Campylobacter Infections in Children

Rebecca G. Same; Pranita D. Tamma

doi:10.1542/pir.2017-0285

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Rebecca G. Same, MD*
Pranita D. Tamma, MD, MHS*

^*Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD

AUTHOR DISCLOSURE
Dr Same has disclosed no financial relationships relevant to this article. Dr Tamma has disclosed that she has an investigator-initiated research grant from Merck unrelated to this article. This commentary does not contain a discussion of an unapproved/investigative use of a commercial product/device.

Abbreviations:

CDC:: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
CIDT:: culture-independent diagnostic testing
GBS:: Guillain-Barré syndrome
HIV:: human immunodeficiency virus
IBD:: inflammatory bowel disease
Ig:: immunoglobulin

Education Gap

Campylobacter is one of the 2 most common causes of foodborne illness in the United States. It most commonly occurs in children younger than 5 years of age. Campylobacter species can cause a wide range of syndromes, from asymptomatic infections to severe systemic infections.

Objectives

After completing this article, readers should be able to:

Recognize that Campylobacter is a common cause of foodborne illness in the United States and internationally.
Understand the indications for testing and the treatment of Campylobacter infection.

Introduction

Campylobacter species are an important cause of infection throughout the world, especially in young children. Campylobacter jejuni is the most common Campylobacter species in the United States, where it is 1 of the top 2 causes of foodborne illness. (1) Other important species include Campylobacter upsaliensis, Campylobacter lari, and Campylobacter fetus, which can cause serious systemic infections in all age groups, particularly in immunocompromised patients.

Campylobacter species infections cause gastroenteritis and typically present with diarrhea that may or may not be bloody, emesis, and abdominal pain. Campylobacter infection in children can mimic intussusception, appendicitis, or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Immune-mediated complications of Campylobacter infection include reactive arthritis and Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). Campylobacter infection is a nationally notifiable disease, and confirmed cases should be reported through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network.

Most Campylobacter infections are mild and self-limited and require only supportive care, although some may lead to severe dehydration. Serious infection or infections in immunocompromised hosts may benefit from treatment with macrolide antibiotics. Increasing …