Abstract
Campylobacter is the most common cause of bacterial gastroenteritis worldwide, yet the etiology of this infection remains only partly explained. In a retrospective cohort study, we compared 213 sporadic campylobacter case-patients with 1,144 patients with negative fecal samples. Information was obtained on food history, animal contact, foreign travel, leisure activities, medical conditions, and medication use. Eating chicken, eating food from a fried chicken outlet, eating salad vegetables, drinking bottled water, and direct contact with cows or calves were all independently associated with infection. The population-attributable fractions for these risk factors explained nearly 70% of sporadic campylobacter infections. Eating chicken is a well-established risk factor, but consuming salad and bottled water are not. The association with salad may be explained by cross-contamination of food within the home, but the possibility that natural mineral water is a risk factor for campylobacter infection could have wide public health implications.
Highlights
Campylobacter is the most common cause of bacterial gastroenteritis worldwide, yet the etiology of this infection remains only partly explained
Several case-control studies of risk factors for sporadic campylobacter infection have been performed in the United Kingdom [6,7,8,9,10], but many unanswered questions remain
Ninety-one patients (3.4%) were positive for other organisms (42 Salmonella spp., 20 Giardia lamblia, 12 Cryptosporidium sp., 7 Clostridium difficile, 2 Shigella sp., 2 E. coli O157, 1 amoebic dysentery, and 5 other parasites); these were excluded from further analysis
Summary
Campylobacter is the most common cause of bacterial gastroenteritis worldwide, yet the etiology of this infection remains only partly explained. The association with salad may be explained by cross-contamination of food within the home, but the possibility that natural mineral water is a risk factor for campylobacter infection could have wide public health implications. Recognized outbreaks are rare and are usually caused by contaminated water, milk, or poultry [4,5] These food products explain only a small proportion of sporadic cases, and the source of infection is unaccounted for in >60% of U.K. campylobacter cases [6,7]. Several case-control studies of risk factors for sporadic campylobacter infection have been performed in the United Kingdom [6,7,8,9,10], but many unanswered questions remain. We conducted a retrospective cohort study that involved mailing a questionnaire to the patient at the time the fecal specimen was received by the laboratory to investigate the cause of sporadic campylobacter infection in the community
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
