THE AUTUMN PEAK IN CAMPYLOBACTER GASTROENTERITIS - ARE THE RISK-FACTORS THE SAME FOR TRAVEL-ACQUIRED AND UK-ACQUIRED CAMPYLOBACTER INFECTIONS

Background. In the autumn of 1992 there was an excess of campylobacter cases in Nottingham compared with the national average. No relative i ncrease was seen for salmonella infections. Methods. A case-control st udy with a postal questionnaire was carried out to determine exposure to possible risk factors. The patients were 282 laboratory confirmed c ases of campylobacter and 318 culture negative controls who had submit ted a faeces specimen. All patients were aged 18 or older. The main ou tcome measures were relative risks for campylobacter infection compare d with controls with a negative faeces culture. Results. Twenty-five p er cent of cases were associated with foreign travel. Eating chicken a nd handling raw poultry were the main risk factors for UK-acquired inf ections. The number of cases with a history of contact with puppies or drinking milk that was either unpasteurized or from bottles with bird -damaged tops was small. Conclusion. Eating chicken and handling raw p oultry are the main risk factors for campylobacter infections. Contact with puppies or drinking potentially infected milk can explain only a small percentage of campylobacter infections. Risk factors for infect ion acquired abroad follow a different pattern compared with UK-acquir ed cases.