oswego               package:epitools               R Documentation

_O_u_t_b_r_e_a_k _o_f _G_a_s_t_r_o_i_n_t_e_s_t_i_n_a_l _I_l_l_n_e_s_s _i_n _O_s_w_e_g_o _C_o_u_n_t_y, _1_9_4_0

_D_e_s_c_r_i_p_t_i_o_n:

     On April 19, 1940, the local health officer in the village of
     Lycoming, Oswego County, New York, reported the occurrence of an
     outbreak of acute gastrointestinal illness to the District Health
     Officer in Syracuse. Dr. A. M. Rubin, epidemiologist-in-training,
     was assigned to conduct an investigation. 

     When Dr. Rubin arrived in the field, he learned from the health
     officer that all persons known to be ill had attended a church
     supper held on the previous evening, April 18. Family members who
     did not attend the church supper did not become ill. Accordingly,
     Dr. Rubin focused the investigation on the supper. He completed
     Interviews with 75 of the 80 persons known to have attended,
     collecting information about the occurrence and time of onset of
     symptoms, and foods consumed. Of the 75 persons interviewed, 46
     persons reported gastrointestinal illness.

     The onset of illness in all cases was acute, characterized chiefly
     by nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. None of the ill
     persons reported having an elevated temperature; all recovered
     within 24 to 30 hours. Approximately 20 physicians. No fecal
     specimens were obtained for bacteriologic examination.

     The supper was held in the basement of the village church. Foods
     were contributed by numerous members of the congregation. The
     supper began at 6:00 p.m. and continued until 11:00 p.m. Food was
     spread out on a table and consumed over a period of several hours.
     Data regarding onset of illness and food eaten or water drunk by
     each of the 75 persons interviewed are provided in the attached
     line listing (Oswego dataset). The approximate time of eating
     supper was collected for only about half the persons who had
     gastrointestinal illness.

_U_s_a_g_e:

     ##data(oswego)

_F_o_r_m_a_t:


   '_i_d' subject identificaton number

   '_a_g_e' age

   '_s_e_x' sex: F = Female, M = Male

   '_m_e_a_l._t_i_m_e' meal time on April 18th

   '_i_l_l' developed illness: Y = Yes N = No

   '_o_n_s_e_t._d_a_t_e' onset date: "4/18" = April 18th, "4/19" = April 19th

   '_o_n_s_e_t._t_i_m_e' onset time: HH:MM AM/PM

   '_b_a_k_e_d._h_a_m' consumed item: Y = Yes N = No

   '_s_p_i_n_a_c_h' consumed item: Y = Yes N = No

   '_m_a_s_h_e_d._p_o_t_a_t_o' consumed item: Y = Yes N = No

   '_c_a_b_b_a_g_e._s_a_l_a_d' consumed item: Y = Yes N = No

   '_j_e_l_l_o _r_o_l_l_s' consumed item: Y = Yes N = No

   '_b_r_o_w_n._b_r_e_a_d' consumed item: Y = Yes N = No

   '_m_i_l_k' consumed item: Y = Yes N = No

   '_c_o_f_f_e_e' consumed item: Y = Yes N = No

   '_w_a_t_e_r' consumed item: Y = Yes N = No

   '_c_a_k_e_s' consumed item: Y = Yes N = No

   '_v_a_n_i_l_l_a._i_c_e._c_r_e_a_m' consumed item: Y = Yes N = No

   '_c_h_o_c_o_l_a_t_e._i_c_e._c_r_e_a_m' consumed item: Y = Yes N = No

   '_f_r_u_i_t._s_a_l_a_d' consumed item: Y = Yes N = No


_S_o_u_r_c_e:

     Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Epidemic Intelligence
     Service

_R_e_f_e_r_e_n_c_e_s:

     Oswego: An Outbreak of Gastrointestinal Illness Following a Church
     Supper (updated 2003):  S. aureus outbreak among church picnic
     attendees, 1940; the classic, straightforward outbreak
     investigation in a defined population. Training modules available
     at <URL: http://www.cdc.gov/eis/casestudies/casestudyex.htm>.

