title: GIS-supported investigation of human EHEC and cattle VTEC O157 infections in Sweden: geographical distribution, spatial variation and possible risk factors.
abstract: This article describes the spatial and temporal distribution of verotoxin-producing Escherichia coli among humans (EHEC) and cattle (VTEC) in Sweden, in order to evaluate relationships between the incidence of EHEC in humans, prevalence of VTEC O157 in livestock and agricultural structure by an ecological study. The spatial patterns of the distribution of human infections were described and compared with spatial patterns of occurrence in cattle, using a Geographic Information System (GIS). The findings implicate a concentration of human infection and cattle prevalence in the southwest of Sweden. The use of probability mapping confirmed unusual patterns of infection rates. The comparison of human and cattle infection indicated a spatial and statistical association. The correlation between variables of the agricultural structure and human EHEC incidence was high, indicating a significant statistical association of cattle and farm density with human infection. The explained variation of a multiple linear regression model was 0.56.
authors.affiliation: Section for Public Health and Medical Geography, Institute for Hygiene and Public Health, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Str. 25, D-53105 Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kistemann
authors.forename: Sonja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zimmer
authors.forename: Ivar
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Vågsholm
authors.forename: Yvonne
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Andersson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000383:Agriculture; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016021:Epidemiologic Studies; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D019453:Escherichia coli O157 / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D005260:Female; D040362:Geographic Information Systems; D005843:Geography; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011156:Population Density; D012307:Risk Factors; D022603:Shiga Toxins; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D022603:Shiga Toxins