[Risk factors for sporadic cases of Campylobacter infection in children].

OBJECTIVES To identify risk factors for sporadic cases of Campylobacter infection in children aged 14 years. METHODS We performed an age-matched, case-control study. Cases were residents of Lleida Health Region aged 6 months to 14 years old with diarrhea and positive stool isolation for Campylobacter. Information was gathered by telephone using a structured questionnaire on individual susceptibility and food and non-food exposures. A multivariate conditional logistic regression model was used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (ORa) and their 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). RESULTS Forty-five cases and 45 controls were included in the analysis. The median age of cases was 1.6 years. Factors independently associated with disease were consumption of cooked deli meat 2 times (ORa:4.2, 95%CI:1.2-14.7), chicken 3 times (ORa:3.6, 95%CI:1.1-11.1) in the week before symptom onset, and previous antibiotic intake (ORa:4.7, 95%CI:1.1-19.6). CONCLUSIONS Chicken meat was a risk factor for sporadic cases of campylobacteriosis in children, whether through consumption or through cross-contamination with other <> foods such as cooked deli meat.