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A case-control study of sporadic infection with O157 and non-O157 verocytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 June 1999

D. PIÉRARD ,
N. CROWCROFT ,
S. DE BOCK ,
D. POTTERS ,
G. CRABBE ,
F. VAN LOOCK  and
S. LAUWERS
D. PIÉRARD
Affiliation:
Department of Microbiology, Academisch Ziekenhuis Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklan, 101, B-1090 Brussels Belgium
N. CROWCROFT
Affiliation:
Epidemiology Service, Scientific Institute of Public Health – Louis Pasteur, Brussels, Belgium Present address: Dr N. Crowcroft, Immunisation Division, Public Health Laboratory Service Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre, 61 Colindale Avenue, London NW9 5EQ, UK.
S. DE BOCK
Affiliation:
Department of Microbiology, Academisch Ziekenhuis Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklan, 101, B-1090 Brussels Belgium
D. POTTERS
Affiliation:
Department of Microbiology, Academisch Ziekenhuis Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklan, 101, B-1090 Brussels Belgium
G. CRABBE
Affiliation:
Department of Microbiology, Academisch Ziekenhuis Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklan, 101, B-1090 Brussels Belgium
F. VAN LOOCK
Affiliation:
Epidemiology Service, Scientific Institute of Public Health – Louis Pasteur, Brussels, Belgium
S. LAUWERS
Affiliation:
Department of Microbiology, Academisch Ziekenhuis Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklan, 101, B-1090 Brussels Belgium
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Abstract

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Potential risk factors for sporadic verocytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli (VTEC) infection in Belgium were investigated in a matched case-control study. Thirty-seven cases, 8 infected with O157 VTEC strains (all eaeA-positive), 29 with non-O157 VTEC strains (13 eaeA-positive and 16 eaeA-negative) and 69 matched controls were interviewed. In a conditional logistic regression analysis, consumption of fish appeared to be a risk factor for infection (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 3·25, P=0·04). Contact with dogs (OR 0·27, P=0·04) and consumption of shellfish (OR 0·19, P=0·05) showed a negative association, corresponding to a decrease in risk. These findings might be explained if low level environmental exposure to VTEC induces protective immunity. Eating raw meat, a frequent habit in Belgium, or hamburgers, or eating in a fast-food restaurant was not more frequently reported by cases than controls. The exposures causing sporadic infections with VTEC, in particular non-O157 strains, may be very different from those which led to outbreaks, and may account for more cases overall.

Type
Research Article
Information
Epidemiology & Infection , Volume 122 , Issue 3 , June 1999 , pp. 359 - 365
Copyright
© 1999 Cambridge University Press