Public health surveillance after a volcanic eruption : Lessons from Cerro Negro, Nicaragua, 1992

The eruption of the Cerro Negro volcano near León, Nicaragua, on 9 April 1992 distributed an estimated 1.7 million tons of ash over a 200 square kilometer area. An assessment was conducted to evaluate the health effects on approximately 300.000 residents, using routine data obtained by the national epidemiologic surveillance system. It was found that rates of visits to health care facilities for acute diarrheal and respiratory illnesses increased in two study communities, one within and one near the disaster zone. Specifically, visits for acute diarrhea were nearly 6 times more numerous than before the eruption in both communities, while visits for acute respiratory diseases were 3.6 times more frequent in telica (the community near the disaster zone) and 6.0 times more frequent in Telica (the community within it). Most of the visits were for infants and children less than 5 years old (AU)

Enfermedad diarreica después de los sismos de 1985 en México

En este artículo se presentan los resultados de un estudio sobre la incidencia y prevalencia de diarreas en la ciudad de México después de los sismos del 19 y 20 de septiembre de 1985. Este estudio se llevó a cabo en dos fases, en áreas de estratos socioeconómicos bajo y medio, con y sin alteraciones del suministro de agua entubada. Los probables factores de riesgo en el estrato socioeconómico bajo se determinaron a través de un estudio de casos y controles. La carencia de agua entubada representó un factor de riesgo para la presencia de diarreas, y se observó que este factor fue mayor y más persistente en el área socioeconómica baja, en donde se encontraron casos agudos y crónicos asociados con falta de agua para aseo, y casos crónicos asociados con ingesta de agua envasada en bolsas de plástico y no hervida. Algunos comportamientos y hábitos en la población, como hervir el agua y consumir agua "comercial", tuvieron efectos protectores(AU)

Campers' diarrhea outbreak traced to water-sewage link

From June through September 1979, diarrheal illness occurred in an estimated 1,850 persons who had camped at a private campground in Arizona. Illness occured more frecuently among campers at that campground than among those in the adjacent State park. The same well served both the private and the State campgrounds as the source of drinking water, but that water was distributed to the two campgrounds through separate lines. Illness was significantly associated with drinking water at the campsite, drinking larger quantities of campsite water, and camping on the southwest side of the campground. Samples of the water collected from the system during January through June contained no coliform bacteria. However, all those samples had been collected from the State park only. Of the 11 water samples submitted for bacteriological analyses during the summer, 3 had high levels of bacteria. Excavation of the water system uncovered a direct cross connection between the potable water system and a sewage-effluent irrigation system. This outbreak calls attentions to the importance of designing, maintaining, and monitoring potable water systems properly, especially those proximate to wastewater re-use systems

Programa de control de enfermedades diarreicas entre niños refugiados nicaraguenses en el campo Luna, Honduras

Se exponen los resultados de un estudio sobre la terapia de rehidratación por vía oral administrada a 71 niños con deshidratación leve o mederada por enfermedad diarreica, en un campo hondureño de refugiados nicaraguenses. Este ensayo parece ser el primero de su tipo en casos de urgencia o desastre, y muestra que, si se instruye y supervisa en forma adecuada a las madres, estas pueden administrar satisfactoriamente la terapia de rehidratación por vía oral a sus hijos en las condiciones de campo(AU)