Campylobacter fetus bacteremia and meningitis in an acute lymphoblastic leukemia patient undergoing maintenance therapy: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Campylobacter fetus is an uncommon Campylobacter species, and its infections mainly cause infective endocarditis, aortic aneurysm, and meningitis rather than enteritis. It is more likely to be detected in blood than Campylobacter jejuni or Campylobacter coli, specifically reported in 53% of patients. In our case, C. fetus was detected in both blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cultures. CASE PRESENTATION: A 33-year-old woman, who was on maintenance chemotherapy for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), presented to our clinic with chief complaints of severe headache and nausea. Blood and CSF cultures revealed C. fetus. We administrated meropenem 2 g intravenously (IV) every 8 h for 3 weeks, and she was discharged without neurological sequelae. CONCLUSION: We encountered a case of C. fetus meningitis without gastrointestinal symptoms, neck stiffness or jolt accentuation in a patient with ALL. Undercooked beef was considered the source of C. fetus infection in this case, suggesting that the need for a neutropenic diet and safe food handling be considered.

Endovascularly Treated Superficial Femoral Artery Aneurysm Rupture Secondary to Campylobacter fetus Bacteremia: A Case Report.

Degenerative aneurysms of the superficial femoral artery (SFA) are relatively rare and often recognized when they become symptomatic such as rupture. Infected SFA aneurysms are much rarer, especially those caused by Campylobacter fetus bacteremia. We report a case of a 67-year-old woman referred to our hospital owing to the presence of a painful reddish swelling on her left thigh. A huge SFA aneurysm rupture was diagnosed, and endovascular treatment with a covered stent was performed. C. fetus was detected in the blood culture thereafter, and antibacterial therapy was successfully performed without any additional surgical interventions. She remained well without any evidence of indolent infection 19 months after the endovascular treatment. The endovascular approach with appropriate prolonged antibacterial therapy would be a feasible alternative for managing selected infected aneurysm cases.

Campylobacter fetus spondylodiscitis in a patient with HIV infection and restored CD4 count.

Campylobacter fetus (C. fetus) is a rare condition and mostly seen in elderly or immunocompromised patients. We present the first case of C. fetus spondylodiscitis in a virologically suppressed HIV seropositive patient with low back pain. MRI was performed and showed spondylodiscitis of the L4-L5 region. Empirical antibiotic therapy with flucloxacillin was started after blood cultures were drawn and an image-guided disc biopsy was performed. Blood cultures remained negative. The anaerobic culture of the puncture biopsy of the disc revealed presence of C. fetus after which the antibiotic treatment was switched to ceftriaxone. Guided by the susceptibility results, the therapy was switched to ciprofloxacin orally for 6 weeks after which the patient made full clinical, biochemical and radiographic recovery. Since no other immune-deficient conditions were noted, it is important to highlight that patients with HIV infection with restored CD4 counts and complete virological suppression can still be susceptible for infections caused by rare pathogens. Low back pain should raise suspicion for these conditions and should be examined properly.

Successful Empiric Therapy for Postsplenectomy Sepsis with Campylobacter fetus in an Abattoir Worker with Follicular Lymphoma.

Asplenia may yield an increased risk of fulminant sepsis with various pathogens. Human infection with Campylobacter fetus is rare, but it often presents with non-gastrointestinal tract infection among immunocompromised individuals. A 55-year-old abattoir worker presented with a fever. He had had splenectomy for follicular lymphoma and rituximab maintenance therapy by four months before the presentation. Blood cultures yielded C. fetus, and the administration of meropenem dissolved the bacteremia. Further maintenance therapy was withheld, and no recurrence of infection has been observed for seven years. Asplenia, occupational exposure, and/or rituximab maintenance therapy might have been precipitating factors of this rare infection.

Pericarditis caused by Campylobacter fetus subspecies fetus associated with ingestion of raw beef liver.

