Gastroenteritis It’s one of the most common reasons patients are visiting medical centers this summer. The incidence of gastrointestinal diseases surged from July to September. Public health authorities have identified 1,307 cases, more than double the number reported in these months over the past five years.
This is reflected in the communiqué Institute of Public Health and Occupational Health of Navarra (ISPLN) In November, cases of infectious diseases observed in the community of Forar in July, August and September were analyzed, among which Compared with previous years, the number of gastroenteritis cases has increased significantly.
Public health experts have listed ten pathogens that cause gastrointestinal illness, and all but two have increased in incidence this year, but two stand out: Campylobacter and Cryptosporidium. The first is the country with the highest number of infections (449 cases), which at this time of year registers double the number of cases (200 to 300 cases); The second type causes one in four gastroenteritis cases (362), but it is the one that has increased most, with its incidence increasing tenfold compared with previous years.
also, Cryptosporidium It is this bacteria that caused the outbreak in Tarazona (Zaragoza) Nearly 500 people in the area were affected and threatened the Navarra people of the Aguas del Moncayo community.
There are no outbreak cases in Tarazona
However, the ISPLN assures that this gastroenteritis outbreak has not caused any cases in Navarra and is associated with a high incidence of gastroenteritis. Cryptosporidium Infections in swimming pools, especially in children. “he Cryptosporidium It has circulated in many communities as well as other European countries. But when the Tarazona outbreak broke out, we specifically analyzed that area and investigated many cases, but none of them were related to that outbreak,” he explained. Jesús Castilla, Director of the Infectious Diseases Unit at ISPLN.
In fact, the population Federation of Aguas del Moncayo (Ablitas, Barillas, Buñuel, Corella, Monteagudo, Murchante, Ribaforada and Tulebras) One of the reasons they have not been affected is that water from the bacteria-contaminated Queiles River has not been supplied to the areas for drinking from the Dehesa reservoir since June, while the outbreak It broke out in early September.
In the case of Navarra, the incidence is high Cryptosporidium This is due to the circulation of the swimming pool and has been linked to infection in children younger than 3 years of age. Castilla details: “In late summer, we discovered that an outbreak of this bacteria was associated with the use of swimming pools, especially wading pools used by the youngest children. This bacteria is widespread throughout Navarre.”
In the words of epidemiologists, this bacterial infection occurs – Transmitted through feces-oral As a result, it’s relatively easy for a child with diarrhea to infect an entire pool, and it’s common for other babies to then swallow the water.
Most are children under 3 years old
Cases of the bacteria found in Navarre during the summer were mostly in children under 3 years old, peaking in early September after weeks of high temperatures in late August. “High temperatures cause pools to become crowded, which is conducive to greater contagion,” Castilla said. Regarding the gastroenteritis it causes, It is shown that it does not produce severe symptoms, but it does produce fairly long-lasting symptoms, lasting about 2 or 3 weeks.
“As adults are not seriously ill and can live a normal life and maintain good hygiene habits, the risk of infection is very low. But in families with young children, the exposure is greater and therefore the risk is greater. “ Therefore, the head of public health infectious diseases insists that children with symptoms “do not go to day care centers” to avoid the spread of gastroenteritis.
This summer’s increase in gastroenteritis comes after two years marked by the covid-19 pandemic, in 2020 and 2021, in which restrictions led to a decrease in most illnesses. Under any circumstances, No gastroenteritis outbreak in the Foral community has been as severe as in Tarazona, affecting nearly 500 people and forcing residents of the town and Torreras (also in Zaragoza) to be without tap water for nearly two months. During this period, town councils were required to distribute water cans to households in these municipalities and seven 1,000-litre water tanks were installed to supply residents.