Background. Campylobacter upsaliensis can cause gastroenteritis and bactere
mia, Data on its epidemiology and role in pediatric gastroenteritis are lim
ited.
Objective. To describe the incidence and clinical features of enteric C ups
aliensis infection in children and to compare these with similar data for C
ampylobacter jejuni.
Design and methods. Medical records of all patients with enteric C. upsalie
nsis infection between 1992 and 1999 at the Royal Children's Hospital, Melb
ourne, were reviewed, A case-control study (age-matched 1:2) was performed
to compare the severity of clinical disease and associated risk factors for
infection with C. upsaliensis and C,jejuni,
Results. Of 18 516 specimens 666 (3.6%) were positive for C. jejuni and 19
(0.1%) were positive for C. upsaliensis, Records were available for 18 pati
ents with C, upsaliensis gastroenteritis (mean age, 1.6 years; median age,
1.3 years; range, 3 months to 7 years; 14 male). Eleven patients (61%) pres
ented with acute and 7 (39%) with chronic or intermittent diarrhea, The cas
e-control study showed that fever (P = 0.03), acute diarrhea (P = 0.05) and
rectal bleeding (P = 0.0006) were significantly less common in C. upsalien
sis than in C. jejuni infection.
Conclusion. C. upsaliensis is a rare cause of gastroenteritis in young chil
dren and, compared with C. jejuni infection, is associated with significant
ly lower rates of fever, acute diarrhea and rectal bleeding.