In 25/5/1434 h (6/4/2013G) clinical unit in civil defense training center reported to preventive medicine department, Al-Qassim directorate, an unusual increase in the number of students suffering from conjunctivitis. The field Epidemiology Training Program (FETP) was assigned to verify and investigate this outbreak and recommend control measures.
Methodology
Conjunctivitis case was defined as any student with clinical picture of conjunctivitis .A case-control study of one case to two controls from trainee students was decided. A questionnaire was prepared and filled by students in the study. All selected cases that met case definition conjunctivitis was selected.
Results
40 cases and 80 controls were selected .All were males. 96% graduated from secondary school and 84% of them are single. 13(13%) students shared roommate personal items such as towels ,Student who shared roommate personal items like towels are 34 times at higher risk of getting the disease than those who did not share personal items (P=0.000002113). Regarding contact, 25(25%) had contact with someone having conjunctivitis, those had history of contact with infected student are 6 times at high risk of getting conjunctivitis than those with no history of contact (OR=6.41)-(p=0.00078).
Conclusion
The most important risk factors in transmitting conjunctivitis in the camp were sharing personal belongings and close contact with infected student.