There is an outbreak of watery diarrhea in six members of a party of 20 who ate at a Chinese restaurant the day before. Fried rice is implicated. What is the most likely causative agent?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Bacillus cereus, found in rice, is not killed by steaming. The addition of eggs and other ingredients to make fried rice encourages growth if the fried rice is not held at a high enough temperature to inhibit growth. Onset of watery diarrhea may occur within 2 hours or as long as 18 hours after consumption and is in response to the presence of toxin.

There Is an Outbreak of Watery Diarrhea in Six Members