DIABETES-MELLITUS, ANTI-SECRETORY DRUGS AND OTHER RISK-FACTORS FOR CAMPYLOBACTER GASTROENTERITIS IN ADULTS - A CASE-CONTROL STUDY

The epidemiology of notified cases of campylobacter gastroenteritis in adults in Nottingham Health District was investigated using a case-co ntrol study with a postal questionnaire to ascertain data on risk fact ors. Over a 14-month period 531 cases (a 73% response rate of all labo ratory confirmed cases) and 512 controls replied. Conditional logistic regression analysis was used to determine independent associations wi th infection. These included foreign travel (odds ratio (OR) 3.4; 95% confidence intervals (CT) 2.0-5.7), diabetes mellitus (OR 4.1, CI 1.1- 17), medication with omeprazole (OR 3.5, CI 1.1-12) and H-2 and H-2 an tagonists (OR 3.7, CI 1.3-15), contact with puppies (OR 11.3, CI 1.2-1 05), eating chicken (OR 1.4, CI 1.1-1.8) and drinking milk from bottle s with tops damaged by a bird (OR 3.3, CI 1.0-11). Preparing main meal s (OR 0.9, CI 0.8-1.0) and drinking delivered milk (OR 0.6, CI 0.4-0.9 ) were associated with a reduced risk of campylobacter infection. Fore ign travel was reported in 25% of cases and another 15% had significan t associations with other risk factors. The majority of cases, 60%, re mained unexplained, indicating the need for further evolution of spora dic cases.