Biomaterial Database

An outbreak of El Tor cholera in an institution for the mentally retarded in Nonthaburi, June-July 1987. 1991

W Swaddiwudhipong, and K Limpakarnjanarat

Department of Community and Social Medicine, Mae Sot General Hospital, Tak.

In June and July 1987, an outbreak of cholera caused by V.cholerae O1, biotype El Tor, serotype Inaba, occurred in an institution for the mentally retarded in Nonthaburi. Of the 447 retarded inmates, 74 were found to be infected and one died. Epidemiological investigation revealed that the inmates with severe mental retardation who ate food in their own sleeping-room were significantly (p less than 0.001) more likely to be infected than those taking food in the dining-room. We hypothesize that the liquid diet commonly served to the more severely mentally retarded may have increased the risk of infection by more rapid gastric emptying. The long average period of time for meal consumption among these individuals may have allowed the organisms to multiply to a level capable of causing disease. Contamination of food with cholera might have occurred during food handling in the kitchen or within the sleeping-room where overcrowded conditions and poor personal hygiene facilitated person-to-person spread of infection. Prompt implementation of control measures effectively terminated cholera transmission in the outbreak.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008607	Intellectual Disability	Subnormal intellectual functioning which originates during the developmental period. This has multiple potential etiologies, including genetic defects and perinatal insults. Intelligence quotient (IQ) scores are commonly used to determine whether an individual has an intellectual disability. IQ scores between 70 and 79 are in the borderline range. Scores below 67 are in the disabled range. (from Joynt, Clinical Neurology, 1992, Ch55, p28)	Disability, Intellectual,Idiocy,Mental Retardation,Retardation, Mental,Deficiency, Mental,Intellectual Development Disorder,Mental Deficiency,Mental Retardation, Psychosocial,Deficiencies, Mental,Development Disorder, Intellectual,Development Disorders, Intellectual,Disabilities, Intellectual,Disorder, Intellectual Development,Disorders, Intellectual Development,Intellectual Development Disorders,Intellectual Disabilities,Mental Deficiencies,Mental Retardations, Psychosocial,Psychosocial Mental Retardation,Psychosocial Mental Retardations,Retardation, Psychosocial Mental,Retardations, Psychosocial Mental
D012112	Residential Facilities	Long-term care facilities which provide supervision and assistance in activities of daily living with medical and nursing services when required.	Facilities, Residential,Facility, Residential,Residential Facility
D002648	Child	A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL.	Children
D002771	Cholera	An acute diarrheal disease endemic in India and Southeast Asia whose causative agent is VIBRIO CHOLERAE. This condition can lead to severe dehydration in a matter of hours unless quickly treated.	Vibrio cholerae Infection,Choleras,Infection, Vibrio cholerae,Infections, Vibrio cholerae,Vibrio cholerae Infections
D004196	Disease Outbreaks	Sudden increase in the incidence of a disease. The concept includes EPIDEMICS and PANDEMICS.	Outbreaks,Infectious Disease Outbreaks,Disease Outbreak,Disease Outbreak, Infectious,Disease Outbreaks, Infectious,Infectious Disease Outbreak,Outbreak, Disease,Outbreak, Infectious Disease,Outbreaks, Disease,Outbreaks, Infectious Disease
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000293	Adolescent	A person 13 to 18 years of age.	Adolescence,Youth,Adolescents,Adolescents, Female,Adolescents, Male,Teenagers,Teens,Adolescent, Female,Adolescent, Male,Female Adolescent,Female Adolescents,Male Adolescent,Male Adolescents,Teen,Teenager,Youths
D013785	Thailand	Formerly known as Siam, this is a Southeast Asian nation at the center of the Indochina peninsula. Bangkok is the capital city.	Kingdom of Thailand,Siam