A Epidemiological Investigation of A Dysentery Outbreak in A Primary School in Taichung City － A Preliminary Report

J.P. Chiu

1994 Vol.10 NO.4

Correspondence Author：

Abstract：

Amebiasis and shigellosis are both reportable diseases. Both are transmitted by hand- to-mouth by water or foods contaminated by feces of infected persons(1-7). Infection through direct contact is also important(2,8,10). Infection may be asymptomatic. or manifested by diarrhea. In severe cases, death from dehydration may occur . The protozoa may induce abscess in lung and brain (10,11) In normal population groups. shigellosis attacks young children more(3,9,12). Both diseases transmit in crowded places of poor sanitation such as mental hospitals, among homosexuals, and in prisons(11,12) The world prevalence of amebiasis is around In an institution for the mentally retarded in Japan, the prevalence was 12.6%(14). Among homosexual men in the San Francisco Bay Area in USA, the prevalence was 28.6%(15). In the present incident in a primary school in Taichung City, parents of these children are generally fairly affluent. the sanitary conditions of their homes are good. and yet a dysentery outbreak occurred. To understand the source of infection and the mode of transmission to prevent further spread of the disease, this epidemiological investigation was conducted.