Onshore catering increases the risk of diarrhoeal illness amongst cruise ship passengers.
Of 134 Queensland passengers on a cruise, 91 (67.9%) people reported various illnesses including 41 (30.6%) who reported diarrhoeal symptoms. Queensland passengers who ate while onshore at non-Australian ports were significantly more at risk of developing diarrhoeal symptoms than those who did not. Passengers were particularly at risk when they ate onshore while undertaking a tour compared with those who did not undertake this tour. Travellers should be warned of the possibility of contracting diarrhoeal illness from onshore catering.
Communicable Diseases Unit, Queenaland Health, GPO Box 48, Brisbane, Qld, Australia 4001. Robyn_Pugh@health.qld.gov.au
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D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005511:Food Handling; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011793:Queensland / Q000453:epidemiology; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012767:Ships; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014195:Travel