Use of Sequential Case-control Studies to Investigate a Community Salmonella Outbreak in Wales

Overview

Journal J Epidemiol Community Health

Specialty Health Services

Date 1998 Jun 9

PMID 9616417

Citations 1

Authors

L J Llewellyn

M R Evans

S R Palmer

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Study Objective: To establish the source of a community outbreak of Salmonella typhimurium definitive type 124.

Design: Two stage case-control study.

Setting: Three districts in south east Wales.

Subjects: Cases of salmonella food poisoning and community controls.

Main Results: An initial case-control study identified an association between illness and eating ham (odds ratio 4.50, 95% confidence intervals 1.10, 21.8) and also found a possible association between illness and food bought from delicatessen stores (odds ratio 5.03, 95% confidence intervals 1.01, 32.3). However, only after a second stage case-control study was a single common ham producer identified as the source (odds ratio 25.0, 95% confidence intervals 2.33, 1155).

Conclusion: Sequential case-control studies are an important and underused tool in the investigation of community outbreaks.

Citing Articles

Publication bias in foodborne outbreaks of infectious intestinal disease and its implications for evidence-based food policy. England and Wales 1992-2003.

OBrien S, Gillespie I, Sivanesan M, Elson R, Hughes C, Adak G Epidemiol Infect. 2006; 134(4):667-74.

PMID: 16420723 PMC: 2870462. DOI: 10.1017/S0950268805005765.

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