Background: Foodborne diseases have increased considerably. Aim: To report a foodborne outbreak, remarking the importance of early notification to activate the epidemiological surveillance system. Results: During February 2011 we observed a Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak. 31.6% of the cases were seen in the same Emergency Care Unit where all required intravenous fluid rehydration, and 41.7% were hospitalized because of severe dehydration. In the Emergency Room 45.5% of cases required a second visit to be diagnosed correctly. Discussion: Physicians under report the cases of this disease, delaying the activation of the epidemiological surveillance system. Conclusions: Besides providing good treatment to patients, physicians need to be qualified to recognize foodborne diseases and communicate early the suspicion of an outbreak to the epidemiological surveillance system in order to prevent new cases of disease in the community.

Introducción: Las enfermedades transmitidas por alimentos (ETA) han aumentado considerablemente. Objetivo: Reportar un grave brote de ETA destacando la importancia de la notificación precoz para la activación del sistema de vigilancia epidemiológica. Resultados: Durante febrero de 2011 se observó un brote de Salmonella Enteritidis. Un 31,6% de los casos fueron atendidos en un mismo servicio de urgencia, donde todos requirieron la administración de fluidos endovenosos y 41,7% fueron hospitalizados por deshidratación grave. El 45,5% de los casos necesitó de una segunda consulta para ser diagnosticados correctamente. Discusión: La identificación de pacientes integrantes de un brote de ETA es difícil en los servicios de urgencia y los médicos sub-reportan los casos, retrasando al sistema de vigilancia epidemiológica. Conclusiones: Junto con brindar un adecuado tratamiento, los médicos deben estar capacitados para reconocer las ETA y comunicar tempranamente la sospecha de un brote para prevenir nuevos casos en la comunidad.

Entre os anos de 2001-2003 foram coletadas amostras de sangue de 675 pacientes de dois hospitais psiquiátricos da região central do Chile, 172 de indivíduos sadios (médicos, enfermeiros e paramédicos) destas instituições e 1200 de doadores de sangue de cidades das regiões norte (Arica e Antofagasta), central (Valparaiso e Santiago) e sul (La Union) para determinar a frequência de anticorpos anti Strongyloides stercoralis mediante a reação de enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Foram observadas soropositividade de 12.1% em pacientes de hospitais psiquiátricos e de 0,25% em doadores de sangue (p < 0.05). Todas as amostras dos indivíduos sadios foram não reagentes. Entre os doadores de sangue a soropositividade ocorreu somente nos indivíduos de Arica (1,0%) e La Union (0,5%) sugerindo que a estrongiloidíase poderia estar localizada em determinadas áreas geográficas do país. Conclui-se que no Chile as infecções por S. stercoralis seriam endêmicas, de baixa freqüência e afetando especialmente grupos de risco como os pacientes psiquiátricos.

To determine the frequency of Strongyloides stercoralis antibodies by means of the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in Chile, in 2001-2003, 675 blood samples of patients of two psychiatric hospitals and 172 of healthy individuals (doctors, nurses and paramedicals) of these institutions, and 1,200 serum samples of blood donors of Northern region (Arica and Antofagasta), Central region (Valparaiso and Santiago) and Southern region (La Union) were collected. ELISA showed positivity of 12.1% in psychiatric hospitalized patients, none (0%) in the health personnel and 0.25% in blood donors (p < 0.05). Only in blood donors of Arica (1%) and La Union (0.5%) the ELISA test was positive suggesting that strongyloidiasis is focalized in determinate zones of the country. In Chile, human infections by S. stercoralis are endemic with very low frequency in apparently healthy individuals and high prevalence in risk groups such as the mentally ill hospitalized patients.