[Foodborne outbreak by Clostridium perfringens in a school dining room]. / Brote de toxiinfección alimentaria por Clostridium perfringens en un comedor escolar.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The purpose was to investigate the etiology and epidemiological characteristics of a food-borne infection outbreak in a school dining room. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: Retrospective cohort study. Information about gastrointestinal symptoms and the use of the service of the school dining room was obtained. Coprocultures and detection of Clostridium perfringens enterotoxin in stool samples by means of reverse passive latex agglutination were carried out in 7 ill persons. Relative risks (RR) at 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated. RESULTS: The attack rate was 17.5% (48/275) and the probability of becoming sick was higher in students who ate at the second shift than in those eating at the first one (RR=13.8; 95% CI: 4.4-43.1). C perfringens enterotoxin was detected in 6 stool samples from patients. A high recount of C perfringens was not observed in those food samples kept frozen after their elaboration. CONCLUSIONS: The determination of C perfringens enterotoxin in feces allowed to confirm the etiologic agent of the outbreak.

[Evaluation of a system to feedback information on Public Health: the experience of Area 2 of the Community of Madrid]. / Evaluación de un sistema de devolución de información en salud pública: experiencia en el Area 2 de la Comunidad de Madrid.

BACKGROUND: In January 2000 the Public Health Service of Area 2, in the Region of Madrid, began to publish a weekly sheet on epidemiological and public health information (HISP) addressed to health professionals working in the Area. The aim of the present study was to estimate to how extend the "HISP" was known among health professionals of Area 2, and also to estimate the suitability and usefulness of its contents, during 2000. METHODS: A postal survey was carried out among a random sample of professionals working in Area 2. A descriptive analysis of main variables was done, variables associated to the knowledge of the "HISP" were investigated. Epi Info 2000 program was used for the analysis. RESULTS: The response rate was 79.7%. The best evaluated content was that related to epidemic outbreaks. An association between knowing the "HISP" and knowing the regional epidemiological bulletin (Boletin Epidemiológico de la Comunidad de Madrid) was found (OR = 9.3, IC 95% = 2.9-29.5), and also an association between knowing the "HISP" and being a physician (OR = 4.3, IC: 1.5-12.6, p = 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: The "HISP" has a good acceptance among health professionals of Area 2. They were more interested in contents related to stressful situations. It is necessary to improve the diffusion of information on public health among nursing professionals.