Campylobacter jejuni

Introduction

The standardized mortality ratio for cases infected domestically was 2.9 (95% CI: 1.9–4.0) within the first month following the illness (Ternhag et al, 2005)

Hosts

Fecal-oral, ingestion of contaminated food or water, and the eating of raw meat

Transmission / Exposure Route

Fecal-oral, ingestion of contaminated food or water, and the eating of raw meat

Case Fatality Ratio

Does not commonly cause death, it has been estimated that approximately 124 persons with Campylobacter infections die each year.

Incubation Period

3-5 days or up to a week ^[3]

Burden of Disease

It is estimated to affect over 2.4 million persons every year, or 0.8% of the population. ^[4] 
In 2010, the CDC reported an incidence 13.6 per 100,000 for Campylobacteriosis. ^[5]

Duration of infectiousness and disease

Symptoms typically reside in one week. Antibiotic treatment has been shown to decrease the duration of intestinal symptoms by 1.32 Days (95% CI: 0.64-1.99) However, because of drug resistance problems, antibiotics are only advised in complicated cases.^[6]

Campylobacter epidemiology varies greatly between the developed and developing world, probably due to development of immunity early in life. Illness is rare after about 5 years of age (or earlier) in developing countries, but occurs among adults in industrialized countries, probably because they avoided exposure (and therefore immunity) in childhood (Havelaar et al. 2009). However, immunity appears to protect against disease rather than infection, and asymptomatic shedding is common (Havelaar et al. 2009). In a comparison of Mexican children <4y and Swedish patients (ages not given), Swedish patients tended to carry only 1 Campylobacter serotype, while mixed serotypes were common among Mexican children (42%) (Sjögren et al. 1989).

Symptomology

Illness can cause symptoms beginning 2-5 days after exposures. These symptoms include abdominal pain, cramping, diarrhea, and fever.

Post-infectious complications include:^[7]

• Reactive Arthritis (7%)
• Guillain-Barre syndrome (1-3/10,000)
• Bacteremia (<1%)

Excretion Rates (see Exposure)

Immunity

Microbiology

Gram-negative, spiral, and microaerophilic. Motile, with either unipolar or bipolar flagella, the organisms have a characteristic spiral/corkscrew appearance and are oxidase-positive