Risk factors associated withCampylobacterdetected by PCR in humans and animals in rural Cambodia
SUMMARYCampylobacterare worldwide-occurring zoonotic bacteria, with the speciesCampylobacter jejuniandC. colicommonly associated with diarrhoea in children in low-income countries. In this cross-sectional study, the prevalence ofC. jejuniandC. coliin human and livestock faecal samples was detected by PCR and zoonotic risk factors associated with humanCampylobacterpositivity were identified. In total 681 humans and 753 livestock (chickens, ducks, pigs, cattle) from 269 households were sampled. Children aged <16 years were more frequentlyCampylobacterpositive (19%) than adults (8%) and multilevel logistic models revealed that humanC. jejunipositivity was associated with the following household practices: home-slaughtering [odds ratio (OR) 2·4,P= 0·01], allowing animals access to sleeping and food preparation areas (OR 2·8,P= 0·02), and eating undercooked meat (OR 6·6,P= 0·05), while frequent consumption of beef was protective (OR 0·9,P= 0·05). Associations were stronger for home-slaughtering (OR 4·9,P= 0·004) withC. jejuniinfection in children only.Campylobacterwas highly prevalent in pigs (72%) and chickens (56%) and risk factors associated with humanCampylobacterpositivity were identified throughout the meat production chain. The findings underline the importance of studying source attributions throughout the production chain and the need for upgraded understanding ofCampylobacterepidemiology in low-income countries.