Bermuda is home to rare form of salmonella
FACT FILE
Preliminary results of the Burden of Illness study into the food and water born infections which cause diarrhoea, otherwise known as gastroenteritis:
►The yearly incidence rate was 1 episode per person, per year
►The prevalence of acute diarrhoea was highest in the under-five age group and lowest in the five-14 year age group.
►It was higher among females than males.
►Only ten percent of cases sought medical care.
A new study has helped give an insight into the sources of food and water-borne infections which cause diarrhoea in Bermuda.
Health Minister Zane DeSilva explained that the Burden of Illness study was carried out by the Caribbean Epidemiology Centre.
It comprised of a telephone survey featuring 861 participants and laboratory survey utilising patient specimens.
Similar studies have been carried out in seven other Caribbean countries.
“They will assist the World Health Organisation’s Global Burden of Disease initiative to improve food safety worldwide,” explained Mr DeSilva.
He added that the study “offered a unique opportunity for Bermuda to evaluate the sensitivity of its surveillance system and assess the true magnitude and burden” of the illness.
He also revealed: “Bermuda now has local laboratory capacity to test for norovirus and typing of Salmonella.
“Because of this, we now know that norovirus is quite common and that Bermuda has a type of Salmonella that is rarely seen in Caribbean countries.”
The final results of the study should be available next month.
“Bermuda is committed to implementing the recommendations from the study as reducing the burden of food-borne disease can only have positive effects on our tourism industry and the health of our people,” said the Minister.
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Published Nov 23, 2012 at 8:00 am (Updated Nov 23, 2012 at 12:02 am)