Résumé
Background: An outbreak investigation was carried out to determine the cause and confirm the source of food poisoning in Deptsang village for implementing prevention and control measures
Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study for the outbreak investigation. Stool specimens were collected from cases to perform culture and antibiogram
The team also inspected the environment and hygiene practices in both the construction site and the entire community. The association between the exposure to carcass meat and their outcome of acute gastroenteritis was assessed by risk ratio. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant
Results: Fifty-five villagers consumed the carcass meat during lunch and dinner resulting in 33 cases. Multi-drug resistant Aeromonas hydrophila was isolated from stool specimens of cases, which were susceptible to chloramphenicol only. A risk ratio of 2.1 was found between those people who consumed the carcass meat and those who did not consume the carcass meat [P<0.001]
Conclusions: The current outbreak of food poisoning was caused by the consumption of carcass meat contaminated with A. hydrophila. Provision of health education with emphasis on food hygiene is needed in remote areas to prevent such outbreaks in the future
Résumé
As part of efforts to develop an informed policy for rotavirus vaccination, this prospective study was conducted to estimate the burden of rotavirus diarrhea among children less than 5 years old attended to the Department of Pediatrics, Jigme Dorji Wangchuk National Referral Hospital (JDWNRH), Thimphu, Bhutan. The duration of the study was three years, extending from February 2010 through December 2012. We estimated the frequency of hospitalization in the pediatric ward and dehydration treatment unit (DTU) for diarrhea and the number of events attributable to rotavirus infection among children under 5 years of age. During the study period, a total of 284 children (1 in 45) were hospitalized in the pediatric ward, and 2,220 (1 in 6) in the DTU with diarrhea among children residing in the Thimphu district. Group A rotavirus was detected in 32.5% and 18.8% of the stool samples from children hospitalized in the pediatric ward, respectively. Overall, 22.3% of the stool samples were rotavirus-positive, and the majority (90.8%) of them was detected in children under 2 years of age. From this study, we estimated that the annual incidence of hospitalization in the pediatric ward and DTU due to rotavirus diarrhea was 2.4/1000 (95% CI 1.7–3.4) and 10.8/1000 (95% CI 9.1–12.7) children, respectively. This study revealed that rotavirus is a major cause of diarrhea in Bhutanese children in Thimphu district and since no study has been performed previously, represents an important finding for policy discussions regarding the adoption of a rotavirus vaccine in Bhutan.
Résumé
To develop aninformed policy for rotavirus vaccination, this prospective study was conductedto estimate the burden of rotavirus diarrhea among children less than 5 years oldattending the Department of Pediatrics, Jigme Dorji Wangchuk National ReferralHospital (JDWNRH), Thimphu, Bhutan. The duration of the study was three years, extendingfrom February 2010 through December 2012. We estimated the frequency of hospitalizationin pediatric ward and Dehydration Treatment Unit (DTU) for diarrhea and thenumber of events attributable to rotavirus infection among children under 5years of age. During the study period, a total of 284 children (1 in 45) werehospitalized in pediatric ward, and 2,220 children (1 in 6 children) in Dehydration Treatment Unit (DTU) withdiarrhea among children residing in the Thimphu district. Group A rotavirus was detected in 32.5% of the stoolsamples from the hospitalized children in pediatric ward and 18.8% in DTU withdiarrhea. Overall, 22.3% of the stool samples were rotavirus-positive, and the majority(90.8%) of them was detected in children under 2 years of age. From this study,we estimated that the annual incidence of hospitalization in ward and DTU s dueto rotavirus diarrhea was 2.4/1000 (95% CI 1.7–3.4) and 10.8/1000 (95% CI9.1–12.7) children, respectively. This study revealed that rotavirus is a majorcause of diarrhea in Bhutanese children in Thimphu district and represents animportant finding to policy discussions regarding the adoption of a rotavirusvaccine in Bhutan since no study has been performed previously.