title: Risk factors for sporadic Campylobacter infection in the United States: A case-control study in FoodNet sites.
abstract: Campylobacter is a common cause of gastroenteritis in the United States. We conducted a population-based case-control study to determine risk factors for sporadic Campylobacter infection. During a 12-month study, we enrolled 1316 patients with culture-confirmed Campylobacter infections from 7 states, collecting demographic, clinical, and exposure data using a standardized questionnaire. We interviewed 1 matched control subject for each case patient. Thirteen percent of patients had traveled abroad. In multivariate analysis of persons who had not traveled, the largest population attributable fraction (PAF) of 24% was related to consumption of chicken prepared at a restaurant. The PAF for consumption of nonpoultry meat that was prepared at a restaurant was also large (21%); smaller proportions of illness were associated with other food and nonfood exposures. Efforts to reduce contamination of poultry with Campylobacter should benefit public health. Restaurants should improve food-handling practices, ensure adequate cooking of meat and poultry, and consider purchasing poultry that has been treated to reduce Campylobacter contamination.
authors.affiliation: Foodborne and Diarrheal Diseases Branch, Division of Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA. ccf6@cdc.gov
authors.forename: Cindy R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Friedman
authors.forename: Robert M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Hoekstra
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Samuel
authors.forename: Ruthanne
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Marcus
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bender
authors.forename: Beletshachew
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Shiferaw
authors.forename: Sudha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Reddy
authors.forename: Shama Desai
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Ahuja
authors.forename: Debra L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Helfrick
authors.forename: Felicia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hardnett
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carter
authors.forename: Bridget
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Robert V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Tauxe
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D002167:Campylobacter; D002169:Campylobacter Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002645:Chickens / Q000382:microbiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003296:Cooking; D005260:Female; D005511:Food Handling; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011200:Poultry / Q000382:microbiology; D011202:Poultry Products; D012307:Risk Factors; D014195:Travel; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology