The principal research objective is to determine the impact of antibiotic use on the risk of developing long term bowel symptoms after infection with the germ Campylobacter.
The secondary research objectives are: * To investigate how the particular strain of the Campylobacter germ that causes the infection, and the strength of the immune response that it stimulates in the bowel, affect the risk of long term bowel symptoms. * To explore what changes occur after Campylobacter infection in the bacteria that usually live in the large bowel (microbiota) and the chemicals that they produce (short-chain fatty acids) when they digest nutrients. We will look for differences between people who recover fully and people who have long term bowel symptoms.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
450
University of Nottingham
Nottingham, United Kingdom
Yes/ no: Post-Infective bowel dysfunction (PI-BD)
This will be defined by response to the question "have your bowels returned to normal since your Campylobacter infection?"
Time frame: 12 weeks after microbiological diagnosis of infection
Yes/ No: Post-Infective irritable bowel syndrome (PI-IBS)
Symptoms meeting Rome III criteria for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (other than 6 month duration)
Time frame: 12 weeks after microbiological diagnosis of infection
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