Investigation of agastroenteritis outbreak on farms in Dr Pixley Ka-Isaka Seme Sub-district, Gert Sibande District, September - October 2025
1
1 Communicable Disease Control, Mpumalanga Department of Health, Mbombela, South Africa
2
2 South Africa Field Epidemiology Training Program, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, Johannesburg, South Africa
3
3 Animal Health, Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Land and Environmental Affairs, Mbombela, South Africa
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):A3094
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Foodborne illness outbreaks remain a significant public health problem in South Africa and are often under-reported, particularly in rural and farm settings. In September 2025, weekly surveillance noticed an increase in gastroenteritis cases among farms in the Dr Pixley Ka-Isaka Seme Sub-district, Mpumalanga Province. An outbreak investigation was conducted to confirm the outbreak, identify the source, and implement control measures.
METHODS:
An analytic cross-sectional outbreak investigation was conducted in Gert Sibande Sub-district, Mpumalanga Province. A suspected case was any individual presenting with diarrhoea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, or fever from 22 September 2025 in farms in the sub-district. Active case finding included household interviews and stool and rectal samples were collected from those interviewed to test for diarrhoea-causing pathogens. Water and surface samples were collected for environmental testing. Agricultural investigation assessed guidelines on correct disposal of dead animals and quarantine following immunisations. We estimated attack rates and employed stratified analysis to estimate food-specific risk ratios (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI).
RESULTS:
A total of 34 cases were identified, with a median age of 30 years (range: 4 – 64 years) and majority being female (59%). The most common symptoms were diarrhoea (97%) and abdominal cramps (68%). No diarrhoea-causing pathogens were found in stool and rectal samples. Borehole water showed low E. coli (2 per100 ml) and low coliform count (2 per 100 ml) levels of contamination, while portable water samples showed high E. coli (15 per 100 ml) and high coliform counts (613 per 100mls). The attack rate was highest (84.2%) among those who ate raw meat (RR:4.6; 95%CI: 1.2 – 16.0).
CONCLUSIONS:
This gastroenteritis outbreak was confirmed, with raw meat consumption as the primary risk factor. Improving early outbreak detection, food safety practices, proper disposal of animal carcasses, and timely specimen collection is critical in preventing similar outbreaks.
Foodborne illness outbreaks remain a significant public health problem in South Africa and are often under-reported, particularly in rural and farm settings. In September 2025, weekly surveillance noticed an increase in gastroenteritis cases among farms in the Dr Pixley Ka-Isaka Seme Sub-district, Mpumalanga Province. An outbreak investigation was conducted to confirm the outbreak, identify the source, and implement control measures.
METHODS:
An analytic cross-sectional outbreak investigation was conducted in Gert Sibande Sub-district, Mpumalanga Province. A suspected case was any individual presenting with diarrhoea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, or fever from 22 September 2025 in farms in the sub-district. Active case finding included household interviews and stool and rectal samples were collected from those interviewed to test for diarrhoea-causing pathogens. Water and surface samples were collected for environmental testing. Agricultural investigation assessed guidelines on correct disposal of dead animals and quarantine following immunisations. We estimated attack rates and employed stratified analysis to estimate food-specific risk ratios (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI).
RESULTS:
A total of 34 cases were identified, with a median age of 30 years (range: 4 – 64 years) and majority being female (59%). The most common symptoms were diarrhoea (97%) and abdominal cramps (68%). No diarrhoea-causing pathogens were found in stool and rectal samples. Borehole water showed low E. coli (2 per100 ml) and low coliform count (2 per 100 ml) levels of contamination, while portable water samples showed high E. coli (15 per 100 ml) and high coliform counts (613 per 100mls). The attack rate was highest (84.2%) among those who ate raw meat (RR:4.6; 95%CI: 1.2 – 16.0).
CONCLUSIONS:
This gastroenteritis outbreak was confirmed, with raw meat consumption as the primary risk factor. Improving early outbreak detection, food safety practices, proper disposal of animal carcasses, and timely specimen collection is critical in preventing similar outbreaks.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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