Introduction to Epidemiology 6th Edition by Ray M Merrill

Exercise 10

Do you believe that the raspberries were the source of themultistate outbreaks of cyclosporiasis? Which of the criteria for causality (i.e., strength of association, biological plausibility, consistency with other studies, exposure precedes disease, and dose-response effect) have been satisfied in the linkage between raspberries and cyclosporiasis? How would you convince others on the validity of these findings?

Step 1 of 6

The traceback investigations and the testing of the farm water resources or the raspberries did not test positive for Cyclospora contamination directly at the time because the investigations were carried out after the outbreak. However, this does not mean that the raspberries did not have any correlation with the outbreaks being caused as multiple other evidences direct towards the association of raspberries with Cyclosporiasis outbreaks.

The only thing common among those who were affected by the disease and the outbreaks was the consumption of raspberries and thus it has to be the source of the outbreaks.