Epidemiological and clinical description of the top three reportable parasitic diseases in a Canadian community.
This study provides a comprehensive epidemio-clinical picture of sporadic, domestically acquired cases of amoebiasis, cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis in one Canadian community based on patient symptom, outcome and exposure data from an enhanced surveillance system. It yields valuable data for estimating the burden of those diseases including the proportion of bloody diarrhoea, hospitalization, and disease duration. Age differences were observed by incidence rate and for some clinical information and exposures to risk factors. For each of the three diseases, the animal/environment-to-person route was the most common possible main transmission route according to the exposure reported, whereas the person-to-person route was the least common. Exposure was higher for the 10-24 years age group of giardiasis cases for swimming in recreational waters (79%) and attending a barbeque (50%). Therefore, comparisons between groups of cases or extrapolation of results when estimating the burden of illness should be adjusted for age.
Laboratory for Foodborne Zoonoses, Public Health Agency of Canada, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada.
A
A
Ravel
Centre for Food-borne, Environmental and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Public Health Agency of Canada, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
A
A
Nesbitt
Laboratory for Foodborne Zoonoses, Public Health Agency of Canada, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
K
K
Pintar
Region of Waterloo Public Health, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
A
A
Macarthur
Region of Waterloo Public Health, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
H-L
HL
Wang
Centre for Food-borne, Environmental and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Public Health Agency of Canada, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
B
B
Marshall
Centre for Food-borne, Environmental and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Public Health Agency of Canada, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
F
F
Pollari
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000562:Amebiasis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003457:Cryptosporidiosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D018563:Disease Notification; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D005260:Female; D005873:Giardiasis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009864:Ontario / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors