AN OUTBREAK OF VIRAL GASTROENTERITIS ASSOCIATED WITH ADEQUATELY PREPARED OYSTERS

Over Christmas 1993, an outbreak of food poisoning occurred among guests in a hotel in South West Scotland. Evidence from a cohort study strongly suggested that raw oysters were the vehicle for infection, probably due to a Small Round Structured Virus (SRSV). Detailed enquiry about the source and preparation of the oysters revealed no evidence of any unsafe handling at any stage in the food chain, nor any evidence of bacterial contamination. It is suggested that the present standards of preparation and monitoring are inadequate to protect the consumer, and that bacteriophage monitoring may be a useful method of screening for viral contamination in future.