An extensive gastroenteritis outbreak after drinking-water contamination by sewage effluent, Finland.
Epidemiol Infect
; 139(7): 1105-13, 2011 Jul.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-20843387
ABSTRACT
An inappropriate cross-connection between sewage- and drinking-water pipelines contaminated tap water in a Finnish town, resulting in an extensive waterborne gastroenteritis outbreak in this developed country. According to a database and a line-list, altogether 1222 subjects sought medical care as a result of this exposure. Seven pathogens were found in patient samples of those who sought treatment. To establish the true disease burden from this exposure, we undertook a population-based questionnaire investigation with a control population, infrequently used to study waterborne outbreaks. The study covered three areas, contaminated and uncontaminated parts of the town and a control town. An estimated 8453 residents fell ill during the outbreak, the excess number of illnesses being 6501. Attack rates were 53% [95% confidence interval (CI) 49.5-56.4] in the contaminated area, 15.6% (95% CI 13.1-18.5) in the uncontaminated area and 6.5% (95% CI 4.8-8.8) in the control population. Using a control population allowed us to differentiate baseline morbidity from the observed morbidity caused by the water contamination, thus enabling a more accurate estimate of the disease burden of this outbreak.
Texto completo:
1
Bases de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Aguas del Alcantarillado
/
Agua Potable
/
Brotes de Enfermedades
/
Gastroenteritis
Tipo de estudio:
Etiology_studies
Límite:
Adolescent
/
Adult
/
Aged
/
Aged80
/
Child
/
Child, preschool
/
Female
/
Humans
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Infant
/
Male
País/Región como asunto:
Europa
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Epidemiol Infect
Asunto de la revista:
DOENCAS TRANSMISSIVEIS
/
EPIDEMIOLOGIA
Año:
2011
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Finlandia