title: Risk factors for sporadic Campylobacter infection: an all-Ireland case-control study.
abstract: We report the findings of the first case-control study conducted in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland to determine risk factors for sporadic Campylobacter infections. A total of 197 cases and 296 case-nominated controls matched for age, were included. Based on Population Attributable Fraction (PAF), the most important risk factors were consuming chicken [adjusted matched (am) OR 6.8; 95%CI 2.1-21.9], consuming lettuce (amOR 3.3; 95%CI 1.5-7.1) and eating in takeaways (amOR=3.1; 95%CI 1.4-6.6). Contact with sheep (amOR=11; 95%CI 1.6-78), peptic ulcer (amOR=19; 95%CI 3.8-93.7), hiatus hernia (amOR=20.3; 95%CI 2.3-183.3), lower bowel problems (amOR=4.5; 95%CI 1.2-16.8) were also independently associated with infection. Mains water supply showed protective effect (amOR=0.2; 95 CI 0.1-0.9). The findings highlight the continued need for consumer food safety education and further control measures throughout the food chain on the island of Ireland.
authors.affiliation: European Programme for Intervention Epidemiology Training (EPIET), Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre Northern Ireland (CDSC-NI), Belfast, Northern Ireland.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Danis
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Di Renzi
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: O'Neill
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Smyth
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: McKeown
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Foley
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tohani
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Devine
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002167:Campylobacter / Q000472:pathogenicity; D002169:Campylobacter Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007494:Ireland / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012923:Social Class; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult