The Utah Department of Health documented a single epidemic of cryptosporidiosis in Utah during 2007. Seven hundred eleven laboratory-confirmed cases were reported in Salt Lake County, Utah from July 27 through December 18. Illness onset date was available for 86% (611 of 711) of patients and ranged from May 30 through November 11. Approximately 32% (224 of 691) of patients sought care in area emergency departments or urgent care facilities, and 8.5% (50 of 590 with data available) of patients required hospitalization. Sixty-one percent (432 of 711) of patients were less than 13 years of age. Of 381 patients with data available on symptoms, nearly all (99%, 378) reported diarrhea. Other commonly reported symptoms included vomiting (57%, 218), abdominal pain (51%, 196), and nausea (44%, 168).
Objective
The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential for improved detection of enteric disease epidemics using a classification category based on variations of diarrhea appearing in the chief complaints from emergency department and urgent care facility visits.