[Shigella sonnei outbreak in a school in Northern Spain]. / Brote de Shigella sonnei en un centro escolar de Gipuzkoa.

In October 2012, an outbreak of acute gastroenteritis caused by Shigella sonnei was detected in a nursery and primary school in the north of Spain affecting 112 people: 63.7% were pupils and teachers and 35.7% their co-habitants. The source was a sick child who had travelled to an endemic country, and the key trigger factor was inadequate hygiene in one of the toilets of the school. The enforcement of strict hygiene measures was essential for controlling the outbreak.

[Outbreak of follicular conjunctivitis caused by adenovirus in a geriatric centre]. / Brote de conjuntivitis folicular por adenovirus en un centro gerontológico.

INTRODUCTION: Adenovirus serotype 4a is a respiratory virus that occasionally causes conjunctivitis. This paper describes an outbreak of follicular conjunctivitis that occurred in a geriatric centre. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Outbreak description and epidemiological research through a survey. For the microbiological study conjunctival swabs were collected using viral and bacterial transport media. Adenovirus was detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction. The serotype was determined by sequencing of a fragment of the hexon and E1 genes. RESULTS: In autumn 2008 an outbreak of follicular conjunctivitis caused by adenovirus serotype 4a was detected. Twenty three percent 23% (69/300) of residents and 5% (9/180) of workers in a geriatric centre in Gipuzkoa were affected. The clinical symptoms were of prolonged duration (11±5 days). The temporal association of the cases suggested transmission from person to person. The sanitary measures established (asepsis and frequent hand washing, cleaning and disinfection of objects and surfaces) were effective, interrupting the transmission of the disease within a short period of time. CONCLUSION: Rapid detection, identification of the causative agent and implementing appropriate control measures can significantly reduce the impact on both health and economic costs of these outbreaks.

[Indoor air and bathing water pollution in indoor swimming pools in Guipúzcoa (Spain)]. / Contaminación del aire interior y del agua de baño en piscinas cubiertas de Guipúzcoa.

OBJECTIVE: To describe levels of pollutants found in indoor swimming pools in Guipúzcoa (Basque Country, Spain), both in the bathing water and in the air, and to study the association between these pollutants and other variables related to ventilation systems and the use of installations. METHODS: Of the 35 indoor swimming pools registered in Guipúzcoa, the 20 most frequently used by swimmers were studied. Each installation was sampled on two nonconsecutive days. Free and combined chlorine and trihalomethane levels were measured in the water, while total chlorine and chloroform levels were measured in the air. Carbon dioxide (CO(2)) was measured as an indicator of air renewal. RESULTS: The average chlorine level in the air was 0.4 mg/m(3) and that of chloroform was 22 microg/m(3). In all the swimming pools, free and combined chlorine levels were within the permitted values. The average chloroform level in bathing water was 13.7 microg/l. Chloroform levels in the air could be reasonably predicted (R(2) = 0.85), the predictive factors being chloroform levels in the water, CO(2) concentrations, and the number of bathers on the day of measurement. CONCLUSIONS: Levels of pollutants in the water and in the air of swimming pools in Guipúzcoa were lower than those reported in other studies. However, 20% of the installations exceeded the concentration of total chlorine in the air proposed as a reference value to protect swimmers carrying out intense activities (0.5 mg/m(3)).

[Epidemiology of accidents in a cohort of adults over 64 years old in the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country]. / Epidemiología de los accidentes en una cohorte de adultos mayores de 64 años de la Comunidad Autónoma del País Vasco.

INTRODUCTION: Accidents represent a significant health problem for elderly people. The objective of this study was to assess the incidence of accidents in over-64-year-olds in the Basque Country population, and to describe the clinical-epidemiological features leading to them. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This was a prospective cohort study of 15,192 non-institutionalised individuals over 64 years of age, conducted under the auspices of the Basque Sentinel Practice Network (Red Vigía) over one year. A questionnaire was completed for each accident. The rates and risks of accidents were calculated by sex and age group of the individuals who had the accidents. RESULTS: The rates of accidents were 46.52 and 81.87 per 1000 men and women, respectively. The most common type of accident was a fall (92%), and the most severe injuries were fractures (17%), with the risk of an accident being significantly higher in women and in the over-75-year-olds. CONCLUSIONS: These data reflect the scale of accidents in over-64-year-olds in the Basque Country. The most frequent accident was the fall, which represents a dramatic event among the elderly, being one of the main causes of injury, disability and institutionalisation among this population group.