Record GL-23
Single catering source linked to illness across 29 flights
| Date of record | March 1984 |
|---|---|
| Location | International flights to the United States |
| Type | Multi-flight foodborne illness outbreak |
| Source tier | Tier 1 — peer-reviewed medical literature |
What the record shows
In March 1984, 186 cases of gastroenteritis attributed to Salmonella enteritidis were reported following 29 flights to the United States operated by one international airline. An estimated 2,747 passengers across those flights were affected.
Statistical analysis found illness strongly associated with travelling in first or supersonic class and with eating from the first-class menu. Eating a tourist-class entree was protective.
Evidence gap
The association was established after the fact, through epidemiological analysis across 29 separate flights. No mechanism existed to identify, at the time of loading, which carts across which flights carried product from the affected source, or the conditions it had been held under.