Osong Public Health Res Perspect.  2017 Jun;8(3):159-168. 10.24171/j.phrp.2017.8.3.02.

Foodborne Infectious Diseases Mediated by Inappropriate Infection Control in Food Service Businesses and Relevant Countermeasures in Korea

• Park JM
• You YH
• Cho HM
• Hong JW
• Ghim SY

• KMID: 2394470
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.24171/j.phrp.2017.8.3.02

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
The objective of this review is to propose an appropriate course of action for improving the guidelines followed by food handlers for control of infection. For this purpose, previous epidemiological reports related to acute gastroenteritis in food service businesses mediated by food handlers were intensively analyzed.
METHODS
Relevant studies were identified in international databases. We selected eligible papers reporting foodborne infectious disease outbreaks. Among primary literature collection, the abstract of each article was investigated to find cases that absolutely identified a causative factor to be food handlers' inappropriate infection control and the taxon of causative microbial agents by epidemiological methodologies. Information about the sites (type of food business) where the outbreaks occurred was investigated.
RESULTS
A wide variety of causative microbial agents has been investigated, using several epidemiological methods. These agents have shown diverse propagation pathways based on their own molecular pathogenesis, physiology, taxonomy, and etiology.
CONCLUSION
Depending on etiology, transmission, propagation, and microbiological traits, we can predict the transmission characteristics of pathogens in food preparation areas. The infected food workers have a somewhat different ecological place in infection epidemiology as compared to the general population. However, the current Korean Food Safety Act cannot propose detailed guidelines. Therefore, different methodologies have to be made available to prevent further infections.

Keyword

foodborne infectious disease; acute gastroenteritis; food handler; infection control; propagation mode; food service business

MeSH Terms

Classification
Commerce*
Communicable Diseases*
Disease Outbreaks
Epidemiologic Methods
Epidemiology
Food Safety
Food Services*
Gastroenteritis
Infection Control*
Korea*
Physiology