Risk factors for the occurrence of sporadic Salmonella enterica serotype typhimurium infections in children in France: A national case-control study

To determine risk factors for the occurrence of sporadic Salmonella typhimu rium infections among children in France, we conducted a matched case-contr ol study, Cases were identified between 15 June and 30 September 1996. We i nterviewed 101 pairs of case patients and control subjects, matched for age and place of residence. The risk of illness was greater for children who a te undercooked ground beef than for those who did not (odds ratio [OR], 5.0 ; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.9-13.1). Case patients were more likely t han control subjects to have taken antibiotics during the month before onse t of disease (OR, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.0-4.9). Case patients <5 years of age were more likely to have been in contact with a household member with diarrhea 3-10 days before onset(P =.05). Consumption of undercooked ground beef is a risk factor for the sporadic occurrence of S. typhimurium infection among children, and antibiotics may facilitate the occurrence of illness. The pos sibility of person-to-person transmission among young children needs to be considered.