PhD thesis - University of Hertfordshire Research Archive

Results.
Between 1993 and 2006 campylobacters were recorded as the underlying
cause of 45 deaths in England and Wales, giving an incidence of 6.6 deaths
per 100,000 cases of infection (95% confidence interval (95%CI) 4.8-8.9) or a
case fatality rate of 0.007% (95%CI 0.005%-0.009%). However, when all-
cause mortality was examined 153 deaths were identified, giving an
incidence rate of 22.5 deaths per 100,000 infections (95%CI 19.1-26.3), or a
case fatality rate of 0.022% (95%CI 0.018%-0.026%). Hence, underlying
cause mortality underascertains the role of campylobacters by a factor
greater than three (incidence ratio (IR) 0.29; 95%CI 0.21-0.41). Subsequent
analysis relates to all-cause mortality unless stated otherwise.
Campylobacter patients who died were often elderly (83/153; 54%) or had an
underlying condition (most commonly cardiovascular conditions (37%) or
malignancies (22%)). Over a quarter of patients fulfilled both criteria (43;
28%). The case-fatality rate in those aged 70-79 years (0.12%; 95%CI 0.08-
0.16%) was higher than in those aged