Laine Janne, Laine Outi, Lumio Jukka, Antonen Jaakko, Toikkanen Salla, Virtanen Mikko J, Kuusi Markku
Department of Internal Medicine, Tampere University Hospital, P.O. Box 2000, 33521, Tampere, Finland.
National Institute of Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland.
BMC Infect Dis. 2017 Feb 21;17(1):161. doi: 10.1186/s12879-017-2260-9.
Extensive backflow of treated wastewater caused household water contamination in a Finnish town in 2007. The drinking water of 9 500 residents became heavily polluted with faecal microbes, resulting in a large gastroenteritis epidemic. Cases of reactive arthritis, milder joint symptoms and prolonged gastrointestinal symptoms were observed after the outbreak. A follow-up survey was performed to study less familiar long-term health consequences within a year from the outbreak.
The contaminated group comprised a sample of residents of the area with polluted water supply (N = 323) and the control group a sample of residents in a nearby municipality (N = 186). The presence of 20 general symptoms or complaints was inquired by a mail survey. Quarterly prevalence of each symptom or complaint was measured. Twelve of these proceeded to further analysis.
The response rate was 53% (323/615) in the contaminated group and 54% (186/343) in the control group. Rash, eye irritation, heartburn and weight loss were more prevalent in the contaminated group during the first year quarter. In the last year quarter, only eye irritation was significantly more common in the contaminated group.
The excess prevalence of four complaints at the first year quarter can be explained by acute gastroenteritis or intensive water chlorination. The excess prevalence of eye irritation at the fourth year quarter cannot be explained by chlorination anymore but might be a sign of co-existing reactive joint disease. In general, long-term consequences of the outbreak can be considered minor in terms of the surveyed symptoms or complaints.
2007年，芬兰一个城镇因处理后的废水大量回流导致家庭用水污染。9500名居民的饮用水被粪便微生物严重污染，引发了大规模肠胃炎疫情。疫情爆发后，观察到反应性关节炎、较轻的关节症状和持续的胃肠道症状病例。进行了一项随访调查，以研究疫情爆发后一年内不太为人所知的长期健康后果。
受污染组包括供水受污染地区居民的样本（N = 323），对照组为附近一个自治市居民的样本（N = 186）。通过邮件调查询问20种一般症状或不适的存在情况。测量每种症状或不适的季度患病率。其中12种症状或不适进入进一步分析。
受污染组的回复率为53%（323/615），对照组为54%（186/343）。在第一季度，皮疹、眼睛刺激、烧心和体重减轻在受污染组中更为普遍。在最后一个季度，只有眼睛刺激在受污染组中明显更常见。
第一季度四种不适的患病率过高可由急性肠胃炎或强化水氯化来解释。第四季度眼睛刺激患病率过高不能再用水氯化来解释，但可能是并存的反应性关节疾病的迹象。总体而言，就所调查的症状或不适而言，疫情的长期后果可被视为轻微。
