Abstract

The Air France 3 Health Center reported an outbreak of acute gastroenteritis on March 10, 2024. The aim of this study was to describe the phenomenon, identify the causal agent, and determine the source of contamination. A retrospective cohort study was conducted on March 11, 2024. Data were collected from consultation registers at the Air France 3 and Kôkô urban health centers, as well as from interviews with patients and their families. Stool samples were taken from 33 cases, along with environmental samples, both of which were tested for enteric pathogens. During the epidemiological investigation, 141 cases of gastroenteritis were recorded, with 68% involving children less than 5 years of age. The symptoms included vomiting in 79.4% of cases, diarrhea in 78.0%, and fever in 46.8%. Additionally, 44.6% of the cases were from the Air France 3 neighborhood. No pathogens were found in the collected samples. For the retrospective cohort survey, 430 patients were included in the analysis, with 133 identified as ill. The results showed that the risk of contracting gastroenteritis was 8.39 times higher among patients consuming water from the Air France distribution network (95% confidence interval = 6.8-27.5). A return of wastewater following maintenance work on the distribution network was likely the source of the outbreak. Therefore, it is essential to implement regular water surveillance and provide training for agents responsible for maintaining the network.

Key words: Outbreak, gastroenteritis, waterborne, running water, Bouaké, Côte d’Ivoire.