Risk factors for sporadic cryptosporidiosis among immunocompetent persons in the United States from 1999 to 2001.
Many studies have evaluated the role of Cryptosporidium spp. in outbreaks of enteric illness, but few studies have evaluated sporadic cryptosporidiosis in the United States. To assess the risk factors for sporadic cryptosporidiosis among immunocompetent persons, a matched case-control study was conducted in seven sites of the Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet) involving 282 persons with laboratory-identified cryptosporidiosis and 490 age-matched and geographically matched controls. Risk factors included international travel (odds ratio [OR] = 7.7; 95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 2.7 to 22.0), contact with cattle (OR = 3.5; 95% CI = 1.8 to 6.8), contact with persons >2 to 11 years of age with diarrhea (OR = 3.0; 95% CI = 1.5 to 6.2), and freshwater swimming (OR = 1.9; 95% CI = 1.049 to 3.5). Eating raw vegetables was protective (OR = 0.5; 95% CI = 0.3 to 0.7). This study underscores the need for ongoing public health education to prevent cryptosporidiosis, particularly among travelers, animal handlers, child caregivers, and swimmers, and the need for further assessment of the role of raw vegetables in cryptosporidiosis.
Roy
Sharon L
SL
Division of Parasitic Diseases, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd., Mailstop E52, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA. str2@cdc.gov
DeLong
Stephanie M
SM
Stenzel
Sara A
SA
Shiferaw
Beletshachew
B
Roberts
Jacquelin M
JM
Khalakdina
Asheena
A
Marcus
Ruthanne
R
Segler
Suzanne D
SD
Shah
Dipti D
DD
Thomas
Stephanie
S
Vugia
Duc J
DJ
Zansky
Shelley M
SM
Dietz
Vance
V
Beach
Michael J
MJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003457:Cryptosporidiosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000635:transmission; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007121:Immunocompetence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012621:Seasons; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology