Three outbreaks of severe food-related illness in the Republic of Georgia were shown by DNA testing to be caused by a bacterial strain also associated with foodborne illness in the United States. In May 1998, three outbreaks of Salmonella food poisoning were identified in the Republic of Georgia.
Salmonella infection causes diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea and vomiting, and fever.
The illness in these three outbreaks was so severe that 59 persons were hospitalized. Among those hospitalized were 10 of 14 children who attended a birthday party and ate cake frosted with uncooked icing that contained egg. The other two outbreaks, apparently caused by tainted chicken, affected guests at a wedding reception and a large birthday party in Tbilisi. However, DNA testing showed that all three outbreaks were caused by a strain of the bacteria that had an identical genetic pattern. A search of a database of the genetic patterns of Salmonella strains isolated in the United States showed that outbreaks in Seattle and Baltimore were caused by closely related strains.