Hc. Schonheyder et al., A SURVEY OF CAMPYLOBACTER BACTEREMIA IN 3 DANISH COUNTIES, 1989 TO 1994, Scandinavian journal of infectious diseases, 27(2), 1995, pp. 145-148
Over a 5-year period (April 1989 to March 1994) bacteremia caused by C
ampylobacter species was diagnosed in 15 patients in a population of 1
.3 million in three counties in Jutland province, Denmark, The inciden
ce was 0.2/100,000/year and the ratio of blood to fecal isolates, was
0.008, Campylobacter coli and Campylobacter jejuni accounted for 6 cas
es each, Campylobacter fetus for 2, and in 1 case the species diagnosi
s was uncertain. Seven patients were males and 8 females; median age w
as 42 (range 15-90) years, 11 patients had underlying disorders, inclu
ding immunological, neoplastic and vascular disease, In a 67-year-old
man a Starr-Edwards prosthesis of the aortic valve was probably infect
ed by C. fetus, as recurrent bacteremia resolved following valve repla
cement, Eight patients had pyrexia and diarrhea, whereas 7 had pyrexia
with only slight intestinal discomfort or none at all. In 4 patients
the bacteremia was associated with cutaneous cellulitis or vasculitis,
14 of 15 patients survived. Campylobacter bacteremia seems to be more
common in Denmark than hitherto thought.