Microbiological aspects of public health planning and preparedness for the 2012 Olympic Games

Abstract

Although communicable diseases have hitherto played a small part in illness associated with Olympic Games, an outbreak of infection in a national team, Games venue or visiting spectators has the potential to disrupt a global sporting event and distract from the international celebration of athletic excellence. Preparation for hosting the Olympic Games includes implementation of early warning systems for detecting emerging infection problems. Ensuring capability for rapid microbiological diagnoses to inform situational risk assessments underpins the ability to dispel rumours. These are a prelude to control measures to minimize impact of any outbreak of infectious disease at a time of intense public scrutiny. Complex multidisciplinary teamwork combined with laboratory technical innovation and efficient information flows underlie the Health Protection Agency's preparation for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. These will deliver durable legacies for clinical and public health microbiology, outbreak investigation and control in the coming years.

An Investigation of the Diversity of Strains of Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli Isolated from Cases Associated with a Large Multi-Pathogen Foodborne Outbreak in the UK

“…Retrospectively, 88 specimens from cases associated with the outbreak were tested for the presence of other bacterial GI pathogens using a multiplex GI pathogens PCR [24]. A variety of bacterial GI pathogens were detected by PCR from 88 of the stored faecal specimens from cases associated with the outbreak including Salmonella (3 cases), STEC (5 cases) and Shigella (29 cases).…”

“…Retrospectively, 88 faecal specimens from cases associated with the outbreak were tested for the presence of other bacterial GI pathogens using a multiplex GI pathogens PCR [24]. Although the faecal specimens had been stored for over 10 weeks at 4°C, an attempt was made to isolate the pathogens detected by the multiplex PCR by testing individual colonies for the stx , ipaH and aggR target genes, associated with Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC), Shigella species and EAEC respectively.…”

Risk-oriented approach application at planning and orginizing antiepidemic provision of mass events

“…Mass events involve greater and greater dangers for population health including those caused by infectious pathologies [2,7,12,13]. Here epidemiologic risks level depends on a scale, duration, and season during which a mass event takes place, as well as geographic regions its participants and guests come from [14,15].…”

XXII Olympic Winter Games and XI Paralympic Winter Games 2014 in Sochi Sanitary and epidemiological welfare provision

“…на инфекционные заболевания приходилось менее 1% от обращений за медицинской помощью [235,239], а в Пекине (2008 г.) их число снизилось на 40% по сравнению с предыдущим годом [240]. Оче-видно, что это явилось следствием принятых профилактических мер, в том числе в области обеспечения безопасности пищевых продуктов.…”

“…был положен опыт пре-дыдущих олимпиад, при этом в качестве первостепенных были обозначе-ны два направления деятельности: -внедрение в практику технических (лабораторных) инноваций; -создание эффективных информационных потоков [240].…”