Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

CHOLERA IN PORTUGAL, 1974

1977; Oxford University Press; Volume: 105; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a112391

1476-6256

Paul A. Blake, Mark L. Rosenberg, JOSE BANDEIRA COSTA, PEDRO SOARES FERREIRA, CESAR LEVY. GUIMARAES, Eugene J. Gangarosa,

Vibrio bacteria research studies

In April-November 1974, Portugal had a cholera epidemic caused by Vibrio cholerae El Tor Inaba with 2467 bacteriologically confirmed hospitalized cases and 48 deaths. Most of the country was affected, with 17 of the 18 districts reporting cases. V. cholerae was isolated from 42 per cent of shellfish tested during the epidemic, and an epidemiologic study found that a history of consumption of raw or poorly cooked cockles was significantly more common among cholera patients than among paired controls. Water from a spring and a brand of commercially bottled water were also found to be vehicles of transmission of cholera. Although night soil was sometimes used on gardens, consumption of raw fruits and vegetables was not associated with illness.