Tatsuo Matsuyama

ON THE FOOD POISONING CAUSED BY STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS TO WIDE RANGE

The authors carried out the epidemiological and bacteriological observation on the food poisoning occurred in the areas covering Gunma, Saitama, Tochigi and Nagano Prefectures, The poisoning was caused by a Japanese food “DAIFUKU MOCHI” in September, 1968.Epidemiological observations have revealed that the incubation period ranged from 3 to 5 hours, and the disease was characterized by diarrhea, stomachache and vomiting.From the causative food, it was detected that Staphylococcus aureus of ca. 108 per gram were contained in Part of MOCHI. Staphylococcus aureus was also isolated from the stools of 78 per cent of the patients, from throat swabs of 80 per cent of the persons who prepared the food, and from the belt conveyer for preparation of the food. They were identified as phage type 7 and penicillin resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus by phage typing and drug-resistance examinations.These facts indicate that the contamination with Staphylococcus aureue was occurred in the course of the manufacturing process of “DAIFUKU MOCHI”,

ACUTE EPIDEMIC GASTROENTERITIS PRESUMABLY DUE TO COXSAKIE A9 VIRUS

In July 1966, an outbreak of an acute gastroenteritis-like illness in a childrens dub in Gumma Prefecture, and 51 cases were reported.Clinical and epidemiological features of the disease were similar to that of food poisoning. However, no causative agent was detected from stools or blood samples by bacteriological examination.In monkey kidney cell cultures 2 strains of Coxsakie A9 virus were isolated from feces of 6 cases, and antibody to this agent was demonstrated in the sera collected from the patients both by complement-fixation tests and neutralization tests.Available evidence indicated that the disease was presumably due to Coxsakie A9 virus.

On the Food Poisoning Caused by Staphylococcus aureus with Phage-type of 85/80

The authors performed the bacteriological and epidemiological observations on the food poisoning incidence in June, 1965, which was caused by a food “sushi”.Epidemiological observations have revealed that the number of patients with principal symptoms of gastroenteritis without fever were 66 with 61.1 per cent of morbidity. The mean time of incubation period was 3-4h.The strain of Staphylococcus aureus was isolated from the food caused the poisoning, and also from stools and vomits of patients. They were identified by fermentative and biochemical reactions as Staphylococcus aureus, of phage type 85/80