Investigators credit open interviews with identifying salmonella outbreak

Public health officials could detect a Salmonella outbreak linked to an outbreak in Utah using open-ended interviews, according to a new report.

Outbreak patients who became ill between October 1, 2023 and January 9, 2024 all ate at restaurants, which is not explicitly identified in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report.

The restaurant was not immediately identified as the source of the outbreak. During the initial investigation using routine interviews, patients were asked about their potential exposures, including in restaurants, but did not report standard exposures.

Public health investigators found five patients with the outbreak strain, but could not link them based on the first round of interviews. In a second round of interviews, using open-ended questions, investigators identified 11 patients who had all dined at the same restaurant.

Testing revealed the outbreak strain of Salmonella Livingstone in several locations and in the restaurant's food. The restaurant was closed and cleaned before reopening.

Six of the patients affected by the outbreak sought treatment in an emergency department, two of whom were hospitalized; no deaths have been reported. Seven of the 11 patients received antibiotic treatment. One of the patients developed a blood infection. A restaurant employee tested positive for the outbreak strain.

The CDC reports that the use of open interviews was key to identifying the outbreak.

“Incorporating open interviews and purchase histories into investigations of foodborne illness outbreaks can expedite source identification and response,” according to the CDC report.

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