Campylobacter fetus is an organism residing primarily in the gastrointestinal tracts of cattle and sheep and transmitting to humans through ingestion of contaminated food products or surface water. The organism has caused various extraintestinal infections but, to date, purulent pericarditis due to the organism has rarely been described. We report a case of purulent pericarditis due to C. fetus subsp. fetus, occurring in a patient having several predisposing conditions, including receiving hemodialysis therapy, recent surgery for cecal cancer, and administration of esomeprazole. The patient mentioned having eaten homemade raw beef liver two weeks before the onset, suggesting that the ingested food product was contaminated with C. fetus and the organism transmitted to the pericardium through the bloodstream although blood culture was negative. The causative organism, recovered from the pericardial effusion, was unidentifiable with commercial systems but determinable with molecular methods at the subspecies level. The patient fully improved with pericardiocentesis and subsequent administration of ciprofloxacin, to which the organism was considered susceptible, for a total of four weeks. This is the first case of C. fetus pericarditis in which a history of ingesting a raw food product was clearly mentioned.

Myositis Ossificans of the Hip Due to Pyogenic Arthritis Caused by Campylobacter fetus Subspecies fetus.

A 61-year-old woman was admitted with severe hip pain causing immobility and high serum levels of inflammatory markers. The patient had a medical history of diabetes. She had been scheduled to undergo right hip replacement surgery for the treatment of osteoarthritis associated with gradually progressive pain. On admission, an enhanced abdominal computed tomography scan showed an abnormal increase in synovial fluid surrounding the right ilium, with piriformis muscle calcification. Subsequent blood and specimen cultures identified Campylobacter fetus subspecies fetus. This is a rare report of a case of myositis ossificans followed by C. fetus pyogenic arthritis of the hip.

Tubo-ovarian abscess with endometrial cyst probably infected by Campylobacter fetus: Two cases.

Campylobacter fetus often causes systemic infection in immunocompromised or older patients, and prenatal infection, but Campylobacter has rarely been reported as a cause of adnexitis in healthy young women. Here we report two cases of endometriotic cysts infected by C. fetus for the first time. In case 1, a 28-year-old woman with a left adnexal cyst was hospitalized for left tubo-ovarian abscess and underwent left salpingo-oophorectomy. In case 2, a 22-year-old woman with a right adnexal cyst was hospitalized for a bilateral tubo-ovarian abscess and underwent right salpingo-oophorectomy and left salpingectomy. In both cases, C. fetus was detected on culture, and histopathology indicated a purulent endometriotic cyst. The present findings suggest that endometriotic cyst can be a focus of C. fetus infection.

Eficiencia del cultivo bacteriológico y de la inmunofluorescencia en la detección de Campylobacter fetus en fluidos genitales bovinos / Efficiency of bacteriological culture and the immunofluorescent assay to detect Campylobacter fetus in bovine genital fluids

La campilobacteriosis genital bovina es una enfermedad reproductiva que afecta la producción bovina. Es causada por las subespecies de Campylobacter fetus, C. fetus fetus (Cff) y C. fetus venerealis (Cfv). El objetivo de este estudio fue identificar la presencia de C. fetus en fluidos genitales mediante cultivo bacteriológico e inmunofluorescencia directa (IFD) y comparar los resultados. Se conformaron 2 grupos de 6 vaquillonas y 5 toros cada uno. Uno se infectó con Cff (grupo Cff) y el otro con Cfv (grupo Cfv). Dos vaquillonas y 2 toros sin infectar conformaron el grupo control. Periódicamente se tomaron muestras de mucus cervicovaginal y fluido prepucial, las que se procesaron por cultivo e IFD. En el grupo Cff se infectó el 100 % de las vaquillonas y el 80 % de los toros, mientras que en el grupo Cfv se infectó el 50 y el 60 %, respectivamente. Los valores de concordancia (Kappa) obtenidos al comparar las técnicas diagnósticas fueron de 0,57 para las vaquillonas del grupo Cff y 0,52 para las del grupo Cfv, y para los toros fueron de 0,17 y 0,27, respectivamente. En las vaquillonas, la IFD arrojó más resultados positivos que el cultivo, un 5,6 % más para el grupo Cff y un 7,4 % más para el grupo Cfv. El menor porcentaje de resultados positivos por IFD en los toros, un 40 % menos que por cultivo para el grupo Cff y un 5,3 % menos para el grupo Cfv, podría deberse a un muestreo incorrecto. Los valores de Kappa indican una concordancia moderada en las vaquillonas y baja en los toros.

