Epidemiological analysis of foodborne disease outbreaks in Colombia from 2019 to 2022

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

Foodborne diseases (FBD) are a major public health concern globally, affecting approximately 600
million people annually. The burden is especially significant in low- and middle-income countries
(LMICs) such as Colombia, where challenges like underreporting and inconsistencies in
surveillance hinder effective outbreak control. This study aims to analyze the epidemiological
characteristics, trends, and outcomes of foodborne disease outbreaks in Colombia from 2019 to
2022.
A retrospective descriptive cross-sectional approach was employed, utilizing secondary data from
Colombia's National Public Health Surveillance System (SIVIGILA). The analysis encompassed
temporal trends, geographical distribution, sources, modes of transmission, and outcomes of
outbreaks. A total of 2,819 outbreaks were recorded, and the attack rate was 22.65%, affecting
147,042 individuals, with 33,287 of them developing symptoms and 6 fatalities recorded over the
study period, peaks were consistently observed in March and August. Guaviare department
exhibited the highest incidence rate, at 264.20 per 100,000 population, while Atlántico had the
lowest at 26.83 per 100,000 population. Food contamination was identified as the leading cause of
outbreaks, responsible for 92.2% of cases, with the oral route being the predominant mode of
transmission (96.28%). Most outbreaks occurred in domestic settings (51.44%), a substantial
portion of outbreaks (33.05%) had unknown agents, and 28.02% were classified as having no
detected agent. Bacteria were the most frequently identified etiological agents, responsible for
22.32% of outbreaks with known causes.
Outbreak reporting may have been affected by the COVID-19 lockdown. Colombia's lower
identification rate underscores the need for improvements in diagnostic infrastructure and
investigative processes. Mortality rates were found to be low. Enhancements in the national
reporting system have been crucial for identifying and understanding these outbreak trends.

목차 (Table of Contents)

• TABLE OF CONTENTS
• LIST OF FIGURES ························································································································ iii
• LIST OF TABLES ·························································································································· iv
• LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ·········································································································· v
• ABSTRACT IN ENGLISH ············································································································ vi
• I. INTRODUCTION ························································································································ 1
• 1.1. Background ·························································································································· 1
• 1.2. Statement of the Problem ····································································································· 2
• 1.3. Significance of the study ····································································································· 2
• 1.4. Purpose (Objectives) ············································································································ 3
• 1.4.1. Main Objective ·········································································································· 3
• 1.4.2. Specific Objectives ···································································································· 3
• 1.5. Research Questions ··············································································································· 4
• 1.6. Operational Definition ·········································································································· 4
• II. LITERATURE REVIEW ············································································································ 5
• 2.1. Epidemiological Characteristics of Foodborne Disease Outbreaks ······································ 5
• 2.2. Foodborne Disease Outbreaks Surveillance in Colombia ···················································· 8
• 2.3. Global Health Authorities’ Perspective on Foodborne Disease Outbreaks ························ 12
• 2.4. Conceptual Framework ······································································································· 15
• III. METHODOLOGY ··················································································································· 16
• 3.1. Research Design ················································································································ 16
• 3.2. Study Participants ·············································································································· 16
• 3.2.1. Inclusion Criteria ····································································································· 16
• 3.2.2. Exclusion Criteria ···································································································· 16
• 3.2.3. Sampling Method ····································································································· 16
• 3.3. Variables ······························································································································ 17
• 3.4. Measurement Tool / Instruments ························································································ 19
• 3.5. Data Collection ··················································································································· 19
• 3.6. Data Analysis ······················································································································ 20
• 3.7. Ethical Statement ················································································································ 20
• IV. RESULTS ································································································································· 21
• 4.1. Temporal trends in foodborne disease outbreaks in Colombia between 2019 and 2022 ···· 21
• 4.2. Geographical distribution of foodborne disease outbreaks in Colombia between
• 2019 and 2022 ····················································································································· 23
• 4.3. Identified sources, modes of transmission, and places of consumption of foodborne
• disease outbreaks in Colombia between 2019 and 2022 ····················································· 26
• 4.4. Identified etiological agents of foodborne disease outbreaks in Colombia between
• 2019 and 2022. ···················································································································· 30
• 4.5. Attack rates in foodborne disease outbreaks in Colombia between 2019 and 2022. ·········· 35
• 4.6. Characteristics of mortality cases associated with foodborne disease outbreaks in
• Colombia between 2019 and 2022. ····················································································· 38
• V. DISCUSSION ···························································································································· 40
• 5.1. Temporal trends in foodborne disease outbreaks in Colombia between 2019 and 2022 ···· 40
• 5.2. Geographical distribution of foodborne disease outbreaks in Colombia between
• 2019 and 2022 ····················································································································· 40
• 5.3. Identified sources, routes of transmission, and places of consumption of foodborne
• disease outbreaks in Colombia between 2019 and 2022 ···················································· 41
• 5.4. Identified etiological agents of foodborne disease outbreaks in Colombia between
• 2019 and 2022 ····················································································································· 41
• 5.5. Attack rates in foodborne disease outbreaks in Colombia between 2019 and 2022 ··········· 42
• 5.6. Characteristics of mortality cases associated with foodborne disease outbreaks in
• Colombia between 2019 and 2022 ······················································································ 43
• VI. CONCLUSIONS ····················································································································· 44
• REFERENCES ······························································································································· 45