A Foodborne Disease Outbreak With an Unusual Cause
Authors: Yong Wang, Hanbin Wang, Shaofu Qiu, Xishan Xiong, Xiaoling Liu, Hongbin Song
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2013)

Letters1 January 2013A Foodborne Disease Outbreak With an Unusual CauseYong Wang, MD, PhD, Hanbin Wang, MD, PhD, Shaofu Qiu, PhD, Xishan Xiong, MD, Xiaoling Liu, MD, and Hongbin Song, MD, PhDYong Wang, MD, PhDFrom Institute of Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Academy of Military Medical Sciences, and The No. 307 Hospital of the People's Liberation Army, Beijing, China.Search for more papers by this author, Hanbin Wang, MD, PhDFrom Institute of Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Academy of Military Medical Sciences, and The No. 307 Hospital of the People's Liberation Army, Beijing, China.Search for more papers by this author, Shaofu Qiu, PhDFrom Institute of Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Academy of Military Medical Sciences, and The No. 307 Hospital of the People's Liberation Army, Beijing, China.Search for more papers by this author, Xishan Xiong, MDFrom Institute of Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Academy of Military Medical Sciences, and The No. 307 Hospital of the People's Liberation Army, Beijing, China.Search for more papers by this author, Xiaoling Liu, MDFrom Institute of Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Academy of Military Medical Sciences, and The No. 307 Hospital of the People's Liberation Army, Beijing, China.Search for more papers by this author, and Hongbin Song, MD, PhDFrom Institute of Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Academy of Military Medical Sciences, and The No. 307 Hospital of the People's Liberation Army, Beijing, China.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-158-1-201301010-00021 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail Background: Guidelines from the World Health Organization for managing foodborne disease outbreaks caution about the following possible causes: pathogenic bacteria, viruses, protozoa, trematodes, cestodes, nematodes, natural toxins, and chemicals, but not medicines (1).Objective: To report a foodborne disease outbreak caused by clonidine.Methods and Findings: On 23 April 2010 at 11:50 a.m., travelers who had just finished lunch at a restaurant in the Huairou District, Beijing, China, began to feel faint. By 2:30 p.m., 80 people comprising 43 men and 37 women with a median age of 32.4 years (range, 20 to 75 years) developed dizziness (100%), weakness (87.5%), ...References1. World Health Organization. Foodborne Disease Outbreaks: Guidelines for Investigation and Control. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization; 2008. Accessed at www.who.int/foodsafety/publications/foodborne_disease/outbreak_guidelines.pdf on 27 September 2012. Google Scholar2. Conner CS, Watanabe AS. Clonidine overdose: a review. Am J Hosp Pharm. 1979;36:906-11. [PMID: 382842] MedlineGoogle Scholar3. Wang H, Xiong X, Chen Z, Sun C, Liu R, Wen N, Cui D. Hemoperfusion treatment of acute clonidine poisoning in 11 cases. Chinese Journal of Internal Medicine. 2010;49:816. Google Scholar4. Klein-Schwartz W. Trends and toxic effects from pediatric clonidine exposures. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Medm. 2002;156:392-6. [PMID: 11929375] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. Watson WA, Litovitz TL, Klein-Schwartz W, Rodgers GC, Youniss J, Reid N, et al. 2003 annual report of the American Association of Poison Control Centers Toxic Exposure Surveillance System. Am J Emerg Med. 2004;22:335-404. [PMID: 15490384] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: Yong Wang, MD, PhD; Hanbin Wang, MD, PhD; Shaofu Qiu, PhD; Xishan Xiong, MD; Xiaoling Liu, MD; Hongbin Song, MD, PhDAffiliations: From Institute of Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Academy of Military Medical Sciences, and The No. 307 Hospital of the People's Liberation Army, Beijing, China.Note: All authors contributed equally to this manuscript.Acknowledgment: The authors thank Yuanyong Xu, MD, PhD; Leili Jia, PhD; and Ligui Wang, MSc, from the Chinese Academy of Military Medical Sciences for participating in the data collection and laboratory testing.Grant Support: By Major-Project of Science and Technology Research of China (2012ZX10004-215, 2012ZX10004-801, 2013ZX10004-218, 2013ZX10004-203, 2013ZX10004-217, and 2011ZX10004-001).Disclosures: Drs. Y. Wang, Qiu, and Song: Grant (money to institution): Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology; Fees for participation in review activities such as data monitoring boards, statistical analysis, end point committees, and the like (money to institution): Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology.Corresponding Author: Hongbin Song, MD, PhD, Institute of Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Academy of Military Medical Sciences, 20 Dongdajie Street, 100071 Beijing, China; e-mail, [email protected]net. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics 1 January 2013Volume 158, Issue 1Page: 75-76KeywordsBloodBlood pressureChildrenDopamineHeart rateHypotensionStarchesStatistical dataToxinsUrine ePublished: 1 January 2013 Issue Published: 1 January 2013 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2013 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...