Bovine genital campylobacteriosis is a reproductive disease that affects cattle production. It is caused by Campylobacter fetus subspecies, C. fetus fetus (Cff) and C. fetus venerealis (Cfv). The aim of this study was to identify the presence of C. fetus in genital fluids by bacteriological culture and direct immunofluorescence (DIF) and to compare the results. Two groups of 6 heifers and 5 bulls, one infected with Cff (Cff group) and the other with Cfv (Cfv group) were formed. Two heifers and 2 bulls, all of them uninfected, made up the control group. Samples of cervicovaginal mucus and preputial fluid were processed by culture and DIF. In the Cff group, 100 % of the heifers and 80 % of the bulls were infected, while in the Cfv group, 50 % of the heifers and 60 % of the bulls were infected. The degree of agreement (Kappa values) from benchmarking diagnostic techniques were 0.57 for heifers in the Cff group and 0.52 for heifers in the Cfv group, whereas the values for bulls were 0.17 and 0.27, respectively. Heifers yielded more positive results in the DIF assay than in the culture, exhibiting 5.6 % increase in the Cff group and 7.4 % in the Cfv group. The lowest percentage of positive results for DIF in bulls, 40 % less for the Cff group and 5.2 % for the Cfv group, could be due to improper sampling. Kappa values showed moderate agreement for the heifers and low for the bulls.

A rural worker infected with a bovine-prevalent genotype of Campylobacter fetus subsp. fetus supports zoonotic transmission and inconsistency of MLST and whole-genome typing.

Whole-genome characterisation in clinical microbiology enables to detect trends in infection dynamics and disease transmission. Here, we report a case of bacteraemia due to Campylobacter fetus subsp. fetus in a rural worker under cancer treatment that was diagnosed with cellulitis; the patient was treated with antibiotics and recovered. The routine typing methods were not able to identify the microorganism causing the infection, so it was further analysed by molecular methods and whole-genome sequencing. The multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) revealed the presence of the bovine-associated ST-4 genotype. Whole-genome comparisons with other C. fetus strains revealed an inconsistent phylogenetic position based on the core genome, discordant with previous ST-4 strains. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first C. fetus subsp. fetus carrying the ST-4 isolated from humans and represents a probable case of zoonotic transmission from cattle.

Mycotic popliteal aneurysm rupture secondary to Campylobacter fetus.

BACKGROUND: Mycotic aneurysms of the popliteal artery are uncommon. Popliteal aneurysms rarely rupture. The authors present the second reported case of popliteal artery rupture as a result of Campylobacter fetus infection. This report confirms the arterial destructive potential of C. fetus infection in a peripheral artery. METHODS: An 85-year-old male who had previously undergone endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair in 2007 presented with positive blood cultures for C. fetus. No endocarditis was detected. No periprosthetic fluid to suggest aortic endograft infection was present. During hospitalization for sepsis, he developed acute right knee pain and swelling. A 5.2-cm popliteal aneurysm, with contained rupture, was found on ultrasound and confirmed by computed tomography and angiography. Recommendations for treatment and a literature review are provided. RESULTS: This patient was successfully managed with total excision of the aneurysm via a posterior approach with reconstruction through a medial approach using autologous saphenous vein bypass. Culture-directed antibiotic therapy (6 weeks of intravenous ertapenem) to eradicate the pathogen completed the therapy. The patient is doing well at 18- month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Mycotic popliteal aneurysm associated with C. fetus is a rare but potentially fatal condition. Isolating C. fetus should alert the surgeon to the peripheral arterial destructive potential of this pathogen, as manifested by acute rupture in this patient. Traditional resection through a posterior approach and revascularization through noncontaminated tissue with culture-directed therapy are the treatments of choice.

Mycotic abdominal aortic aneurysm caused by Campylobacter fetus: a case report and literature review.

