Yersiniosis outbreaks in Gold Coast residential aged care facilities linked to nutritionally-supplemented milkshakes, January–April 2023

Authors

  • Candice Colbran Gold Coast Public Health Unit, Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service
  • Fiona May Gold Coast Public Health Unit, Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service
  • Kate Alexander Gold Coast Public Health Unit, Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service
  • Ian Hunter Gold Coast Public Health Unit, Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service
  • Russell Stafford OzFoodNet, Queensland Health, Communicable Diseases Branch
  • Robert Bell OzFoodNet, Queensland Health, Communicable Diseases Branch
  • Anne Cowdry Gold Coast Public Health Unit, Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service
  • Fiona Vosti Gold Coast Public Health Unit, Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service
  • Sharon Jurd Gold Coast Public Health Unit, Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service
  • Trudy Graham Public Health Microbiology, Queensland Health Forensic and Scientific Services
  • Gino Micalizzi Public Health Microbiology, Queensland Health Forensic and Scientific Services
  • Rikki Graham Public Health Microbiology, Queensland Health Forensic and Scientific Services
  • Vicki Slinko Gold Coast Public Health Unit, Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service; School of Public Health, University of Queensland

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33321/cdi.2024.48.30

Keywords:

Yersinia, yersiniosis, outbreak, aged care, foodborne infections

Abstract

In January 2023, an outbreak of Yersinia enterocolitica in residential aged care facilities (RACF) was identified by the Gold Coast Public Health Unit and confirmed using whole genome sequencing. During the outbreak period there were 11 confirmed and 14 probable cases of Y. enterocolitica notified in RACF and 30 suspected cases with compatible illness. Eleven cases (20%) were confirmed as Biotype 1A non-typable (BT1A NT) sequence type (ST) 278 within 4–15 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) of each other. Combined epidemiological, trace-back and laboratory investigations identified nutritional milkshakes, stored at ideal growing conditions for Yersinia and given to vulnerable RACF residents, as the likely outbreak vehicle. This highlights that Y. enterocolitica Biotype 1A can be pathogenic in humans and transmission via atypical sources should be considered in outbreak investigations.

This report outlines the response and challenges associated with investigating outbreaks in aged care.

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References

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Published

21/08/24

How to Cite

Colbran, Candice, Fiona May, Kate Alexander, Ian Hunter, Russell Stafford, Robert Bell, Anne Cowdry, et al. 2024. “Yersiniosis Outbreaks in Gold Coast Residential Aged Care Facilities Linked to Nutritionally-Supplemented Milkshakes, January–April 2023”. Communicable Diseases Intelligence 48 (August). https://doi.org/10.33321/cdi.2024.48.30.

Issue

Vol. 48 (2024)

Section

Outbreak report

Categories

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