Food borne illness amongst health care workers, at a Central Hospital, Harare, Zimbabwe, 2016: a retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: Health care workers (HCW) at a Central Hospital, were served lunch at the hospital canteen on 12 December 2016. On 12 December 2016 at 1700 h, there was a sudden onset of symptoms suggestive of gastrointestinal illness among HCW. We conducted a retrospective cohort study to determine the cause and the factors associated with illness among the HCW at the hospital.

RESULTS: We interviewed 96 respondents. The median incubation period was 6 h (Q1  = 4; Q3  = 12). Abdominal pain (97.5%) and watery diarrhoea (95%) were the most common symptoms. The majority (97.5%) took antibiotics before collection of stool specimen for analysis, with 24 (60%) of 40 HCW treating themselves. Eating chicken (RR = 44.2, CI 74.07; 95.34) during lunch was associated with the illness. Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli were isolated from food handlers' hands, kitchen utensils and work surfaces. Staphylococcus aureus was isolated from chicken. None of food handlers had valid medical certificates. One out of four food handlers was formally trained.