An ecological study of campylobacteriosis risk factors in Tennessee
Abstract
Background: Data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that about 1.5 million cases of campylobacteriosis occurs annually in the U.S. In Tennessee, campylobacteriosis incidence increased gradually from about 9 per 100,000 people in 2020 to about 13 per 100,000 people in 2022. Ecological studies are useful when exposure data are available at the aggregate level rather than individual-case level. Therefore, this study examined the relationships between campylobacteriosis cases and ecological risk factors in Tennessee. Methods: The study was based on CDC FoodNet data in Tennessee with 7876 sporadic cases. Frequency distribution of the sociodemographic characteristics and yearly incidence of the disease were determined. The data were then aggregated at the zip code level for the ecological analysis. Bivariate and multivariate negative binomial regressions were used to determine factors associated with number of cases. Results: The majority of cases were male (52.85%). The median age was 44 years and 83% of the cases were racially white. About 62% of the persons infected with campylobacteriosis were hospitalized. The disease incidence in 2022 was the highest (18.44/100,000) and lowest in 2014 (13.35/100,000). The risk factors for campylobacteriosis include increasing percentage of whites in a zip code (IRR=1.0146; 95% CI: 1.0081–1.0211), increasing population density (IRR=1.0006; 95% CI: 1.0002–1.0009), the presence of chicken operation (IRR=1.2895; 95% CI: 1.0232–1.6150) and number of well water in a zip code area (IRR=1.0002; 95% CI: 1.0001–1.0004). Conclusion: The increase in the disease incidence from the least incidence in 2014 to the highest in 2022 suggest that intensified public health interventions will be required to lower the incidence trend. Furthermore, measures must be implemented to mitigate the risk associated with private well water safety and contaminated of water sources by chicken operation run-off. Hence, mitigation strategies aiming at reducing the pathogen transmission routes are needed.
Start Time
16-4-2025 1:30 PM
End Time
16-4-2025 2:30 PM
Room Number
311
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Presentation Subtype
Grad/Comp Orals
Presentation Category
Health
Faculty Mentor
Walid Alali
An ecological study of campylobacteriosis risk factors in Tennessee
311
Background: Data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that about 1.5 million cases of campylobacteriosis occurs annually in the U.S. In Tennessee, campylobacteriosis incidence increased gradually from about 9 per 100,000 people in 2020 to about 13 per 100,000 people in 2022. Ecological studies are useful when exposure data are available at the aggregate level rather than individual-case level. Therefore, this study examined the relationships between campylobacteriosis cases and ecological risk factors in Tennessee. Methods: The study was based on CDC FoodNet data in Tennessee with 7876 sporadic cases. Frequency distribution of the sociodemographic characteristics and yearly incidence of the disease were determined. The data were then aggregated at the zip code level for the ecological analysis. Bivariate and multivariate negative binomial regressions were used to determine factors associated with number of cases. Results: The majority of cases were male (52.85%). The median age was 44 years and 83% of the cases were racially white. About 62% of the persons infected with campylobacteriosis were hospitalized. The disease incidence in 2022 was the highest (18.44/100,000) and lowest in 2014 (13.35/100,000). The risk factors for campylobacteriosis include increasing percentage of whites in a zip code (IRR=1.0146; 95% CI: 1.0081–1.0211), increasing population density (IRR=1.0006; 95% CI: 1.0002–1.0009), the presence of chicken operation (IRR=1.2895; 95% CI: 1.0232–1.6150) and number of well water in a zip code area (IRR=1.0002; 95% CI: 1.0001–1.0004). Conclusion: The increase in the disease incidence from the least incidence in 2014 to the highest in 2022 suggest that intensified public health interventions will be required to lower the incidence trend. Furthermore, measures must be implemented to mitigate the risk associated with private well water safety and contaminated of water sources by chicken operation run-off. Hence, mitigation strategies aiming at reducing the pathogen transmission routes are needed.