Campylobacteriosis rates show age-related static bimodal and seasonality trends.

AIM

Campylobacteriosis is highly characterised by a strongly seasonal rate of incidence. Age is also known to be a risk factor for sporadic campylobacteriosis, but little has been done to quantify age-related rates of campylobacteriosis. This study investigates age-related incidence across countries and up to 12 years of data, as well as differences in seasonality within age groups.

METHODS

Graphical and statistical analysis of officially collected campylobacteriosis reports from three countries available from official websites.

RESULTS

For Australia, New Zealand and Canada, rates of campylobacteriosis show marked peaks at <4 years and 20-29 year age bands. These peaks indicate that stable age-related factors impact on campylobacteriosis epidemiology in all three countries. Seasonality is expressed differently across these age bands, and in years of extremes of incidence.

CONCLUSION

Campylobacteriosis is highly seasonal, but overlying this is a stable age-related pattern of incidence, with two peaks approximately 20 years apart. Highest seasonal differences occur with ages between the two peaks.