title: Sporadic campylobacter infection in infants: a population-based surveillance case-control study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Campylobacter is an important cause of foodborne illness in infants (younger than 1 year of age), but little is known about the sources of infection in this age group.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eight sites in the Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet) participated in a 24-month population-based case-control study conducted in 2002-2004. Cases were infants with laboratory-confirmed Campylobacter infection ascertained through active laboratory surveillance, and controls were infants in the community.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We enrolled 123 cases and 928 controls. Infants 0-6 months of age with Campylobacter infection were less likely to be breast-fed than controls [odds ratio (OR); 0.2; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.1-0.6]. Risk factors for infants 0-6 months of age included drinking well water (OR 4.4; CI, 1.4-14) and riding in a shopping cart next to meat or poultry (OR 4.0; CI, 1.2-13.0). Risk factors for infants 7-11 months of age included visiting or living on a farm (OR 6.2; CI, 2.2-17), having a pet with diarrhea in the home (OR 7.6; CI, 2.1-28) and eating fruits and vegetables prepared in the home (OR 2.5, CI 1.2-4.9). Campylobacter infection was associated with travel outside the United States at all ages (OR 19.3; CI, 4.5-82.1).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Several unique protective and risk factors were identified among infants, and these risk factors vary by age, suggesting that prevention measures be targeted accordingly. Breast-feeding was protective for the youngest infants and should continue to be encouraged.
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA. kfullerton@cdc.gov
authors.forename: Kathleen E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Fullerton
authors.forename: L Amanda
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Ingram
authors.forename: Timothy F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Bridget J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Patrick V
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: McCarthy
authors.forename: Sharon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hurd
authors.forename: Beletshachew
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Shiferaw
authors.forename: Duc
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vugia
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Haubert
authors.forename: Tameka
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hayes
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wedel
authors.forename: Elaine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Scallan
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Henao
authors.forename: Frederick J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Angulo
mesh_terms: D002167:Campylobacter / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002169:Campylobacter Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012307:Risk Factors