Abstract

In 1991 a large group of people (600) visited the Francorchamps area in Belgium and participated in a Burgundian meal. More than 60% of the participants became ill because of gastro-intestinal complaints. Research revealed that Salmonella blockley was isolated from faeses, probably due to incorrect handling of the chicken. This study was carried out to determine (1) the medical consumption and costs as a result of gastro-intestinal complaints in this group and (2) the occurrence of medical complaints in the six months after the acute infection. The incidence of complications due to gastro-intestinal infections was estimated to be between 0,5% and 6,8%. The exact incidence should be confirmed by medical examination of the participants of the study. The costs revealed to be 1000 Dutch guilders per patient with complaints. Loss of productivity (64%) and costs of family care (22%) account for the main part of the total costs. Health education should focus on the storing, the transport and the preparation of food (especially from animal origin) in order to prevent the gastro-intestinal infections.