Campylobacter enteritis in South Australia

Abstract

Campylobacter jejuni was isolated on coproculture from 13 of 224 patients with suspected infectious diarrhoea whose faecal specimens were examined during a three-month period. These organisms were not isolated from 530 specimens received from asymptomatic and healthy individuals. Diarrhoea and cramping abdominal pain generally lasting two to three days were the major symptoms, though occasional patients had a more prolonged illness. Ingestion of campylobacter resulted in enteric infection with increasing numbers of campylobacter in the stool. Clinical laboratories should attempt to isolate these organisms from patients with diarrhoea.