Question

Twenty-eight kindergarten children and seven adults visited a raw milk bottling plant, where they were given ice cream and unpasteurized milk. Three to six days later, nine children and three adults developed gastroenteritis. The only other foods eaten by all of the children (ill and well) were in the school-provided lunches. No one else in the school became sick. Stool cultures showed one bacterium in common to nine of the ill children and not present in samples from any of the other children. This bacterium is a curved gramnegative rod, and it is unable to metabolize glucose.

1. What microorganism is responsible for causing the gastroenteritis? Are there any risk factors or complications associated with this illness?

2. Why is this microorganism the most likely cause?

3. What patient history or other symptoms should you look for or ask about during the patient exam?

4. What medical tests are required to diagnose this disease?

5. What would be your prescribed treatment regimen?

Answer 1

1. The bacteria Campylobacter is responsible for causing the gastroenteritis. The symptoms include an inflammation like feeling in the gastrointestinal tract and usually lasts a week or two. Not much of a complications are associated with this illness in majority of cases.
2. The microorganism is the most likely cause because the children ate raw milk product i.e. unpasterized milk and campylobacter is the main bacteria that is usually found in the unpasterized milk.
3. The other symptoms of gastroenteritis include:
   It causes pain in the abdominal region, diarhhea, vomiting
4. The diagnosis of gastroenteritis is done mainly by observing the symptoms while stool culture is one of the common methods/tests that can help diagnose this better.
5. The oral rehydration solution(ORS) should be the prescribed treatment as it has the solution of sal,sugar and water that helps fight body from excessive loss of hydration from the body and makes sure the body remains hydrated. Also recommend drinking clean water, human waste disposal are some of the preventory checks that can be recommended.