Download Campylobacter:

Campylobacter:
C. Jejuni and C. coli have emerged as common
human pathogens, causing mainly enteritis and
occasionally systemic diseases.
Morphology:
Small Gram negative bacilli, with comma or
S shape. They are motile with single unsheathed
polar flagellum, at one or both poles.
Culture characters:
• They are microaerophilic, best growth at 42⁰C in
atmosphere containing 5% O₂ & 10% CO₂. They grow
on a selective medium called Skirrow’s medium
(containing lysed blood agar and vancomycin,
polymyxin & trimethoprim).
Method of transmission:
• Usually, fecal-oral. Domestic animals such as cattle,
chicken and dogs serve as a source of infection. Food
and water contaminated with animal feces are the
major source of human infection
Pathogenesis:
• C. jejuni is an invasive and toxogenic organism. It
produce two exotoxins; enterotoxin and cytotoxin.
Clinical picture:
• Incubation period 3 days
• Symptoms are severeng abdominal pain, nausea and
diarrhea. Leucocytes are almost present in the feces,
and frank blood may be apparent
• Symptoms usually resolve within few days, but
excretion of bacteria may continue for several weeks.
• Complications Ascptic arthritis or peripheral
polyneuropathy (Guillain Barre’ syndrome;
antibodies cross react with the myelin in nerve
sheaths lead to symmetrical weakness).
Laboratory diagnosis:
• A stool specimen is cultured on Skirrow’s medium
and incubated at 42⁰C in a microacrophilic
atmosphere (5% O₂) containing 10% CO₂. The
organism is defined by failure to grow at 25C,
oxidase positive and catalase positive and
sensitivity to antibiotics.
• Serology can he useful in patients presenting with
aseptic arthritis or Guillain-Barre’ syndrome after
about of diarrhea, Complement fixation test and
ELISA tests can detect recent infection with C. jejuni
and C. coli.
Treatment:
• Erythromycin, nalidixic acid
Partially sensitive to ampicellin.
and
tetracyclines.