Walsh & Hoyt: Campylobacter

These bacteria are motile, nonspore-forming, comma-shaped, gram-negative rods, of which there are at least 14 species. Three types of illness are associated with infection by Campylobacter species: enteric, gastric, and extraintestinal. For eachof these illnesses, one Campylobacter species predominates, and other species are less common. For example, the prototype for extraintestinal infection is C. fetus. Campylobacters are commonly found as commensals of the gastrointestinal tracts of wild or domesticated cattle, sheep, swine, goats, dogs, cats, rodents, and all varieties of fowl. This vast reservoir in animals is probably the ultimate source for most enteric Campylobacter infections in humans. Meats originating from infected animals frequently become contaminated withintestinal contents during the slaughtering process, and excreta from infected animals may contaminate soil or water.