Risk factors for sporadic Campylobacter infection: an all-Ireland case-control study

K Danis; M Di Renzi; W O’Neill; B Smyth; P McKeown; B Foley; V Tohani; M Devine

doi:10.2807/ese.14.07.19123-en

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Risk factors for sporadic Campylobacter infection: an all-Ireland case-control study
K Danis^1,2 , M Di Renzi³ , W O’Neill⁴ , B Smyth² , P McKeown³ , B Foley³ , V Tohani⁵ , M Devine⁶
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Affiliations: ¹ European Programme for Intervention Epidemiology Training (EPIET) ² Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre Northern Ireland (CDSC-NI), Belfast, Northern Ireland ³ Health Services Executive (HSE) - Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC), Dublin, Ireland ⁴ Health Services Executive (HSE) - Eastern Region, Population Health Directorate, Dublin, Ireland ⁵ Southern Health and Social Services Board (SHSSB), Northern Ireland ⁶ Northern Health and Social Services Board (NHSSB), Northern Ireland

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K Danis
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Citation style for this article: Danis K, Di Renzi M, O’Neill W, Smyth B, McKeown P, Foley B, Tohani V, Devine M. Risk factors for sporadic Campylobacter infection: an all-Ireland case-control study. Euro Surveill. 2009;14(7):pii=19123. https://doi.org/10.2807/ese.14.07.19123-en Received: 08 Oct 2008

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.