An Outbreak Investigation of Dermatoses among People Living in Homei, Changhua County
Other Title
彰化縣和美鎮居民懷疑爆發皮膚病流行原因調查
Journal
中華公共衛生雜誌
Journal Volume
16
Journal Issue
4
Pages
365
Date Issued
1997-08-01
Author(s)
Abstract
本研究之目的在調查八十二年九月份彰化縣和美鎮犁盛里的居民皮膚紅疹病變明顯增加的致病原因。本研究以皮膚紅疹病變較集中之地區的居民為研究族群。衛生單位人員首先對該地區的居民之居家環境與皮膚病況實地查訪；然後由各皮膚科專科醫師及職業病醫師對有皮膚病變之居民進行會診。結果共有78位有皮膚症狀之居民主動前來被診視；其中有51名確定有皮膚病診斷。這其中又以蟲咬的患者最多（36例）。蟲咬的患者當中成人多於小孩(7:2)，男女相同，發病日期以八月份最多，並有顯著家中聚集的現象。彰化縣環保局亦對該鎮焚化爐、當地露天燃燒及里內29家工廠特性進行了解，發現垃圾焚化爐其煙囱僅約35公尺高，且距離犁盛里有二公里之遠，附近工廠之作業特性又似乎無可能導致附近居民皮膚紅疹病變的情形。經請病媒昆蟲學者前往調查並進行環境衛生整理後，此病即不再出現。因此我們推論此次爆發居民皮膚紅疹病變，和空氣污染並無相關連，而可能主要和蟲咬有關。The objective of this study is to determine the cause of an endemic outbreak of erythematous lesions of skin among people living in Ho-Mei, Chang-Hua county. Inhabitants with skin lesions who lived in the prevalent area were asked to come for dermatological examination. All volunteered subjects were examined by at least one dermatologist and one occupational physician and interviewed with a structured questionnaire. 51 subjects with skin lesions were diagnosed among 78 subjects who came. 36 cases with insect bite was the most prevalent diagnosis. Adults with insect bites were found to be more frequent more than children (7:2), and female and male were equal in numbers. Victims usually developed the lesions of insect bites in August and there was a significant high tendency of family clusters. In the walk-through survey to the surrounding environment, we found that there were one refuse incinerator and some factories surrounding the prevalent area. However, the furnace of the incinerator was about two kilometers far from the endemic area and its chimney was only 35 meters high. The operations of all the other local factories generally did not produce toxic air pollutants. After implementing environmental sanitation procedures to eradicate local insects including mosquitoes, the skin lesions disappeared and never recurred. We concluded the endemic outbreak of the skin lesions was not associated with air pollution, but probably caused by insect bites.
Subjects
紅疹
蟲咬症
空氣污染
erythematous lesion
insect bite
air pollution
Type
journal article