HUMAN CAMPYLOBACTER-ASSOCIATED ENTERITIS ON THE CARIBBEAN ISLAND OF BARBADOS

SUZANNE N. WORKMAN Department of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences, University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Barbados; Public Health Laboratory, The Winston Scott Polyclinic, St. Michael, Barbados

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STEPHANIE J. SOBERS Department of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences, University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Barbados; Public Health Laboratory, The Winston Scott Polyclinic, St. Michael, Barbados

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GEORGE E. MATHISON Department of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences, University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Barbados; Public Health Laboratory, The Winston Scott Polyclinic, St. Michael, Barbados

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MARC C. LAVOIE Department of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences, University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Barbados; Public Health Laboratory, The Winston Scott Polyclinic, St. Michael, Barbados

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A longitudinal study of the incidence of Campylobacter enteritis in Barbados was undertaken from January 2000 to August 2003. Diarrheal stools received by the central public health laboratory were cultured for Campylobacter. The number of reported Campylobacter cases exceeded those of Shigella but were less than those of Salmonella, and increased steadily with each year. Isolates from stools were mainly C. jejuni (63.6%) and C. coli (31.8%). The highest isolation rate was found in children 1–4 years of age (40.8%), followed by infants less than 1 year of age (16.9%) and those 5–9 years of age (11.3%). The number of reported cases was higher in March, from June to August, and in November and December. There was no correlation between incidence and either rainfall, temperature, or humidity. Further epidemiologic investigation of this disease is needed to evaluate risk factors for Campylobacter infection and determine routes of transmission in Barbados.

Author Notes

Reprint requests: Suzanne N. Workman, Department of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences, University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, PO Box 64, Bridgetown, Barbados.
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