Korean J Infect Dis.
2000 Apr;32(2):100-107.
Estimated Magnitude of an Outbreak of Vibrio parahaemolyticus Enteritis in Inchon, Korea
- Affiliations
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- 1Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Pathology, Inchon, Korea.
- 2Department of Nutrition Service, Inha University Medical College, Inchon, Korea.
- 3Department of Internal Medicine, Inchon Christian Hospital, Inchon, Korea.
- 4Department of Internal Medicine, Dong-Inchon Gil Hospital, Gachun Medical College, Inchon, Korea.
- 5Department of Internal Medicine, Guro Hospital, Korea University5, Seoul, Korea.
Abstract
- BACKGROUND
There are several reports on outbreaks of V. paraphaemolyticus enteritis, however, these are only complicated cases or microbiologic surveillance in marine environment. We experienced an outbreak associated with eating flavored crabs and investigated the magnitude of the outbreak on a large scale located in Inchon. METHOD: We took medical history and stool cultures from patients with diarrhea, visited the Inha University Hospital from September 14 to September 30, 1998. Pulsed-field gel electrophereis of isolates from stool culture performed to identify the relation. We counted the number of diarrheal patients visited the emergency rooms of 5 other general hospitals and 9 private clinics in Inchon from August 16 to September 30, 1998. We bought 6 crabs and 2 flavored crabs at a nearby market and cooked 6 crabs flavored at our hospital. Cultures from the flavored crabs stored at a refrigerator were done daily for consecutive 5 days.
RESULTS
The outbreak began on September 5 and ended on September 29, 1998. The numbers of patients visiting ERs of 6 general hospitals and private clinics during outbreak were estimated 1,033 and 4,530, respectively. All 8 crabs revealed Vibrio spp., but identification up to species level was not possible. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis of 12 isolates showed different patterns and suggested different sources.
CONCLUSION
In 1998, an outbreak estimated more than 5,000 patients of V. parahaemolyticus enteritis occurred in Inchon, Korea. Because the magnitude of food-associated enteritis is enormous, that surpass the number which we assumed from clinical practice, early report and prompt investigation of such cases are necessary.
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