Campylobacter

Characteristics/Epidemiology

Infect intestine

Commensals of mammals and fowl

 

Pathogenesis/Transmission

Transmitted via faecal/oral route or food (via direct contact, contaminated meat (esp poultry), or contaminated water supply)

Clinical significance

C. jejuni

Acute enteritis

Incubation 1-7 days.

Last several weeks. Self-limiting

Symptoms:

• Systemic - fever, headache, myalgia
• Intestinal - abdo cramp, diarrhoea, bloody or non-bloody

Traveler's diarrhoea

Pseudoappendicitis

Bacteremia

Complication

• Septic abortion
• Reactive arthritis
• Guillain-Barre syndrome

C. fetus

More likely than C. jejuni to result in non-intestinal infections

More likely than C. jejuni to affect immunocompromised patient

Laboratory identification

Curved, spiral, or S-shaped (resembling vibrios)

A single polar flagellum provides rapid motility

Microaerophillic

Do not ferment carbohydrate

Treatment

C. jejuni - ciprofloxacin

C. fetus - ampicillin or 3rd generation cephalosporin

Prevention/immunity

Thorough cooking of contaminated food

Pasteurisation of milk

---

Things to revise/add later:

Bibliography:

---