Article Text
Abstract
Introduction The CampySource project aims to identify risk factors for human Campylobacter infection in Australia. We will investigate locally relevant risk factors and those significant in international studies in a case–control study. Case isolates and contemporaneous isolates from food and animal sources will be sequenced to conduct source attribution modelling, and findings will be combined with the case–control study in a source-assigned analysis.
Methods and analysis The case–control study will include 1200 participants (600 cases and 600 controls) across three regions in Australia. Cases will be recruited from campylobacteriosis notifications to health departments. Only those with a pure and viable Campylobacter isolate will be eligible for selection to allow for whole genome sequencing of isolates. Controls will be recruited from notified cases of influenza, frequency matched by sex, age group and geographical area of residence. All participants will be interviewed by trained telephone interviewers using a piloted questionnaire.
We will collect Campylobacter isolates from retail meats and companion animals (specifically dogs), and all food, animal and human isolates will undergo whole genome sequencing. We will use sequence data to estimate the proportion of human infections that can be attributed to animal and food reservoirs (source attribution modelling), and to identify spatial clusters and temporal trends. Source-assigned analysis of the case–control study data will also be conducted where cases are grouped according to attributed sources.
Ethics and dissemination Human and animal ethics have been approved. Genomic data will be published in online archives accompanied by basic metadata. We anticipate several publications to come from this study.
- epidemiology
- gastrointestinal infections
- public health
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Footnotes
Contributors MDK conceived the original idea for this study. All authors contributed to the study design and analysis plan. LV and RJS wrote the first draft with contributions from all authors. LF was heavily involved in determining timing and logistics in and between all sites. KL assisted in questionnaire design and flow. DB developed the bioinformatics analysis protocol. LV, RJS, LS, MDK and KG were involved in multiple revisions. The final version of the manuscript was approved by all authors.
Funding This CampySource project was supported by an NHMRC partnership grant 1116294 and contributions from Queensland Health, Food Standards Australia New Zealand, AgriFutures Australia–Chicken Meat Program, Commonwealth Department of Health, and New South Wales Department of Primary Industries. MDK is supported by a National Health and Medical Research Council Fellowship (GNT1145997). While undertaking studies, LV is supported through an Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarship.
Competing interests None declared.
Patient consent Not required.
Ethics approval The Australian National University’s Human Research Ethics Committee (ethics ID: 2016/426). The Hunter New England Human Research Ethics Committee (ethics ID: 17/08/16/4.03). The University of Melbourne’s Animal Ethics Committee (ethics ID: 1714156).
Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; peer reviewed for ethical and funding approval prior to submission.
Collaborators Study linkages and collaborations: The CampySource Project Team comprises three working groups and a reference panel. The working groups focus on: food and animal sampling, epidemiology and modelling, and genomics. The reference panel includes expert representatives from government and industry. The study is supported by the following partner organisations: the Australian National University, Massey University, University of Melbourne, Queensland Health, Queensland Health Forensic and Scientific Services, New South Wales Health, Hunter New England Health, Victorian Department of Health and Human Services, Food Standards Australia New Zealand, Commonwealth Department of Health and AgriFutures Australia–Chicken Meat Program. CampySource is also supported by collaboration with the following organisations: ACT Health, Sullivan Nicolaides Pathology, University of Queensland, Primary Industries and Regions South Australia, Department of Health and Human Services Tasmania, Meat and Livestock Australia, and New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries. The CampySource Project Team consists of: Nigel P French, Massey University, New Zealand; Mary Valcanis, The University of Melbourne; Dieter Bulach, The University of Melbourne; Emily Fearnley, The Australian National University; Russell Stafford, Queensland Health; John Bates, Queensland Health; Trudy Graham, Queensland Health; Keira Glasgow, Health Protection NSW; Kirsty Hope, Health Protection NSW; Arie H Havelaar, The University of Florida, USA; Joy Gregory, Department of Health and Human Services, Victoria; James Flint, Hunter New England Health; Simon Firestone, The University of Melbourne; James Conlan, Food Standards Australia New Zealand; James J Smith, Queensland Health; Sally Symes, Department of Health and Human Services, Victoria; Barbara Butow, Food Standards Australia New Zealand; Liana Varrone, The University of Queensland; Linda Selvey, The University of Queensland; Deborah Denehy, ACT Health; Radomir Krsteski, ACT Health; Natasha Waters, ACT Health; Kim Lilly, Hunter New England Health; Julie Collins, Hunter New England Health; Tony Merritt, Hunter New England Health; Joanne Barfield, Hunter New England Health; Ben Howden, The University of Melbourne; Kylie Hewson, AgriFutures Australia–Chicken Meat Program; Laura Ford, The Australian National University; Liz Walker, The Australian National University; Cameron Moffatt, The Australian National University; Martyn Kirk, The Australian National University; and Kathryn Glass, The Australian National University.