Bulletin of the Japanese Society of Scientific Fisheries Vol. 22, No. 1,

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1 Bulletin of the Japanese Society of Scientific Fisheries Vol. 22, No. 1, An Outbreak of Allergy-like Food Poisoning Caused by "Sashimi" of Parathunnus mebachi and the Isolation of Causative Bacteria Toshiharu KAWABATA, Kimishige ISHIZAKA, Toshiyuki MIURA and Tadanao SASAKI An outbreak of allergy-like food poisoning occurred in Ogawa-machi, Hiki-gun, Saitama Prefecture in June 18, 1955, in which, 50 developed allergy-like symptoms among 111 persons who had consumed "sashimi" (sliced raw fish flesh) of Parathunnus mebachi. Chemical analyses performed on the incriminated fish flesh of the outbreak revealed no signi ficant differences in ph value, the contents of volatile basic-n or trimethylamine-n from or dinary market sample. However, the unusual amount of histamine and additional vagus-stimulant named "saurine" were observed in the responsible food. Attempts were made on the isolation of responsible micro-organisms for the formation of such toxic substance as histamine or "saurine" and consequently, 11 out of 78 strains isolated from the causative materials of "sashimi" were confirmed to form both histamine and vagus-sti mulant in the extract medium of mackerel flesh. Studies on the physiological, cultural and bio logical properties of these 11 histmine formers revealed that these organisms might belong to Proteus group, and further, 5 of them were identified as P. vulgaris, 3 as P. mirabilis and the remaining 3, as P. morganii. A slight amount of histamine was produced by those strains belonging to P. vulgaris or P. mirabilis, whereas, P. morganii could produce not only a large amount of histamine but "saurine". Moreover, the result of the inoculation of one of these histamine forming strains of P. morganii into the minced raw flesh of Parathunnus mebachi disclosed that a remarkable amount of both histamine and "saurine" (as expressd in equivalent histamine by means of Magnus' method) were formed without any appreciable increase in ammonia, any change in appearence or putred odor. On the contrary, control flesh, not ino culated with P. nwrganii developed an ordinary mode of putrefaction and produced a consider able amount of ammonia and putrid odor, whereas, a slight amount of histamine was formed. Of course, all the strains of P. morganii can not be considered to form these toxic subs tances, however, it should be noticeable that the existence of such a characteristic strain was confirmed among them. These facts may suggest that there can be a mode of putrefaction, in which the special micro-organisms may accumulate a large amount of such toxic substances as histamine, "saurine" and others in their proliferation, without giving any sign of deterioration to food. And these facts also be strongly suggesting that the proliferation of such species of bacteria should play an important role in the prevailing outbreaks of allergy-like food poisoning.

Table 1. Analytical data of the incriminated materials. Note: No. 1; back side muscle with skin. This material was obtained from the fish-dealer on June 18, 1955. No. 2; back side muscle, obtained on June 19.

2 Table 1. Analytical data of the incriminated materials. Note: No. 1; back side muscle with skin. This material was obtained from the fish-dealer on June 18, No. 2; back side muscle, obtained on June 19. No. 3; remaining piece at the fish-dealer, obtained from the shop on June 18. No. 4; dark muscle of the incriminated fish, obtaind on June 19 from the shop. No. 5: remaining piece of "sashimi", soaked with soy. This material was obtained on June 19 from a house where several people of the family developed symptoms. No. 6; remnants of incrminated fish flesh at a hospital where many people devloped symptoms.

3 43 Note: Spots shaded with oblique dotted lines coincide with histamine and that with obliques "saurine". The water extracts from the part of paper corresponding to the oblique lined spots showed the activity to contract intestine of guinea pigs. Fig. 1. One dimensional paper partition chromatogram from the causative material of "sashimi" food poisoning. Solvent used; n-buoh AcOH H2O (4:1:1) Coloring reagent; ninhydrin in BuOH

4 Table 2. Physiological and biological properties of histamine forming bacteria. Note: NC; no change was observed. SA; slightly acidic. DC; decolourized A; acid formed. G; gas formed. Numerals written in the column of sugar fermentation mean the time in day required for the reaction..

6 46 Note: 1; original raw minced flesh. 2; raw minced flesh inoculated with P. morganii. 3; control flesh, not inoculated with P. morganii. Spots shaded with oblique dotted lines coincide with histamine and that with oblique lines "saurine". Fig. 2. One dimensional paper chromatogram obtained from the minced raw flesh of Parathunnus mebachi. Solvent used; n-buoh. AcOH. H2O (4:1:1) Coloring reagent: ninhydrin in BuOH

7 2) KIMATA, M & AKAMATSU, M: Mem. Res. Inst. Food Sci. Kyoto Univ., No 9, 1 (1955). 3) KIMATA, M & AKAMATSU, M: Ibid, No (1935). 4) Gaie, E. F.: Adv. Enzgmology, 6, (1946).

Histamine Production by Klebsiella pneumoniae and an

APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY, Feb. 1979, p. 274-278 0099-2240/79/02-0274/05$02.00/0 Vol. 37, No. 2 Histamine Production by Klebsiella pneumoniae and an Incident of Scombroid Fish Poisoningt STEVE