Campylobacter spp. usually cause gastrointestinal infections, but among them, Campylobacter fetus is a well-known organism causing mycotic abdominal aortic aneurysm (MAAA), which requires proper surgical intervention and antibiotic therapy. We report a 65-year-old man who was successfully treated by an in situ operation using a rifampicin (RFP)-bonded J-Graft for C. fetus-induced MAAA. We performed a review of the English literature on MAAA caused by C. fetus and summarized the results of the cases (28 cases). All but 2 of the patients (92.9%) were men. Blood culture and arterial wall culture were positive in 63% and 73.1% of the cases, respectively. Aneurysm rupture was seen in half of the patients, and approximately half of those patients died. Among the 18 patients who underwent in situ graft replacement, only 1 patient (5.6%) died after surgery. Antibiotic therapy was performed for more than 1 month in most cases, and overall mortality rate was 25.9% (7 of 27 cases, 3 deaths before the operation and 4 deaths after surgery). Although extra-anatomic bypass has been conventionally performed after complete resection of an MAAA, the utility of in situ surgery has generally been recognized. Our review suggests that the in situ operation can be a choice also in cases of C. fetus-associated MAAA. Furthermore, our case suggested the clinical utility of a newly manufactured prosthetic graft, J-Graft, for such surgical treatment.

Campylobacter fetus bacteremia in an immunocompetent traveler.

Campylobacter fetus bacteremia is a rare human infection that occurs almost exclusively in the setting of advanced age, immunosuppression, human immunodeficiency virus infection, alcoholism, or recent gastrointestinal surgery. This report of C. fetus bacteremia in a 39-year-old immunocompetent traveler who ate raw beef identifies C. fetus as a potential emerging pathogen in normal hosts.

Campylobacter fetus subsp. testudinum subsp. nov., isolated from humans and reptiles.

A polyphasic study was undertaken to determine the taxonomic position of 13 Campylobacter fetus-like strains from humans (n = 8) and reptiles (n = 5). The results of matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) MS and genomic data from sap analysis, 16S rRNA gene and hsp60 sequence comparison, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, amplified fragment length polymorphism analysis, DNA-DNA hybridization and whole genome sequencing demonstrated that these strains are closely related to C. fetus but clearly differentiated from recognized subspecies of C. fetus. Therefore, this unique cluster of 13 strains represents a novel subspecies within the species C. fetus, for which the name Campylobacter fetus subsp. testudinum subsp. nov. is proposed, with strain 03-427(T) ( = ATCC BAA-2539(T) = LMG 27499(T)) as the type strain. Although this novel taxon could not be differentiated from C. fetus subsp. fetus and C. fetus subsp. venerealis using conventional phenotypic tests, MALDI-TOF MS revealed the presence of multiple phenotypic biomarkers which distinguish Campylobacter fetus subsp. testudinum subsp. nov. from recognized subspecies of C. fetus.

Production and characterization of monoclonal antibodies against Campylobacter fetus subsp. venerealis / Produção e caracterização de anticorpos monoespecíficos contra Campylobacter fetus subsp. venerealis

Myeloma cells Sp2/0-Ag14 and spleen cells from BALB/c mouse immunized with sonicated Campylobacter fetus subsp. venerealis NCTC 10354 were fused with polyethylene glycol (PEG) for the selection of clones producing antibodies. Clones were obtained by limiting dilution and screened for the production of specific antibodies to C. fetus subsp. venerealis NCTC 10354 by indirect ELISA and western blot against a panel of bacteria: C. fetus subsp. venerealis NCTC 10354, C. fetus subsp fetus ADRI 1812, C. sputorum biovar sputorum LMG 6647, C. lari NCTC 11352, and Arcobacter skirrowii LMG 6621 for the ELISA and C. fetus subsp. venerealis NCTC 10354 and C. sputorum biovar sputorum LMG 6647 for the western blotting. Fifteen clones producing monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) anti-C. fetus subsp. venerealis of the IgM (1) and IgG (14) classes were further screened for species-specificity. Four clones of the 15 obtained were producers of species-specific monoclonal antibodies (MAbs): two were specific for C. fetus subsp. venerealis and two were specific for C. fetus subsp. fetus. None of the clones were reactive against C. sputorum biovar sputorum LMG 6647. All clones recognized a protein with molecular mass of approximately 148 kDa from lysed C. fetus subsp. venerealis NCTC 10354.

