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The following text is from an archived Red Book® edition and may not reflect current recommendations or information. To view the current edition, click here.
Section 3. Summaries of Infectious Diseases
Campylobacter Infections
Clinical Manifestations
Etiology
Epidemiology
Diagnostic Tests
Treatment
Isolation of the Hospitalized Patient
Control Measures
CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS: Predominant symptoms of Campylobacter infections include diarrhea, abdominal pain, malaise, and fever. Stools may contain visible or occult blood. In neonates and young infants, bloody diarrhea without fever may be the only manifestation of infection. Abdominal pain can mimic that produced by appendicitis. Mild infection lasts 1 or 2 days and resembles viral gastroenteritis. Most patients recover in less than one week, but 20% have a relapse or a prolonged or severe illness. Severe or persistent infection can mimic acute inflammatory bowel disease. Bacteremia is uncommon, but neonatal septicemia occurs occasionally. Immunocompromised hosts may have prolonged, relapsing, or extraintestinal infections, especially with Campylobacter fetus and other "atypical" species. Immunoreactive complications, such as acute idiopathic polyneuritis (Guillain-Barré syndrome), Miller Fisher syndrome (ophthalmoplegia, areflexia, ataxia), reactive arthritis, Reiter syndrome (arthritis, urethritis, and bilateral conjunctivitis), and erythema nodosum, can occur during convalescence.
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ETIOLOGY: Campylobacter species are motile, comma-shaped, gram-negative bacilli that cause gastroenteritis. Campylobacter fetus predominantly causes systemic illness in neonates and debilitated hosts. Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli are the most common species isolated from patients with diarrhea. Other Campylobacter species, including Campylobacter upsaliensis, Campylobacter
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