History repeats itself: consumption of a local traditional roast pork meat recipe leads to <i>Salmonella</i>  ser. Give cases in Greece

Georgia Mandilara; Anthi Chrysostomou; Michalis Polemis; Daiana Duro; Grigorios Karaj; Eleni Mathioudaki; Kleon Karadimas; Kyriaki Tryfinopoulou; Kassiani Mellou; Theologia Sideroglou

doi:10.22605/RRH8391

Original Research

History repeats itself: consumption of a local traditional roast pork meat recipe leads to Salmonella ser. Give cases in Greece

AUTHORS

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Georgia Mandilara¹ (Caucasian ) PhD, Assistant Professor *

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Anthi Chrysostomou² RN, MSc

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Michalis Polemis³ MSc, Coordinator of "WHOnet Greece" AMR Surveillance Network

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Daiana Duro¹ Biologist and MSc Candidate

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Grigorios Karaj¹ Undegraduate Student in Biology

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Eleni Mathioudaki³ Biologist

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Kleon Karadimas³ Laboratory Technician

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Kyriaki Tryfinopoulou³ PhD, Medical Biopathologist

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Kassiani Mellou² PhD, Epidemiologist

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Theologia Sideroglou² RN, MSc, Head of Department

AFFILIATIONS

¹ National Reference Centre for Salmonella, School of Public Health, University of West Attica, Athens 11521, Greece

² Directorate of Epidemiological Surveillance and Intervention for Infectious Diseases, National Public Health Organization (EODY), Maroussi 15123, Greece

³ Central Public Health Laboratory, National Public Health Organization (EODY), Vari 16672, Greece

ACCEPTED: 24 February 2024

early abstract:

An outbreak of gastroenteritis due to Salmonella Give, a very rarely identified serotype in human isolates in Greece, occurred in participants of a religious festival in a rural area of southern of Greece, Region A , in September 2022. The objectives of this study were to describe the outbreak in terms of epidemiology, identify the vehicle of transmission of the foodborne pathogen and recommend prevention measures. The outbreak was linked to the consumption of a local traditional recipe of roast pork meat served by a street food vendor. In 2018, the same food item, served in a restaurant in the same Region A, was implicated in another S. Give outbreak. Outbreak investigations revealed that outbreak-associated S. Give isolates, of food and human source belong to the same S. Give strain. Significant deficiencies regarding food safety practices were identified. Both salmonellosis outbreaks highlighted the need for stricter compliance to all food safety and hygiene requirements at all stages of the food production process, from farms to processing facilities and retailers and restaurateurs to the final consumer.