Abstract:

Objective

To investigate the clinical characteristics of patients with foodborne diseases,retrospectively, and to provide a basis for the prevention and control of foodborne diseases.

Methods

A descriptive study was conducted to collect the cases of foodborne diseases and the results of pathogenic surveillance in the Intestinal Clinic of Peking University Third Hospital from January 2014 to August 2023,retrospectively, and the patients were divided into pathogen-positive group (494 cases) and pathogen-negative group (1 422 cases). The demographic data, clinical manifestations and epidemiology between the two groups were compared.

Results

Total of 1 916 cases were collected, including 1 008 males (52.6%) and 908 females(47.4%). The main occupational types were students (623 cases, 32.5%) and cadres (498 cases, 26.0%). The main clinical manifestations were diarrhea 5-10 times/day (1 156 cases, 60.3%) and watery stool (1 433 cases,74.8%), other symptoms were abdominal pain (1 123 cases, 58.6%), nausea (1 038 cases, 54.2%), vomiting(666 cases, 34.8%) and fever (498 cases, 26.0%), etc. Among the 1 916 patients, 494 cases were detected with pathogens, the positive detection rate was 25.8%, 336 cases were detected with bacteria, 167 cases were detected with virus, and 9 cases were detected with both bacteria and virus. Total of 504 strains of pathogens were detected, including 169 strains (33.5%) of Escherichia coli, 62 strains (12.3%) of Salmonella, 59 (11.7%)strains of Vibrio, 38 strains (7.5%) of Campylobacteria, 131 strains (26.0%) of norovirus and 35 strains(6.9%) of rotavirus. The stratification of occupation of patients in pathogen-positive group and pathogennegative group was significantly different (χ² = 18.534, P = 0.029); The onset time between the two groups was significantly different (χ² = 22.267, P ＜ 0.001), and the number of pathogen positive cases was the largest in the third quarter (July to September), which was 690 cases. Among the patients with positive pathogens,the main pathogens were bacteria and viruses, among which, the proportion of bacteria detected in the first,second, third and fourth quarters were 8.9% (5/56), 66.7% (118/177), 94.0% (189/201) and 40.0% (24/60),which was the highest in the third quarter. Patients with fever of pathogen-positive group and pathogennegative group were 32.8% (162/494) and 23.6% (336/1 422), respectively, with significant difference (χ² =16.009, P ＜ 0.001). The diarrhea type (χ² = 6.537, P = 0.037) and type of food being eaten (χ² = 45.757, P ＜0.001) of patients in pathogen-positive group and pathogen-negative group between the pathogen-positive group and the pathogen-negative group were significantly different.

Conclusions

Foodborne diseases are common in diarrhea patients, with a high incidence in summer and autumn, and with characteristic pathogen spectrum and epidemiological characteristics. It is necessary to strengthen and improve food safety monitoring and prevention and control for key groups.

Key words: Foodborne diseases, Descriptive analysis, Pathogen monitoring, Epidemiology