Outbreak of leptospirosis among triathlon participants in Langau, Austria, 2010.

We report on the first documented outbreak of leptospirosis in Austria. In July 2010, four cases of serologically confirmed leptospirosis occurred in athletes after a triathlon held in Langau. Heavy rains preceded the triathlon (rainfall: 22 mm).

Herd immunity after two years of the universal mass vaccination program against rotavirus gastroenteritis in Austria.

Austria was the first country in Europe implementing a universal mass vaccination program against rotavirus gastroenteritis (RV-GE) for all infants nationwide. Epidemiological data from a hospital based surveillance system show that incidence rates of children hospitalized with RV-GE decreased in 2009 compared to 2008 and compared to the prevaccination period 2001-2005. Decreasing hospitalization-rates from RV-GE were observed in children of all age groups, even in those not eligible for vaccination according to their age, suggesting herd immunity induced by universal mass vaccination against RV-GE.

An outbreak of febrile gastroenteritis associated with jellied pork contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

In September 2008, the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES) learned of an outbreak of diarrheal illness that included a 71-year-old patient hospitalized for gastroenteritis with a blood culture positive for Listeria monocytogenes. Three stool specimens provided by seven of 19 persons attending a day trip to a foreign city, including a final break at an Austrian tavern, yielded L. monocytogenes.

Outbreak of staphylococcal food intoxication after consumption of pasteurized milk products, June 2007, Austria.

On June 13, 2007, the public health authority informed the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety about 40 children from two neighboring elementary schools who had fallen ill with abdominal cramps and vomiting on June 8. School milk products consumed on June 8 were suspected as the source of the outbreak. On June 8, the milk products provided by local dairy X to eight elementary schools and two nurseries.

A non-foodborne norovirus outbreak among school children during a skiing holiday, Austria, 2007.

Norovirus is increasingly recognized as a leading cause of outbreaks of foodborne disease. We report on an outbreak in Austria that reached a total of 176 cases, affecting pupils and teachers from four schools on a skiing holiday in a youth hostel in the province of Salzburg in December 2007. A questionnaire was sent to the four schools in order to obtain data from persons attending the school trip on disease status, clinical onset, duration of illness and hospitalization.