Outbreak of gastroenteritis among medical students, Madhya Pradesh, Central India

INTRODUCTION: Although diarrheal diseases with known etiologies are under regular surveillance by the integrated disease surveillance project in India, only limited food-borne outbreaks were subjected to systematic epidemiological investigation. We examined one incidence of a food-borne outbreak among medical students in Bhopal, India, to identifying the source and mode of transmission, and to implement appropriate preventive measures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We constituted two teams. We did the line listing, filled the structured questionnaire and collected the biological samples. We did in-depth interviews of the case patients. We interviewed food handlers in mess. We randomly collected food and water samples. RESULTS: The study results identified 30 hosteller case patients for a total of 239 students (overall attack rate [AR]: 12.6%). In female students, the AR was 18.1% and in the male students it was 6.7%. The AR was highest in female hostel no. One compared to other female and male hostel (19.8% vs. 14.3%, 6.7%). We identified four different risk factors for the illness. DISCUSSION: As AR s are high compared to the general population. As the AR was high among the girls, the probable source of infection resides in the female hostel.