A city public health team is synthesizing outbreak evidence: multiple patrons at a small restaurant developed vomiting within 6 hours of eating a catered buffet; food handlers reported a person with recent skin infections handling salads. Which pathogen is most consistent with the data, and what immediate combined control measures should be implemented?

• A. Staphylococcus aureus — remove implicated prepared salads, discard them, exclude symptomatic and unwell food handlers, sanitize food contact surfaces, and review cool/hold practices because toxin may already be present and heat may not destroy it.
• B. Salmonella — rely solely on refrigeration of the remaining salads for 48 hours to halt further toxin formation and then reheat before serving to destroy bacteria.
• C. Norovirus — immediately vaccinate all patrons who ate at the buffet and advise that boiling the salads will inactivate preformed toxins while allowing food handlers to continue working if asymptomatic.
• D. Clostridium botulinum — neutralize the toxin in the remaining food with household bleach and allow the food handlers to continue work with gloves, because the main risk is spore ingestion rather than preformed toxin.

Answer: (A)