Campylobacter jejuni

Question 1

what is the biology of campylobacter jejuni?

Answer 1

• Gram-negative curved rod
• Motile (flagella)
• Oxidase +
• Microaerobic growth

Question 2

how does campylobacter jejuni spread?

Answer 2

Zoonotic (especially poultry reservoirs)

Question 3

what is the pathogenesis of campylobacter jejuni?

Answer 3

1) Invades mucosa of colon
2) destroys colon mucosal surfaces
3) causes inflammatory bloody diarrhea!

(Penetration of mucosal layer and attach to IEC of small intestine with fimbriae. Multiple toxins cause damage to IEC and endothelial cells. Invade IEC layer and resist complement AND phagocytosis. Inject effector proteins into IEC and Macrophages, which alter signaling, leading to increase macrophage activation = lots of TNFα. Damage to IEC leads to formation of ulcers, malabsorption and loss of fluid and electrolytes.)

Question 4

campylobacter jejuni is the 2nd most common cause of what in the USA?

Answer 4

Second MC cause of bacterial gastroenteritis in USA

Question 5

how do you know if campylobacter has invaded the body?

Answer 5

Fever, blood and WBC in feces

Question 6

what is the clinical presentation of campylobacter?

Answer 6

• High fever
• Abdominal pain
• Up to 10/day watery and bloody bowel movements containing WBC and pus.

Question 7

infection with campylobacter will cause what on immunocompromised individuals?

Answer 7

infections can progress to systemic bacteremia

Question 8

what complications can occur with campylobacter jejuni?

Answer 8

• Reactive arthritis (aka Reiter’s Syndrome) - due to molecular mimicry
• **Acute Guillain-Barre Syndrome** (Ascending paralysis)