Epidemiology of campylobacter diarrhoea.

Campylobacter diarrhoea was diagnosed bacteriologically in 535 patients. Most of these patients required hospitalization, but no fatalities were recorded. The age-specific incidence of campylobacter enteritis showed a trimodal distribution. Overseas travel was a factor in 14% of all cases. Food, including "fast food", may be an important source of infection. Campylobacter enteritis was more prevalent during summer than winter. Campylobacter bacteraemia was detected in only four cases. Biotyping was performed on 285 of the strains that were isolated. Biotype analysis showed that there was a clustering of cases of certain biotypes, even though community-wide outbreaks were not recognized in the period of review.