In September 1984, a large outbreak of Salmonella infections struck a small community in Oregon. A past study discovered that the outbreak occurred during 2 phases, one from September 9 through 18, and another from September 19 through October 10. The infections affected 10 restaurants, with the susceptible groups being customers and employers who consumed food from the salad bars.
Originally, researchers believed that S. Typhimurium, the bacteria associated with the infection, might have spread via poor food rotation. However, criminal investigation concluded that the bacteria was deliberately spread by members of a religious commune, who sought to infect voters to sway the county election.
Despite the outbreak’s unexpected cause, the incident is a clear public health disaster which provoked responses from the Oregon Health Division, the FBI, and the CDC. This incident had a relatively weak collaboration between law-enforcement and public health officials, as the possibility of deliberate contamination was not initially considered. TThis event highlights the importance of analyzing all potential causes of an outbreak before reaching a final conclusion. A comprehensive investigation along with stronger public communication can help prevent future Salmonella outbreaks.