BIOS 242 Week 6 Discussion 1 – Epidemiology
You are the public health official! Review the following case study, and discuss how you should proceed as
... [Show More] an epidemiologist.
Case study: Over 30 children younger than three years of age developed gastroenteritis after visiting a local water park. These cases represented 44% of the park visitors in this age group on the day in question. Older individuals were not affected. The causative agent was determined to be a member of the bacterial genus Shigella. The disease resulted from oral transmission to the children.
Based only on the information given, can you classify this outbreak as an epidemic?
Why or why not?
If you were an epidemiologist, how would you go about determining which pools in the water park were contaminated?
ANSWER
An epidemic is, a disease that occurs at a greater than normal frequency for a given area or population. Based on the case study I would consider this and epidemic as there were 30 children, younger than three years of age were infected. I would define the case strudy as an epidemic because there was a large group (30 children) in which were infected by the water park (the given area). If I were to work as an epidemiologist I would determine would test the water with in the park. I would also check the cleaning chemicals used to make sure that there was proper techniques in sanitizing the water. The Shigella virus is transmitted through swallowing recreation water while swimming or drinking water that is contaminated with stool in which contains the shigella virus. This could have been spread through a leaking diaper with in the water. It could have then spread through all the pools with in the park. I would test the water areas where kids play. I would also test the water that is being served to ensure cleanliness. Shigella is also spread through eating food in which was prepared from an individual who prepared the food. I would find this by testing the employees to ensure that there ere no employees with the infection. Its also been found that young individuals are most susceptible to the disease as they are often touching many items that could come in contact with the pathogen and then put their hands and various items in to their mouths.
Reference:
https://www.cdc.gov/shigella/infection-sources.html [Show Less]