safety techniques for restaurants to prevent illness.