A controlled survey of less typical long-term consequences after an extensive waterborne epidemic.

Background: Extensive backflow of treated wastewater caused household water contamination in a Finnish town in 2007. The drinking water of 9 500 residents became heavily polluted with faecal microbes, resulting in a large gastroenteritis epidemic. Cases of reactive arthritis, milder joint symptoms and prolonged gastrointestinal symptoms were observed after the outbreak.

[Effect of MRSA on treatment and care in Finland - applications for compensation and complaints in 1993 to 2012].

Events involving applications for compensation or filing a complaint in a MRSA case in Finland by patients or family members were studied for over a twenty-year period. The number of cases found was 305. Of the applications, only 7% resulted in compensation, and none of the complaints led to a change in decision.

The duration of gastrointestinal and joint symptoms after a large waterborne outbreak of gastroenteritis in Finland in 2007--a questionnaire-based 15-month follow-up study.

An extensive drinking water-associated gastroenteritis outbreak took place in the town of Nokia in Southern Finland in 2007. 53% of the exposed came down with gastroenteritis and 7% had arthritis-like symptoms (joint swelling, redness, warmth or pain in movement) according to a population-based questionnaire study at 8 weeks after the incident. Campylobacter and norovirus were the main pathogens.

Excess healthcare costs of a large waterborne outbreak in Finland.

Background: The economic effects of waterborne outbreaks have rarely been reported. A large waterborne outbreak occurred in the town of Nokia in Finland in 2007 with half of the population in the contaminated area suffering from gastroenteritis. We studied the healthcare costs of this outbreak.