RESUMO
BACKGROUND: An age-matched case-control study was conducted in northeastern Spain to identify major risk factors for sporadic Campylobacter infections and their relative importance. METHODS: Cases were aged >6 months, residents of Sector Sanitario Huesca with diarrhea and confirmed culture of Campylobacter not related to outbreak. For each case <15 years of age, the patient closest in age to the case was selected from the medical records of the case's pediatrician to serve as a control. If the case was >or=15 years of age, the control was nominated by the case. RESULTS: Eighty one cases (median age 2.3 years, 79% <15 years) and 81 controls were enrolled. Three exposures, in the 7 days prior to symptom onset, were independent predictors for illness after multivariate conditional logistic regression analysis: consuming three or more times chicken [odds ratio (OR)(adjusted) = 6.1; confidence interval (CI): 2.0-18.5; population attributable fraction (PAF) = 36.1%], consuming sliced deli meat unhygienically handled at retail stores (OR(adjusted) = 4.1; CI: 1.2-13.2; PAF = 24.5%) and contact with animals (OR(adjusted) = 2.8; CI: 1.1-7.3; PAF = 19. 0%). Among cases <15 years of age, only consuming chicken >or=3 times (OR(adjusted) = 7.8; CI: 2.2-26.7; PAF = 43.6%) and contact with animals (OR(adjusted) = 3.7; CI: 1.2-11.0; PAF = 25.1%) were independent predictors for disease. Consuming sliced deli meat unhygienically handled at retail stores was significantly more frequent among <15-year age group (56.3% versus 26.6.0%, P = 0.04). CONCLUSION: A control programme for Campylobacter in the food chain and targeted food-safety education to prevent cross-contamination seem warranted to decrease the opportunity of human exposure to the pathogen in northeastern Spain.