Abstract

Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serotype Oranienburg (antigenic formula 6,7:m,t:-) is a comparatively uncommon serotype; data in the Enter-net salmonella database show that in 2000, there were 217 cases of this serotype (out of a total of 122 695 records from 19 countries) and in 1999, 253 cases (out of 135 749 records from 19 countries) reported by the national reference laboratories. Given the size of the outbreak reported from Germany (1), the nature of the infection vehicle, and the likelihood that contaminated chocolate had been exported, an urgent enquiry was sent to all Enter-net participants on 10 December to ascertain whether any associated cases had occurred