Risk factors for sporadic Vibrio parahaemolyticus gastroenteritis in east China: a matched case-control study

To determine risk factors for sporadic Vibrio parahaemolyticus gastroenteritis, we conducted a population-based case-control study in sentinel hospital surveillance areas of Shanghai and Jiangsu province, China. Seventy-one patients with diarrhoea and confirmed V. parahaemolyticus infections were enrolled, and they were matched with 142 controls for gender, age and residential area. From the multivariable analysis, V. parahaemolyticus infections were associated with antibiotics taken during the 4 weeks prior to illness [odds ratio (OR) 8.1, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.2-56.4)], frequent eating out (OR 3.3, 95% CI 1.1-10.1), and shellfish consumption (OR 3.2, 95% CI 1.0-9.9), with population-attributable fractions of 0.09, 0.25, and 0.14, respectively. Protective factors included keeping the aquatic products refrigerated (OR 0.4, 95% CI 0.1-0.9) and pork consumption (OR 0.2, 95% CI 0.1-0.8). Further study of the association of V. parahaemolyticus gastroenteritis with prior antibiotic use and shellfish consumption is needed.