First Report of Food Poisoning Due to Staphylococcal Enterotoxin Type B in Döner Kebab (Italy)

Staphylococcal food poisoning results from the consumption of food contaminated by staphylococcal enterotoxins. In July 2022, the Turin local health board was notified of a suspected foodborne outbreak involving six children who had consumed doner kebab purchased from a takeaway restaurant. The symptoms (vomiting and nausea) were observed 2-3 h later. A microbiological analysis of the food samples revealed high levels (1.5 x 107 CFU/g) of coagulase-positive staphylococci (CPS). The immunoassay detected a contamination with staphylococcal enterotoxins type B (SEB). The whole genome sequencing of isolates from the food matrix confirmed the staphylococcal enterotoxin genes encoding for type B, which was in line with the SEB detected in the food. This toxin is rarely reported in staphylococcal food poisoning, however, because there is no specific commercial method of detection. The involvement of enterotoxin type P (SEP) was not confirmed, though the corresponding gene (sep) was detected in the isolates. Nasal swabs from the restaurant food handlers tested positive for CPS, linking them to the likely source of the food contamination.

Automated summary

Staphylococcal food poisoning occurs when food is contaminated with staphylococcal enterotoxins. In a case involving six children who consumed doner kebab from a takeaway restaurant, symptoms of vomiting and nausea were observed. Microbiological analysis and genome sequencing confirmed the presence of coagulase-positive staphylococci and staphylococcal enterotoxins in the contaminated food.