Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Disclaimer
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by NELSON, K. E.
Right arrow Articles by SULZER, C. R.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by NELSON, K. E.
Right arrow Articles by SULZER, C. R.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

American Journal of Epidemiology Vol. 98, No. 5: 336-347
Copyright © 1973 by The Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health

other

AN OUTBREAK OF LEPTOSPIROSIS IN WASHINGTON STATE1

KENRAD E. NELSON2, ERNEST A. AGER, MILDRED M. GALTON 3, RUSSEL W. H. GILLESPIE and CATHERINE R. SULZER

2Reprint requests to Dr. Nelson, Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, University of Illinois College of Medicine, 835 South Wolcott Street, Chicago, Illinois 60612.

The results of an investigation of an outbreak of 61 cases of leptospirosis, which occurred among teenaged children in southeastern Washington between June 20 and August 20, 1964, are described. The illnesses, in most instances, were characterized by a benign course of headache, chills, fever, myalgia, and nausea. About half the cases had a stiff neck. The outbreak was associated with the use by the involved teenagers of an irrigation canal as a "swimming hole." Approximately 200 yards upstream from the "swimming hole" a herd of cattle was pastured. This herd had direct access to the irrigation canal at this point. Nine (21%) of 43 cattle cultured were shedding leptospires in early September 1964. Organisms were also cultured from samples of water standing on the pasture in early September. Cross-agglutination and agglutination-absorption studies on the isolates from the cattle and the water revealed them to he a new serotype in the Pomona group, which has been named kennewicki. Serologic data obtained using the microscopic agglutination test, a macroscopic slide test, and the genus specific hemolytic test, are presented.

disease outbreak; leptospirosis; serology; swimming; water pollution

1From the Epidemiology Program, Center for Disease Control, Atlanta, Georgia; the Division of Epidemiology, Washington State Department of Health, Olympia, Washington; and the College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington; and theDepartment of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois.

3Deceased.


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Clin. Microbiol. Rev.Home page
P. N. Levett
Leptospirosis
Clin. Microbiol. Rev., April 1, 2001; 14(2): 296 - 326.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.