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A waterborne outbreak of small round structured virus, campylobacter and shigella co-infections in La Neuveville, Switzerland, 1998

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2001

A. M. MAURER
Affiliation:
Health and Social Security Direction of Bern Canton, Office of the Canton Physician, CH-3011 Bern, Switzerland
D. STÜRCHLER
Affiliation:
Swiss Federal Office of Public Health, Division of Epidemiology and Infectious Diseases, CH-3003 Bern, Switzerland
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Abstract

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An outbreak of gastro-enteritis occurred in La Neuveville, township with 3358 inhabitants. A retrospective cohort study of 1915 participants showed that 1607 (84%) had been ill. Campylobacter jejuni was isolated from 28 patient faecal samples, Shigella sonnei from 21 patients and small round structured viruses (SRSV) from 6 patients. More than one pathogen was identified in eight persons. The epidemic curve was characteristic of a point-source outbreak. The risk for illness was significantly higher among persons who had drank unboiled drinking water than among those who had not (1290 [80·3%] of 1607 vs. 86 [27·9%] of 308; RR = 2·87; 95% CI 2·40–3·45). Risk increased significantly with the quantity of water consumed (P < 0·00 × 10−6). An SRSV isolate from water and one human faeces had an identical DNA sequence. The outbreak was due to a pump failure producing a spill of sewage into the groundwater. We conclude that transmission was waterborne and that measures including early warning, basic hygiene and sanitation improvements controlled this epidemic.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© 2000 Cambridge University Press