A community-based case-control study of behavioral factors associated with scrub typhus during the autumn epidemic season in South Korea.
A community-based, case-control study was carried out to investigate risk factors for scrub typhus in South Korea. Cases (n = 299) were defined as persons who were diagnosed serologically within the past two weeks. Two neighborhood control subjects were selected by matching for sex, age, and occupation. Taking a rest directly on the grass, working in short sleeves, working with bare hands, and squatting to defecate or urinate posed the highest risks, with adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of 1.7 (1.2-2.3), 1.6 (1.1-2.4), 1.7 (1.2-2.4), and 2.0 (1.4-2.9), respectively. Wearing a long-sleeved shirt while working, keeping work clothes off the grass, and always using a mat to rest outdoors showed protective associations, with aORs and 95% CIs of 0.5 (0.3-0.9), 0.6 (0.4-0.9), and 0.7 (0.5-0.9), respectively. These results might be useful in the establishment of a detailed control strategy for scrub typhus.
Kweon
Sun-Seog
SS
Jeonnam Regional Cancer Center, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital, Hwasun, South Korea. ujingogo@paran.com
Choi
Jin-Su
JS
Lim
Hyun-Sul
HS
Kim
Jang-Rak
JR
Kim
Keon-Yeop
KY
Ryu
So-Yeon
SY
Lee
So-Dam
SD
Im
Heung-Ku
HK
Kwon
Jun-Wook
JW
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000383:Agriculture; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012307:Risk Factors; D012612:Scrub Typhus / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D012621:Seasons; D055815:Young Adult