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Campylobacteriosis
Last reviewed: 05.07.2025
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Campylobacteriosis is an acute zoonotic infectious disease with a fecal-oral mechanism of transmission of the pathogen, characterized by fever, intoxication, and predominant damage to the gastrointestinal tract.
ICD 10 code
A04.5. Enteritis due to Campylobacter.
What causes campylobacteriosis?
Campylobacteriosis is caused by bacteria of the genus Campylobacter, mainly C. jejuni, Campilobacteriaceae. The genus Campilobacter includes nine species. Campylobacter are motile gram-negative rods 1.5-2 μm long, 0.3-0.5 μm in diameter, and have a flagellum. They grow on agar media with the addition of erythrocytes and antibiotics (vancomycin, amphotericin B) to suppress accompanying flora, and form small colonies. The optimal growth temperature is 42 °C, pH 7. The bacteria produce hydrogen sulfide and have a positive reaction to catalase. They have thermostable O-antigens and thermolabile H-antigens. The most important surface antigens are LPS and the acid-soluble protein fraction.
Epidemiology of campylobacteriosis
Campylobacteriosis is widespread in all countries. Campylobacter causes up to 10% of acute diarrheal diseases. Milk consumption is associated with most foodborne outbreaks of campylobacteriosis in the United States, accounting for up to 80% of cases.
[ Pathogenesis of campylobacteriosis
The pathogen enters the body through the gastrointestinal tract. The infectious dose depends on individual susceptibility. Of great importance are the infectious dose, the degree of adhesive and invasive ability of the pathogen, as well as its enterotoxic and cytotoxic activity. A direct relationship has been found between the severity and duration of the disease and the degree of adhesive activity of bacteria.
What are the symptoms of campylobacteriosis?
Campylobacteriosis has an incubation period that lasts from 6 hours to 11 (usually 1-2) days. Approximately 30-50% of patients may have a febrile prodromal period lasting up to 3 days before typical symptoms of campylobacteriosis appear. Typical symptoms of this period are general weakness, arthralgia, headache, chills. Body temperature most often remains within the range of 38-40 °C. Campylobacteriosis may begin acutely, with the simultaneous development of all symptoms. Patients complain of nausea, pain in the epigastric region, and often vomiting. The stool is profuse, liquid, foamy, in 20% of patients with an admixture of mucus and blood. Signs of dehydration may appear (dry skin and mucous membranes, oliguria, short-term convulsions are observed in some patients).
How is campylobacteriosis diagnosed?
It is very difficult to clinically diagnose campylobacteriosis: it is necessary to take into account epidemiological data (contact with animals, group nature of the disease).
The diagnosis of campylobacteriosis is confirmed by identifying the pathogen in a native smear of feces using contrast microscopy, isolating it from feces, blood, cerebrospinal fluid, and tissue of an aborted fetus. Sowing is done on special selective solid nutrient media with brilliant green, thioglycollate, or on trypticase soy broth with 5% sheep or horse blood and antibiotics.
How is campylobacteriosis treated?
When treating patients with campylobacteriosis, occurring in the form of enteritis and gastroenteritis, there is no need to resort to etiotropic therapy, since campylobacteriosis tends to spontaneous self-healing. Usually, non-specific symptomatic therapy is enough. The use of antibiotics is advisable in severe cases of campylobacteriosis, in the treatment of patients with a complicated premorbid background and at risk of complications. Patients are hospitalized according to clinical indications.
What is the prognosis for campylobacteriosis?
Campylobacteriosis usually has a favorable prognosis. Mortality is up to 2.4 per 1000 cases. Fatal outcomes are observed more often in generalized (septic) forms; gastrointestinal forms end in recovery even without etiotropic therapy.