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A large outbreak of campylobacteriosis associated with a municipal water supply in Finland

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 February 2005

M. KUUSI ,
J. P. NUORTI ,
M.-L. HÄNNINEN ,
M. KOSKELA ,
V. JUSSILA ,
E. KELA ,
I. MIETTINEN  and
P. RUUTU
M. KUUSI
Affiliation:
Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, National Public Health Institute, Helsinki, Finland
J. P. NUORTI
Affiliation:
Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, National Public Health Institute, Helsinki, Finland
M.-L. HÄNNINEN
Affiliation:
Department of Food and Environmental Hygiene, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
M. KOSKELA
Affiliation:
Department of Microbiology, University Central Hospital of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
V. JUSSILA
Affiliation:
Municipal Health Centre of Haukipudas, Haukipudas, Finland
E. KELA
Affiliation:
Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, National Public Health Institute, Helsinki, Finland
I. MIETTINEN
Affiliation:
Department of Environmental Health, National Public Health Institute, Kuopio, Finland
P. RUUTU
Affiliation:
Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, National Public Health Institute, Helsinki, Finland
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Abstract

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In August 1998, an outbreak of campylobacteriosis occurred in one municipality in northern Finland. A 10% random sample of residents (population 15000) was selected through the National Population Registry for a survey conducted by using postal questionnaires. Cases were defined as residents of the municipality with onset of acute gastroenteritis from 1 to 20 August 1998. Of 1167 respondents (response rate 78%), 218 (18·7%) met the case definition. Drinking non-chlorinated municipal tap water was strongly associated with illness (OR 34·4). The estimated total number of ill persons was 2700. Campylobacter jejuni was isolated from stool samples of 45 (61%) out of 74 patients tested. All five isolates tested had indistinguishable PFGE patterns. Water samples were negative for campylobacter and coliforms. Epidemiological and environmental evidence suggested mains repair as the source of contamination. Non-chlorinated ground-water systems may be susceptible to contamination and can cause large outbreaks.

Type
Research Article
Information
Epidemiology & Infection , Volume 133 , Issue 4 , August 2005 , pp. 593 - 601
Copyright
2005 Cambridge University Press

Footnotes

Presented in part at the 38th Annual Meeting of the Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA), New Orleans, 2000.