Infectious disease - investigation
We investigate cases of notifiable diseases (particularly food
poisoning) in order to ascertain their source and to prevent their
further spread and provide advice on infectious diseases to members
of the public.
We take cases from GPs, the public, businesses and other local
authorities. Once a food poisoning notification is received, we
will contact the person with the symptoms and ask them questions
regarding:
- what and where they've eaten prior to their illness
- details of their symptoms
- whether they've been on holiday abroad
- whether or not their GP has taken a faecal sample and
- whether anybody else they ate with also experienced any
symptoms. We may request that person to provide a faecal
sample.
If a person with symptoms is a food handler or health
care/nursery worker, who has direct contact or contact through
serving food with highly susceptible patients or persons in whom an
intestinal infection would have serious consequences, they cannot
return to work until they are symptom-free for 48 hours. They must
also inform their employer of their symptoms.
Parents or guardians of children aged under five years or
children or adults unable to implement good standards of personal
hygiene are advised to keep them away from school or other
establishments until they have also been symptom-free for 48
hours.
Food poisoning
outbreaks
If a number of people ate at the same venue and have the same
food poisoning-type symptoms, this may be due to a Food Poisoning
Outbreak. Our investigation into the outbreak will involve:
- interviewing people who are ill
- interviewing others who ate at the venue but didn't have
symptoms
- taking faecal and food samples (if appropriate) and
- inspecting the implicated venue
Food safety inspection
If there is enough evidence implicating a food premises within
the area as a possible source of the outbreak, we may decide to
carry out a food safety inspection.
If you believe that you are suffering from food poisoning (for
example sickness and diarrhoea) please contact us using the
details to the right.