Food poisoning outbreak caused by Aeromonas bacteria at a funeral in Buyengo Town Council, Jinja District, Uganda, February 2024.

The Aeromonas bacteria have been identified as emerging human enteropathogens that can cause food poisoning, typically with an incubation period of 24-48 hours. In February 2024, a suspected food poisoning incident was reported in Buyengo Town Council, Jinja District, where 72 people developed gastrointestinal symptoms after attending a funeral. An investigation was launched to determine the cause, magnitude, and risk factors of the outbreak, as well as to inform control and prevention measures. The investigation defined a suspected case as the onset of abdominal pain and at least one other symptom, such as diarrhea, vomiting, or nausea, in individuals who attended the funeral between February 11-22, 2024. The investigation identified 65 case-patients, with 5% of them resulting in death. Common symptoms reported by the case-patients included abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, and fever. Notably, all case-patients had eaten at least one meal at the funeral, and the epidemic curve revealed multiple peaks corresponding to the different serving times at supper and breakfast. The investigation found that the beef soup served at the funeral was topped up with unboiled water and inadequately re-cooked, which was identified as a potential source of the outbreak. Laboratory tests confirmed the presence of Aeromonas hydrophilia and Aeromonas caviae in the gastric aspirate of one case-patient and in the water from the nearby 'Kabakubya' stream, which was used as the main source of water at the funeral. The investigation concluded that the outbreak was a point source food poisoning incident caused by Aeromonas species, and that stopping the use of water from the stream and implementing enhanced water, sanitation, and hygiene interventions helped control the outbreak. The study highlights the importance of proper food handling and water safety practices to prevent foodborne illnesses, particularly in communal settings such as funerals. Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40307678/