Km. Neuzil et al., PERSISTENCE OF CAMPYLOBACTER-FETUS BACTEREMIA ASSOCIATED WITH ABSENCEOF OPSONIZING ANTIBODIES, Journal of clinical microbiology, 32(7), 1994, pp. 1718-1720
Campylobacter fetus causes systemic infections in immunocompromised ho
sts. We describe a case in which C. fetus bacteremia apparently relaps
ed after 7 years in a patient with hypogammaglobulinemia and character
ize the serum resistance of the patient's C. fetus strain and the inab
ility of the patient's serum, with and without commercial intravenous
immunoglobulin, to opsonize this and another C. fetus strain effective
ly. The probable presence of a sequestered site of infection in bone,
the intrinsic serum resistance of the C. fetus strain, and the absence
of specific antibody may account for the persistent infection in this
patient. These studies suggest that intravenous immunoglobulin treatm
ent is not useful in eradicating C. fetus bacteremia.