Abstract

This article describes the spatial and temporal distribution of verotoxin-producing Escherichia coli among humans (EHEC) and cattle (VTEC) in Sweden, in order to evaluate relationships between the incidence of EHEC in humans, prevalence of VTEC O157 in livestock and agricultural structure by an ecological study. The spatial patterns of the distribution of human infections were described and compared with spatial patterns of occurrence in cattle, using a Geographic Information System (GIS). The findings implicate a concentration of human infection and cattle prevalence in the southwest of Sweden. The use of probability mapping confirmed unusual patterns of infection rates. The comparison of human and cattle infection indicated a spatial and statistical association. The correlation between variables of the agricultural structure and human EHEC incidence was high, indicating a significant statistical association of cattle and farm density with human infection. The explained variation of a multiple linear regression model was 0(.)56

Published in

Epidemiology and Infection
2004, Volume: 132, number: 3, pages: 495-505
Publisher: CAMBRIDGE UNIV PRESS

SLU Authors

• Vågsholm, Ivar

  • Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Veterinary Science
Food Science
Animal and Dairy Science


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0950268803001729

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/8757