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Volume 23, Number 12—December 2017
CME ACTIVITY - Research

Group B Streptococcus Infections Caused by Improper Sourcing and Handling of Fish for Raw Consumption, Singapore, 2015–2016

Man L. Chau1, Swaine L. Chen1, Min Yap, Sri H.P. Hartantyo, Paul K.T. Chiew, Charlene J. Fernandez, Wai K. Wong, Rockey K. Fong, Wei L. Tan, Brian Z.Y. Tan, Youming Ng, Kyaw T. Aung, Kurosh S. Mehershahi, Christopher Goh, Joanne S.L. Kang, Timothy Barkham, Adeline O.K. Leong, Ramona A. Gutiérrez, and Lee C. NgComments to Author 
Author affiliations: National Environment Agency, Singapore (M.L. Chau, M. Yap, S.H.P. Hartantyo, Y. Ng, K.T. Aung, C. Goh, J.S.L. Kang, A.O.K. Leong, R.A. Gutiérrez, L.C. Ng); Genome Institute of Singapore, Singapore (S.L. Chen); National University of Singapore, Singapore (S.L. Chen, K.S. Mehershahi); Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore, Singapore (P.K.T. Chiew, C.J. Fernandez, W.K. Wong, R.K. Fong, W.L. Tan, B.Z.Y. Tan); Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (P.K.T. Chiew, L.C. Ng); Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore (T. Barkham)

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Figure 2

Escherichia coli (A and C) and Staphylococcus aureus (B and D) counts in fish samples (muscle and surface swabs) collected from fresh produce markets during investigation of group B Streptococcus infections, Singapore, 2015–2016. Solid horizontal lines indicate ICMSF limit for E. coli count in fresh fish intended for cooking (<2.7 log10 CFU/g or <4.7 log10 CFU/100 cm2) (23). Dashed horizontal line indicates Singapore regulatory limit for E. coli count ready-to-eat foods (<1.3 log10 CFU/

Figure 2. Escherichia coli (A and C) and Staphylococcus aureus (B and D) counts in fish samples (muscle and surface swabs) collected from fresh produce markets during investigation of group B Streptococcus infections, Singapore, 2015–2016. Solid horizontal lines indicate ICMSF limit for E. coli count in fresh fish intended for cooking (<2.7 log10 CFU/g or <4.7 log10 CFU/100 cm2) (23). Dashed horizontal line indicates Singapore regulatory limit for E. coli count ready-to-eat foods (<1.3 log10 CFU/g) (14). Top and bottom of boxes in plots indicate 25th and 75th percentiles, horizontal lines indicate medians, and whiskers indicate minimum and maximum values. Open circles indicate outliers. *p<0.05. †Companies that supplied sashimi grade fish to restaurants and snack bars. ‡Fish stalls at ports and wet markets, as well as fresh produce sections of supermarkets, excluding sashimi and sushi counters of supermarkets. ICMSF, International Commission on Microbiological Specifications of Foods; NS, not significant (p>0.05); SG, Singapore government; SPCs, standard plate counts.

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1These authors contributed equally to this article.

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