THE OUTBREAKS OF ENTERITIS-TYPE FOOD POISONING DUE TO FISH IN JAPAN AND ITS CAUSATIVE BACTERIA

Abstract

Recently, many outbreaks of food poisoning due to raw meat of inshore fish have occurred in groups or sporadically in Japan. The occurrence of this food poisoning is limited to the summer season, and it is prevalent in the districts of seashore; however, there is no satisfactory data available as yet to explain the reason for these phenomena.
Some strains of Pseudomonas enteritis Takigawa (1956) have been presumed to be the causative bacteriae for the food poisoning of this type.
The authors made bacteriologic and epidemiologic studies of one group outbreak and twenty three sporadic cases of this type of food poisoning in a district along the Pacific Ocean. From the results of the studies, it was concluded that the strains of Pseudomonas enteritis (Takigawa) can cause enteritis in human beings after a heavy infection through foods. The symptoms of the disease resemble salmonellosis. These microorganisms belong to a kind of marine bacteria similar to Pseudomonas ichthiodermis ZoBelle, Vibris ichthyodermis Shewan and Pseudomonas formicans; however, this species is regarded as new, because it is resistant against bile and grow at 37°C. It is pathogenic for mammalia.