Tarazona gastroenteritis outbreak is Spain’s worst caused by parasites

and 444 cases of gastroenteritis According to the public health department, the Tarazona epidemic caused by the presence of Cryptosporidium oocysts in the drinking water of the Queles River is the most serious epidemic in Spain in recent years.Professor of Animal Health, College of Veterinary Medicine University of ZaragozaJoaquín Quílez assures that this is also “one of the largest outbreaks recorded in Europe so far”.

Although the person affected Mild diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and feverthe number of infections at this time already represents Of the 805 people who declared in Spain, 55% According to the National Epidemiological Surveillance Network report, last year.

Public health authorities reported an additional 28 cases on Saturday, including two in do not gowhich has eight affected residents, has also banned the use of tap water for drinking or cooking since Thursday, in addition to Torreras and Fayos. Residents of the two cities were spared for the time being. If restrictions are met, the outbreak is expected to subside next week.

Tarazona Mayor Tono Jarre told this newspaper on Saturday that neither city technicians nor National Guard Seprona agents had found evidence of the incident so far. The causes of river pollution

located upstream of the city’s water intake between Los Fayos and Vozmediano (Soria).

Jaray explained that the section of road being investigated is approximately eight kilometers and that during a visual inspection of nearby banks No trace of illegal dumping foundanimal carcasses, earthworks or felling of trees may be the cause of river pollution.

In addition, he noted that there are also “no-alerts” affecting livestock farms at the Tarazona Veterinary District, making it more difficult to find the source of the outbreak.

The Ebro Hydrological Consortium (CHE) said the samples they regularly collect in rivers and authorized discharge points are mainly used to analyze physical and chemical substances and therefore cannot detect bacterial contamination. “CHE does not have systems or technology that can identify these organisms”official sources said.

However, CHE emphasizes its cooperation with the health authorities responsible for the river, as it has information on uses and activities in the affected municipalities.

For all this, Mayor to propose expanded sampling next week In addition to analyzing the water from the nearby Elvars reservoir, various points in the river were also analyzed for the concentration of protozoa. He plans to verify the effectiveness of the disinfection measures taken by the city’s pipe network next week and collect water again.

At the same time, the opposition mobilized. PSOE has put forward a motion at next Wednesday’s plenary meeting asking the city government team to strengthen coordination and work among agencies to find the source of water pollution and immediately study a financial compensation plan for affected families. For his part, Tarazona Plural-IU MP Antonio Lorente is demanding “transparency” and “serious” commitments on the water supply, 13 days after the gastroenteritis outbreak.

Statements since 2015

Reporting of the disease has been mandatory since 2015, although autonomous regions have gradually joined the reporting bandwagon. since then, The year with the most registered cases was 2018, with 1,526 affected (133 in Aragon)

In 2019, there were 971 cases. There was a drop in 2020, with just 155 cases, which experts attributed to the coronavirus pandemic due to restrictions and hand-washing measures.

The Ministry of Science’s annual dossier on the pathology of cryptosporidiosis first mentioned small outbreaks linked to water contamination in swimming pools or other recreational areas, day care centers or household transmission.

The profile of the most seriously injured patients corresponds to that of patients under 5 years of age. As age increases, especially after the age of 10, it will gradually decrease. According to the National Surveillance Network, four related cases in preschool children under the age of 2 were reported in the community in 2022.

The outbreak in Turiasonia coincided with an outbreak in the town of Baena, Córdoba. The military government of Andalucia banned the drinking of tap water on the 9th, and 12 days later, last Wednesday, it announced that tap water was drinkable. However, the presence of this protozoan caused diarrhea in only 11 people, nine in Baena and two in Luque and Lucena. In order to strengthen surveillance, the Andalusian government has determined that controls will be carried out weekly in Baena for the next two months.

A professor of animal health at the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Zaragoza has been studying such microorganisms for thirty years. It is unclear whether the waterborne outbreak was documented in scientific articles in Spain. Just like Tarazona in other parts of the country.

Joaquín Quílez believes that the “most plausible source” of Quílez’s contamination may be “ “Carrying wastewater or land that has this parasite present due to some use.”

The government will review new measures on Monday

Government agencies involved in the management of the gastroenteritis outbreak will meet this Monday in Tarazona to design and launch Further measures after the ban on drinking water by mouth In this town as well as Novalas, Torreras and Los Fayos.

The meeting was attended by: Aragonese Minister of Health José Luis Bancalero, Mayor of Turiazon City Antonio Jarre, Director of Public Health Nuria Gayan, Director of the Aragon Water Institute, Aragonese Tribute Water Commissioner Louis Estarn. Carlos Arrazola of the Ebro Hydrographic Confederation (CHE) and Enrique Novales, Technical Advisor of the General Directorate of Quality and Food Safety of the DGA. Likewise, representatives from the National Guard will be in attendance.

Tono Jarre hopes this meeting will be “another step forward” An in-depth study of disinfection research measures Find the focus of the outbreak while maintaining relief measures for the population until the pollution affecting the Quailes River is resolved. “We will continue to distribute bottled water.”