Shigella sonnei infections in Norway associated with sugar peas, May – June 2009

B T Heier; K Nygård; G Kapperud; B A Lindstedt; G S Johannessen; H Blekkan

doi:10.2807/ese.14.24.19243-en

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Shigella sonnei infections in Norway associated with sugar peas, May – June 2009
B T Heier¹ , K Nygård¹ , G Kapperud¹ , B A Lindstedt¹ , G S Johannessen² , H Blekkan³
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Affiliations: ¹ Nasjonalt Folkehelseinstitutt (Norwegian Institute of Public Health), Oslo, Norway ² Veterinærinstituttet (National Veterinary Institute), Oslo, Norway ³ Mattilsynet (Norwegian Food Safety Authority), Oslo, Norway

Correspondence:
B Heier
BeritTafjord.Heier fhi.no
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Citation style for this article: Heier B T, Nygård K, Kapperud G, Lindstedt B A, Johannessen G S, Blekkan H. Shigella sonnei infections in Norway associated with sugar peas, May – June 2009. Euro Surveill. 2009;14(24):pii=19243. https://doi.org/10.2807/ese.14.24.19243-en Received: 16 Jun 2009

Abstract

In May 2009, the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH) identified a possible outbreak of Shigella sonnei infection involving four cases. Additionally, five suspected cases in two separate households were reported. Inspectors from the Norwegian Food Safety Authority (NFSA) visited the two households and found an unopened package of sugar peas imported from Kenya in one of the households. One sample from the sugar peas was positive for Shigella sonnei by two PCR methods. Based on this result and information from patient interviews, the NFSA prohibited all sales of sugar peas imported from Kenya.