Publications (4)0 Total impact
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Article: Influence of socioeconomic status on community-acquired pneumonia outcomes in elderly patients requiring hospitalization: a multicenter observational study
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Article: Foodborne norovirus outbreak: the role of an asymptomatic food handler
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ABSTRACT: Background: In July 2005 an outbreak of acute gastroenteritis occurred on a residential summer camp in the province of Barcelona (northeast of Spain). Forty-four people were affected among residents and employees. All of them had in common a meal at lunch time on 13 July (paella, round of beef and fruit). The aim of this study was to investigate a foodborne norovirus outbreak that occurred in the residential summer camp and in which the implication of a food handler was demonstrated by laboratory tests. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was designed. Personal or telephone interview was carried out to collect demographic, clinical and microbiological data of the exposed people, as well as food consumption in the suspected lunch. Food handlers of the mentioned summer camp were interviewed. Ten stool samples were requested from symptomatic exposed residents and the three food handlers that prepared the suspected food. Stools were tested for bacteries and noroviruses. Norovirus was detected using RT-PCR and sequence analysis. Attack rate, relative risks (RR) and its 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated to assess the association between food consumption and disease. Results: The global attack rate of the outbreak was 55%. The main symptoms were abdominal pain (90%), nausea (85%), vomiting (70%) and diarrhoea (42.5%). The disease remitted in 24-48 hours. Norovirus was detected in seven faecal samples, one of them was from an asymptomatic food handler who had not eaten the suspected food (round of beef), but cooked and served the lunch. Analysis of the two suspected foods isolated no pathogenic bacteria and detected no viruses. Molecular analysis showed that the viral strain was the same in ill patients and in the asymptomatic food handler (genotype GII.2 Melksham-like). Conclusions: In outbreaks of foodborne disease, the search for viruses in affected patients and all food handlers, even in those that are asymptomatic, is essential. Health education of food handlers with respect to hand washing should be promoted. -
Article: Brotes por norovirus en residencias y centros sanitarios de Cataluña
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ABSTRACT: Fundamentos. La baja dosis infectiva y las múltiples vías de transmisión facilitan la presentación de brotes de norovirus. El objetivo fue comparar la incidencia de brotes por norovirus en hospitales y residencias en Cataluña. Métodos. Se realizó un estudio descriptivo de la serie de brotes de norovirus en el período del 15/10/2004 al 30/10/2005. Se rellenó una encuesta epidemiológica para cada brote. Las variables fueron: número de expuestos, enfermos, mecanismo de transmisión, ámbito (centros sanitarios o residencias), región sanitaria, mes del año, y duración. Mediante técnicas de PCR se investigó la presencia de norovirus en muestras clínicas. Se calculó la incidencia en cada centro y la incidencia anual de brotes por centros. Las diferencias se determinaron con la prueba de c2 y la t de Student con un grado de significación (p) inferior a 0,05. Resultados. Se detectaron 17 brotes, 6 en centros sanitarios y 11 en residencias. La tasa de ataque global fue del 33,4% (652/1951) y fue ligeramente superior en las residencias (35,2%) que en los centros sanitarios (31,4%). El 94,1% (16/17) de los brotes se produjeron por transmisión persona a persona y sólo el 5,9% (1/17) por alimentos. La media de días entre el primer y último caso del brote fue de 11,4 (DE = 6,9). La duración media de los síntomas fue de 2,39 días (SD=1,6) y también fue superior en los pacientes hospitalizados 2,63 (SD=1,7) en comparación a los pacientes de residencias 1,97 (SD=1,7) (p < 0,0001). Conclusiones. Norovirus es responsable de un número importante de brotes por transmisión persona a persona. Se debe protocolizar su control para reducir su número y su duración. Palabras clave: Brote. Gastroenteritis. Incidencia. Vigilancia. Epidemiología. Norovirus. Norwalk like virus. Hospitales. Residencias. Lavado de manos. -
Article: Epidemiology of foodborne Norovirus outbreaks in Catalonia, Spain
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ABSTRACT: Background: Noroviruses are one of the principal biological agents associated with the consumption of contaminated food. The objective of this study was to analyse the size and epidemiological characteristics of foodborne outbreaks of gastroenteritis in Catalonia, a region in the northeast of Spain. Methods: In all reported outbreaks of gastroenteritis associated with food consumption, faecal samples of persons affected were analysed for bacteria and viruses and selectively for parasites. Study variables included the setting, the number of people exposed, age, sex, clinical signs and hospital admissions. The study was carried out from October 2004 to October 2005. Results: Of the 181 outbreaks reported during the study period, 72 were caused by Salmonella and 30 by norovirus (NoV); the incidence rates were 14.5 and 9.9 per 100,000 person-years, respectively. In 50% of the NoV outbreaks and 27% of the bacterial outbreaks (p = 0.03) the number of persons affected was ¿10; 66.7% of NoV outbreaks occurred in restaurants; no differences in the attack rates were observed according to the etiology. Hospitalizations were more common (p = 0.03) in bacterial outbreaks (8.6%) than in NoV outbreaks (0.15%). Secondary cases accounted for 4% of cases in NoV outbreaks compared with 0.3% of cases in bacterial outbreaks (p < 0.001) Conclusion: Norovirus outbreaks were larger but less frequent than bacterial outbreaks, suggesting that underreporting is greater for NoV outbreaks. Food handlers should receive training on the transmission of infections in diverse situations. Very strict control measures on handwashing and environmental disinfection should be adopted in closed or partially-closed institutions.
