Travel style is a major risk factor for diarrhoea in India: a prospective cohort study

V M Schindler; V K Jaeger; L Held; C Hatz; S Bühler

doi:10.1016/j.cmi.2015.03.005

Travel style is a major risk factor for diarrhoea in India: a prospective cohort study

Clin Microbiol Infect. 2015 Jul;21(7):676.e1-4. doi: 10.1016/j.cmi.2015.03.005. Epub 2015 Apr 13.

Authors

V M Schindler¹, V K Jaeger², L Held³, C Hatz⁴, S Bühler⁵

Affiliations

¹ Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, Department of Public Health, Division of Infectious Diseases/Travel Clinic, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
² Department of Rheumatology, Basel University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland.
³ Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, Department of Biostatistics, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
⁴ Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, Department of Public Health, Division of Infectious Diseases/Travel Clinic, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Department of Medicine and Diagnostics, Basel, Switzerland.
⁵ Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, Department of Public Health, Division of Infectious Diseases/Travel Clinic, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. Electronic address: silja.buehler@ifspm.uzh.ch.

PMID: 25882361
DOI: 10.1016/j.cmi.2015.03.005

Abstract

Although some studies suggested specific foods/beverages as risk factors for travellers' diarrhoea (TD), details of transmission remain unclear. We assessed the influence of travel style (luxury/middle-class versus backpacking) on TD risk. TD attack rates were compared in a prospective study among travellers to India at the University of Zurich's Travel Clinic. Information on consumption of foods/beverages was collected. Seventy-one luxury/middle-class travellers and 21 backpackers completed the study; overall 37% suffered from TD (62% backpackers, 30% luxury/middle-class travellers, OR 4.43, p 0.022). Travel style rather than the consumption of specific foods/beverages appears to be a risk factor for TD development.

Keywords: Food hygiene; India; travel; travel style; travellers' diarrhoea.

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Diarrhea / epidemiology*
Female
Humans
India
Male
Middle Aged
Prospective Studies
Risk Factors
Travel*
Young Adult