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.
Pugh
R E
RE
Communicable Diseases Unit, Queenaland Health, GPO Box 48, Brisbane, Qld, Australia 4001. Robyn_Pugh@health.qld.gov.au
Selvey
L
L
Crome
M
M
Beers
M
M
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