AN OUTBREAK OF CHOLERA FROM FOOD SERVED ON AN INTERNATIONAL AIRCRAFT

In February 1992, an outbreak of cholera occurred among persons who ha d flown on a commercial airline flight from South America to Los Angel es. This study was conducted to determine the magnitude and the cause of the outbreak. Passengers were interviewed and laboratory specimens were collected to determine the magnitude of the outbreak. A case-cont rol study was performed to determine the vehicle of infection. Seventy -five of the 336 passengers in the United States had cholera; 10 were hospitalized and one died. Cold seafood salad, served between Lima, Pe ru and Los Angeles, California, was the vehicle of infection (odds rat io, 11.6; 95 % confidence interval, 3.3-44.5). This was the largest ai rline-associated outbreak of cholera ever reported and demonstrates th e potential for airline-associated spread of cholera from epidemic are as to other parts of the world. Physicians should obtain a travel hist ory and consider cholera in patients with diarrhoea who have travelled from cholera-affected countries. This outbreak also highlights the ri sks associated with eating cold foods prepared in cholera-affected cou ntries.