Infectious intestinal disease control

Citation

Stephen Fallows, D. (2001), "Infectious intestinal disease control", Nutrition & Food Science, Vol. 31 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/nfs.2001.01731bag.004

Infectious intestinal disease control

Infectious intestinal disease control

In 1989 the Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food initiated a study to establish "the true incidence of infectious intestinal disease (IID) in the community". The final 250-page report of this study was published late in 2000. The full text may be purchased from the Stationery Office.

Two documents (extracted from the final report) are available on the Internet; these are:

1. 1.

   An executive summary (Chapter 1 of the report). This outlines:

2. 2.
   • •

     background to the study;

   • •

     aims and objectives;

   • •

     methods;

   • •

     results;

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     conclusions.

3. 3.

   A summary (Chapter 10 of the report). This discusses:

4. 4.
   • •

     the incidence and microbiological cause of IID in the community and presenting to GPs;

   • •

     comparison of community and GP rates of IID with national laboratory surveillance data;

   • •

     risk factors for IID;

   • •

     costs of IID.

Both extracts can be accessed at the following URL: http://www.foodstandards.gov.uk/research/iid.htm

The results from the study included:

• •

  Whilst 20 per cent of the population (of England) suffered IID in a year, just 3 per cent of the population presented themselves to their GP.

• •

  The consumption of a very few specific foods was associated with an increased risk of suffering from IID.

• •

  The average cost of a case of IID (whatever its cause) was £79 at 1993-1995 prices.