Bacillus cereus outbreak at Belgian day care center sickens 20 children

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Bacillus cereus bacteria grown on sheep’s blood agar Image/CDC

The FederalAgency for the Safety of the Food Chain (AFSCA) in Belgium reported lastweek an foodborne outbreak at a Borgerhout day care center which resulted in atleast 20 children suffering with the symptoms of vomiting.
Upon notification,the agency immediately conducted a thorough inspection of the establishment.Several samples of leftover food and vomit were collected. They wereimmediately sent for analysis at the Scientific Institute of Public Health.
It turned outthat Bacillus cereus was discovered in both the food and vomit samples.
No specificfood source was mentioned in the AFSCA press release.
Bacillus cereus isan aerobic, spore-forming bacterium found in the soil and the environmentworldwide. It commonly found in low levels in raw, dried and processed foods.
A wellrecognized and common cause of food poisoning worldwide,Bacilluscereus causes two types of toxins: a diarrheal type and a vomiting type.
The diarrhealtype of this food poisoning is usually associated with meats, milkand vegetables. The onset for the disease is from 8-16 hours and it lasts 12 to14 hours.
The vomitingtype of this food poisoning is due to rice, grains, cereals and otherstarchy foods.The onset is quite rapid (30 minutes to 6 hours) and usuallylasts a day or so. This type is frequently associated with outbreaks due tocooked rice held at room temperature.
This type of foodpoisoning is rarely fatal and cannot be transmitted from person to person.
Improper storage offood stuffs is the issue. Bacillus cereus spores can survive boilingand if the food, rice for example is stored at ambient temperature, the sporescan germinate into toxin producing bacteria.
Then the person eatsthe rice contaminated with the pre-formed toxin that causes the illness.
The vomiting type of toxin is also heat resistant, much like the enterotoxinthat causes Staphylococcus aureus food poisoning, and cooking willnot destroy the toxin.
To prevent B.cereus food poisoning the key is to thoroughly cook food and ifyou do not eat it immediately, hold it at 140°F or refrigerate promptly. Do notlet the food cool slowly.
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