Association between Salmonella infection and colon cancer: a nationwide registry-based cohort study

• Published in: Epidemiology and infection 2021-02, Vol.149, p.e56-e56, Article e56
• Main Authors: Duijster, Janneke W., Hansen, Jørgen V., Franz, Eelco, Neefjes, Jacques J. C., Frisch, Morten, Mughini-Gras, Lapo, Ethelberg, Steen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Age; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Bacterial infections; Child; Child, Preschool; Chronic illnesses; Cohort analysis; Cohort Studies; Colon; Colon cancer; Colonic Neoplasms - complications; Colonic Neoplasms - epidemiology; Colorectal cancer; Confidence intervals; Epidemiology; Female; Health hazards; Human populations; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Infections; Inflammatory bowel disease; Inflammatory bowel diseases; Intestine; Male; Middle Aged; Netherlands - epidemiology; Original Paper; Population; Population studies; Proportional Hazards Models; Risk; Risk Factors; Salmonella; Salmonella Infections - complications; Salmonella Infections - epidemiology; Salmonellosis; Statistical analysis; Statistical models; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0950-2688; 1469-4409
• DOI: 10.1017/S0950268821000285

Laboratory data increasingly suggest that Salmonella infection may contribute to colon cancer (CC) development. Here, we examined epidemiologically the potential risk of CC associated with salmonellosis in the human population. We conducted a population-based cohort study using four health registries in Denmark. Person-level demographic data of all residents were linked to laboratory-confirmed non-typhoidal salmonellosis and to CC diagnoses in 1994–2016. Hazard ratios (HRs) for CC (overall/proximal/distal) associated with reported salmonellosis were estimated using Cox proportional hazard models. Potential effects of serovar, age, sex, inflammatory bowel disease and follow-up time post-infection were also assessed. We found no increased risk of CC ≥1 year post-infection (HR 0.99; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.88–1.13). When stratifying by serovar, there was a significantly increased risk of proximal CC ≥1 year post-infection with serovars other than Enteritidis and Typhimurium (HR 1.40; 95% CI 1.03–1.90). CC risk was significantly increased in the first year post-infection (HR 2.08; 95% CI 1.48–2.93). The association between salmonellosis and CC in the first year post-infection can be explained by increased stool testing around the time of CC diagnosis. The association between proximal CC and non-Enteritidis/non-Typhimurium serovars is unclear and warrants further investigation. Overall, this study provides epidemiological evidence that notified Salmonella infections do not contribute significantly to CC risk in the studied population.