Analysis of the Korean Emergency Department Syndromic Surveillance System: Mass Type Acute Diarrheal Syndrome

Ahn, Shin; Lee, Jae Ho; Kim, Won; Lim, Kyung Soo

We obtained the number of mass food poisoning cases from the Food Poisoning Statistical System (http://e-stat.kfda. go.kr/) of the KFDA during the same period, June, 2002 to July, 2008 as the data of acute diarrheal syndrome (mass type) were acquired from the Korean CDC. The Food Poisoning Statistical System of the KFDA reports the number of cases and patients classified by periods, regions, causative organisms and causative facilities. Irrespective of the types of medical facility, according to the Food Sanitation Act, Article 67, Clause 1-3, doctors must report the case to the district public health center whenever they diagnose any mass food poisoning patients or examine who are suspicious to be so, and the head of public health center must report it to the provincial governor, and the provincial governor must report it to the Ministry of Health and Welfare minister and the director of the KFDA. These rules are mandatory and to those who violate the rules, fine is imposed. The KFDA reports mass food poisoning statistics on the basis of public health centers' report data.