Clinical and Laboratory Characteristics of a Large Chicken Döner–Associated Foodborne Outbreak: Analysis of 925 Patients

Chicken döner is a widely consumed ready-to-eat poultry product that may pose a significant public health risk when prepared under inadequate hygienic conditions. We conducted a retrospective observational study following a large foodborne outbreak linked to chicken döner consumption from a single restaurant in Kocaeli, Türkiye. Epidemiological and clinical data were obtained from hospital records and public health surveillance systems. A total of 1146 emergency department visits were recorded, and 925 unique patients were included after excluding repeat presentations. The median age was 21 years (interquartile range: 16–29), and 63.8% were male. The most common symptoms were nausea (74.5%), vomiting (70.2%), and diarrhea (69.2%). Hospitalization was required in 45 patients (3.9%), with no mortality observed. Hospitalized patients had significantly higher C-reactive protein levels compared with discharged patients (median 76.0 vs. 26.1 mg/L; p = 0.002). Stool cultures, performed in a subset of patients, identified pathogenic organisms in 37.8% of samples, predominantly Salmonella spp. Microbiological analysis of food samples demonstrated multimicrobial contamination, including Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, Bacillus cereus, and coagulase-positive Staphylococcus. This outbreak represents one of the largest reported chicken döner–associated foodborne events worldwide and highlights the substantial health care burden posed by contaminated ready-to-eat poultry products. Although inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein were associated with hospitalization, their clinical utility should be interpreted cautiously and in conjunction with overall clinical assessment.