Update On Illness At University Halls

Claire Salter, Public Health Medical Specialist for
the National Public Health Service:

Health New
Zealand | Te Whatu Ora National Public Health Service worked
closely with the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) to
investigate the cause of a recent gastroenteritis outbreak
among students staying at University Hall in
Christchurch.

Following epidemiological, laboratory,
and environmental investigations, the cause of the outbreak
was found to be contamination of a chicken dish due to
inappropriate food preparation
processes.

Laboratory testing of the
faecal samples provided by some of the unwell students
identified Clostridium
perfringens.

Clostridium perfringens is a
type of bacteria that makes people ill by producing a toxin.
The illness usually follows consumption of food that has
been kept at unsafe temperatures for too
long.

Epidemiological analysis of survey responses
from students found that eating the shredded chicken dish
was the biggest predictor of illness. The symptoms reported
also fit the profile of the illness caused by Clostridium
perfringens.

As always with these kinds of
investigations it’s important to ensure that risk is being
properly managed and to prevent it happening again. Food
safety officers have fully inspected the kitchen, and
corrective actions have been
taken.

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