In this case, there is a report of a mysterious outbreak which has affected a dozen people with one in critical condition and one fatality. All involved are said to have attended the same event, and they developed symptoms almost 24 hours later. Symptoms of the affected have been presented. Nobody appears to know the cause of the outbreak. To find answers and solutions to these problems, some questions need to be asked and answered. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends some of the questions asked should include demographic details including occupation, clinical details (onset, symptoms, severity, and duration), and lab results. Further WHO recommends questions about contact with other ill people, victims views regarding likely causes, food consumption history, date of exposure, and potential common exposures especially those who have had a similar or same illness.
There are questions concerning the food sold or given to the participants. Did all the affected eat the same food? If they ate the same food, where was the source of the food? If the source of the food is known, are there reported cases of the outbreak in the source? There is also need to investigate the conditions under which the food was prepared. Was the food prepared in hygienic conditions? Was all the food cooked or some food were served raw? Raw food might have been contaminated. There is also the issue of the water that attendants drank and used for washing food and utensils. Was drinking and washing water hygienic? Where was the source of the water? Given that the likely source of the outbreak is food, some of the sources of food or storage facilities are close to where there was the presence of disease vectors. Furthermore, some of the food served might have been from animals which are disease vectors. Which animals are likely to be found nearest to the event? The animals and birds can be poultry, horses, pigs, cats, dogs, cows, sheep goats, and so forth. What was the animal food served in the event? Was any livestock attendant or poultry keeper involved in the food preparation? There is also questions about whether the food was prepared on site or was cooked elsewhere. Then who cooked the food and what were their health status prior or at the time of cooking? Tests need to be carried out to determine the cause of a disease. What tests have been carried out so far? Are there any tests on the food samples? Are there any tests carried out on the stool? Then what are the results? Has BBL Campy CVA Agar test, Skirrow's Medium test, Preston Medium test, catalase test, oxidase test, and nitrate reduced test performed? Then what were the results?
What are the suspected diseases? According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), Gastroenteritis is an irritation or infection of the intestines and stomach which is caused by parasites, virus or bacteria from either spoiled food or contaminated water. NCBI described symptoms of gastroenteritis as abdominal cramping, nausea, diarrhoea, and vomiting. The symptoms appear between 12 to 48 hours after exposure. Have there been any tests for gastroenteritis? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Health Service (NHS) define food poisoning as sickness arising out of consuming contaminated food. Symptoms of food poisoning include diarrhoea, vomiting, organ failure, and fever, nausea, chills, stomach cramps, and aching muscles. People whose immune system has been suppressed such as pregnant women, young children, and adults aged over 65 years are vulnerable to food poisoning. Have there been any tests for food poisoning? There could be more questions that can be asked to establish the cause of the outbreak and find an effective treatment for the affected. The answers to the questions also serve as a basis for future recommendations for organisers of similar events in future.
Works cited
Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). “Be Food Safe: Protect Yourself from Food Poisoning.” www.cdc.gov/features/befoodsafe/. Accessed 22 January 2017.
National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). “Gastroenteritis.” PubMed Health, n.d. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMHT0024804/. Accessed 22 January 2017.
National Health Service (NHS). “Food poisoning.” www.nhs.uk/conditions/Food-poisoning/Pages/Introduction.aspx. Accessed 22 January 2017.
World Health Organization (WHO). Food Born Diseases Outbreak: Guidelines for Investigation and Control. World Health Organization, 2008. www.who.int/foodsafety/publications/foodborne_disease/outbreak_guidelines.pdf. Accessed 22 January 2017.
