[Occurrence of acute infectious diarrhea during the lunar phases].

A chronobiometric analysis of 753 cases of acute infectious diarrhoea in adults in 1981-1990 in Kosice confirmed to a surprising extent recently reached conclusions of an investigation made by authors from Bratislava. The Kosice group comprised 352 cases of bacillary dysentery, 305 patients with salmonellosis, 72 with campylobacteriosis and 24 with yersiniosis. Statistically significantly fewer patients (p < 0.0001) were hospitalized during full moon, moon quarterly and new moon. In the intervals there were periods with a short-term increase of the daily admissions by cca 25%. This 7.38-day periodicity cannot be explained by the influence of the social 7-day week, as during observations extending over several years this rhythm is eliminated by a gradual shift across different phases of the moon. The authors did not find similar reports in the literature. For explanation, not only the organism of the host (variable immunity?) but also the infectious agent must be taken into account. More profound understanding of the mechanism may open the road to practical application of the described lunar relationship. Its knowledge can help already now to improve the organization of the health service.