E-mail surveys assist investigation and response: a university conjunctivitis outbreak.
A conjunctivitis outbreak affecting more than 200 individuals occurred on a university campus in Evanston, Illinois, USA, in spring 2002. An investigation was conducted jointly by the Evanston Department of Health and the Illinois Department of Public Health. A combination of e-mail and traditional telephone-based surveys demonstrated that wearing contact lenses was a risk factor for any conjunctivitis and bilateral conjunctivitis, whereas using glasses was protective. Laboratory and epidemiological evidence suggested that the outbreak was caused by a viral pathogen that eluded characterization despite extensive culture and PCR-based laboratory testing. Enhanced laboratory surveillance could help clinicians and public-health officials to identify relevant secular changes in the spectrum of causes of conjunctivitis. During institutional outbreaks, e-mail surveys can help public-health officials to efficiently access information not easily collected by traditional case-control studies, and can provide an effective conduit for providing prevention recommendation, such as the need for improved hand and contact-lens hygiene during outbreaks.
University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
D J
DJ
Passaro
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M
Scott
M S
MS
Dworkin
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003231:Conjunctivitis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D034742:Electronic Mail; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007087:Illinois / Q000453:epidemiology; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities