How would you classify this incidence with unknown Disease X: sporadic, endemic, epidemic, or pandemic? Justify your answer. Based on the information, hypothesize the reservoir, transmission mode, and portals of entry and exit for Disease X. Reservoir: Transmission route: Portal of entry: Portal of exit: What next steps should investigators take to test your hypotheses and solve the case?
A small town’s pediatrician saw three children, ages 5, 7, and 10 years, who were ill with vomiting and diarrhea within 12 hours of each other. The child aged 5 years had become so sick that the pediatrician recommended her mother take her to the emergency department at the local hospital. The 5-year-old child initially complained of nausea around 10:00 a.m. The nausea was followed by vomiting and multiple episodes of diarrhea. The child was unable to eat or drink anything without vomiting. That afternoon, the child became listless, so the pediatrician sent the child to the emergency department where she was noted to be dehydrated and had a fever. Stool and blood specimens were collected, and the child was treated with intravenous fluids and released. The two neighborhood children had had similar symptoms (i.e., nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and fever) but had not become as ill as the 5-year-old. Both had returned to school the day after becoming ill. The three children usually did not play together but had attended a birthday party on February 1st, a few days prior. Preliminary stool culture results were “negative for the usual organisms” and the doctors could not diagnose the patients.
Department of Health investigators called the mother who had organized the birthday party. The woman reported that her own child was well (except for a cold). Other parents had called her, however, saying that their children had become ill with vomiting and diarrhea. The woman reported that her son’s birthday party had occurred at a private indoor swim club and approximately 30 children and adults were in attendance. The children ranged in age from 5 to 10 years. Not all of the children attended the same school. Cake, ice cream, and canned drinks had been served at the party. All refreshments had been commercially prepared. Most children had played in the pool at the swim club before presents were opened and cake and ice cream were served. Two children who later became ill had left the party before cake and ice cream were served to attend another birthday party. The mother provided a list of party attendees she knew had been ill and their telephone numbers.
The swim club manager indicated that he had received reports of illness among other persons who had used the pool during the weekend. Rumors were circulating that participants in the infant-mother swim class that met on January 31st were sick with “stomach flu.”.
Based on these calls, 21 persons were identified as having attended the swim club and having reported being ill (Table 1). Signs and symptoms included vomiting (90%), nausea (81%), abdominal cramps (67%), diarrhea (48%), fever (48%), and headache (43%).
How would you classify this incidence with unknown Disease X: sporadic, endemic, epidemic, or pandemic? Justify your answer.
Based on the information, hypothesize the reservoir, transmission mode, and portals of entry and exit for Disease X.
Reservoir:
Transmission route:
Portal of entry:
Portal of exit:
What next steps should investigators take to test your hypotheses and solve the case?
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