48 TFW-P WING HISTORICAL REPORT, 1-31 DEC 1990

File: 120596_aaczo_01.txt
Page: 01
Total Pages: 3
DTG: 01 DEC 90

SUBJECT: 48 TFW-P WING HISTORICAL REPORT, 1-31 DEC 1990


UNCLASSIFIED 

EPIDEMIC OF FOOD POISONING


 (U) Between 2 December and 7 December 1990, the 48 TFW
 experienced an epidemic of Salmonella foodborne sickness
 characterized by fever, nausea and diarrhea. Efforts to identify
 and stem the infection included temporarily restricting off-base
 travel and closing most of the MWR activities in a quarantine.

 (U) The epidemic began shortly after an increase in the
 number of newly deployed personnel arrived on station. Whether
 this meant the importation of the virus or just a coincidence had
 to wait until environmental health technicians isolated the
 source of infection. Possible sources of infection could include
 someone among the newly arrived troops or it could have been a
 matter of timing for the virus which may have been dormant until
 the change in weather. Laboratory analysis identified the
 illness as a salmonella outbreak resulting from the use of
 contaminated foodstuffs.
 [
 (U) Later investigation proved that the wide-spread illness
 did not come from a virus but rather from a bacteria which had
 infested itself in fresh eggs purchased from the local Saudi
 commissary. Subsequent cultures proved that salmonella was the
 culprit to blame for hospitalizing approximately 80 US personnel.
 UNCLASSIFIED

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