Epidemiology and Infection

Table of Contents - April 2011 - Volume 139, Issue 04  

Gastrointestinal infection and helicobacter

Burden of acute gastrointestinal illness in the Metropolitan region, Chile, 2008

M. K. THOMASa1a3 c1, E. PEREZa2, S. E. MAJOWICZa1a3, R. REID-SMITHa1a4, A. OLEAa5, J. DIAZa5, V. SOLARIa6 and S. A. McEWENa1

a1 Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, Guelph, Canada

a2 Pan American Health Organization, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

a3 Centre for Food-borne, Environmental and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Public Health Agency of Canada, Guelph, Canada

a4 Laboratory for Foodborne Zoonoses, Public Health Agency of Canada, Guelph, Canada

a5 Departamento de Epidemiologia, Ministerio de Salud Chile, Santiago, Chile

a6 Seremi de Salud Region Metropolitana, Ministerio de Salud Chile, Santiago, Chile

SUMMARY

The purpose of this study was to determine the magnitude and distribution of acute gastrointestinal illness (GI) in the Chilean population, describe its burden and presentation, identify risk factors associated with GI and assess the differences between a 7-day, 15-day and a 30-day recall period in the population-based burden of illness study design. Face-to-face surveys were conducted on 6047 randomly selected residents in the Metropolitan region, Chile (average response rate 75·8%) in 2008. The age-adjusted monthly prevalence of GI was 9·2%. The 7-day recall period provided annual incidence rate estimates about 2·2 times those of the 30-day recall period. Age, occupation, healthcare system, sewer system, antibiotic use and cat ownership were all found to be significant predictors for being a case. This study expands on the discussion of recall bias in retrospective population studies and reports the first population-based burden and distribution of GI estimates in Chile.

(Accepted April 16 2010)

(Online publication May 24 2010)

Key Words:

Correspondence:

c1 Author for correspondence: Dr M. K. Thomas, Department of Population Medicine, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada. (Email: thomask@uoguelph.ca)

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