SWEDEN – The Public Health Agency of Sweden (Folkhälsomyndigheten) has confirmed a total of 61 people as being infected by the same specific strain of Cryptosporidium parvum, prompting invesigations into the source.
These people, who reside in ten different parts of the nation, became unwell between September 25 and October 10.
Of the confirmed instances, 20 males and 41 women are affected. They range in age from 11 to 86, with an average age of 44.
In the same time frame, 98 more probable infections were recorded, some of which may also be a part of the outbreak.
The Public Health Agency of Sweden said the surge is under investigation but it might be brought on by a product that is sold widely across the nation.
It is together with the Swedish Food Agency (Livsmedelsverket) and local infection control units, looking into the epidemic to determine where the infection came from.
Cryptosporidium is a parasite that, if ingested, can cause cryptosporidiosis. Transmission occurs mainly through contact with contaminated water but can be via food or exposure to infected animals or water contaminated by the feces of infected animals.
The main symptom is watery diarrhea, which can range from mild to severe. It is often accompanied by stomach pain, nausea or vomiting, fever, and sometimes dehydration and weight loss. Symptoms usually appear two to 10 days after infection and last one to two weeks.
Salmonella outbreak nearing a close
Meanwhile, a Salmonella Typhimurium epidemic, which had 54 cases by mid-October, has since increased to 84 cases.
The ailing individuals became ill between September 17 and October 6. They are spread over 20 of the nation’s 21 regions.
Patients range in age from 4 to 87, with a 48-year-old average. The majority are women with 52 cases.
Cases have been connected by whole genome sequencing of patient samples. This means they are suspected of having been infected by a common source.
The number of suspected and confirmed infections has dropped recently, according to officials, indicating the outbreak is coming to an end.
This makes fresh food with a short shelf life suspect as the cause, along with the incident’s quick start and widespread geographic dispersion of cases.
Regional infection control units, the Swedish Food Agency, and the Public Health Agency of Sweden are currently collaborating to find a specific cause.
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