Para a produção de anticorpos monoclonais contra Campylobacter fetus subsp. venerealis foram utilizadas as linhagens de células de mieloma Sp2/0-Ag14 e células de baço de camundongos BALB/c imunizados com sonicado de C. fetus subsp. venerealis NCTC 10354. A detecção dos anticorpos monoclonais foi realizada por ELISA indireto utilizando antígeno sonicado de C. fetus subsp. venerealis NCTC 10354. A clonagem foi realizada por diluição limitante e os clones foram caracterizados por ELISA indireto utilizando um painel de bactérias escolhidas em função da prevalência e habitats: C. fetus subsp. venerealis NCTC 10354, C. fetus subsp. fetus ADRI 1812, C. sputorum biovar sputorum LMG 6647, C. lari NCTC 11352 e Arcobacter skirrowii LMG 6621; e no "western blotting" utilizando antígenos sonicados de C. fetus subsp. venerealis NCTC 10354 e C. sputorum biovar sputorum LMG 6647. Foram obtidos 15 clones produtores de anticorpos anti- C. fetus subsp. venerealis das classes IgM (1) e IgG (14). Quatro clones dentre os 15 clones obtidos foram produtores de anticorpos monoclonais espécie-específicos: dois clones reagiram com maior especificidade contra C. fetus subsp. venerealis NCTC 10354 e dois clones reagiram com maior especificidade contra C. fetus subsp. fetus ADRI 1812. Nenhum dos clones reagiu contra C. sputorum biovar sputorum LMG 6647, comprovando a especificidade dos anticorpos monoclonais testados. Todos os clones reconheceram uma proteína de massa molecular de aproximadamente 148 kDa no sonicado de C. fetus subsp. venerealis NCTC 10354.

PCR Multiplex fluorescente para detecção de bactérias em sêmen bovino / Fluorescent Multiplex PCR for detection of bacteria in semen bovine

Este estudo teve como objetivo avaliar o limiar de detecção da técnica de PCR multiplex fluorescente aliada a eletroforese capilar na detecção de agentes infecciosos em amostras de sêmen experimentalmente contaminadas com concentrações decrescentes das bactérias Brucella abortus, Leptospira interrogans sorovar pomona, Campylobacter fetus e Haemophilus somnus. Amostras de sêmen bovino foram experimentalmente contaminadas com concentrações decrescentes de bactérias obtidas através de diluições seriadas na base 10 de modo a obter-se amostras contendo desde 1 vez até 10-7 bactérias/mL a partir da concentração inicial de Leptospira pomona, Brucella abortus, Campylobacter fetus e Haemophilus somnus. As diluições foram efetuadas individualmente para cada bactéria, bem como nas diferentes concentrações necessárias para a padronização do teste de multiplex PCR. As extrações de DNA de todas as soluções contendo espermatozóides e bactérias analisadas no presente estudo foram realizadas segundo protocolo descrito por Heinemann et al. (2000). Os produtos de PCR multiplex foram avaliados por eletroforese em gel de poliacrilamida 8% e separação eletroforética por sistema capilar em equipamento automático de análise de fragmentos de DNA MegaBace. Observou-se a amplificação de fragmentos de 193pb, 330pb, 400pb e 415pb a partir do DNA de B. abortus, L. pomona, H. somnus, C. fetus, respectivamente. Na análise por eletroforese capilar de produtos da PCR multiplex do DNA para detecção simultânea dos quatro patógenos observou-se a sinal de positividade até a diluição de 10-3 bactérias/mL vezes da concentração inicial da solução estoque de cada bactéria. A técnica de PCR multiplex aliada à eletroforese capilar foi usada pela primeira vez para o diagnóstico direto de quatro bactérias patogênicas no sêmen, demonstrando ser um método rápido na detecção de bactérias causadoras de doenças reprodutivas.

This study aimed to evaluate the threshold of detection of fluorescent multiplex PCR coupled with capillary electrophoresis for detection of infectious agents in semen samples from experimentally infected with decreasing concentrations of the bacteria Brucella abortus, Leptospira interrogans serovar pomona, Campylobacter fetus and Haemophilus somnus. Samples of bovine semen were experimentally infected with decreasing concentrations of bacteria obtained from serial dilutions in the base 10 so as to obtain samples containing a long time until 10-7 bacteria/mL from the initial concentration of Lepstospira pomona, Brucella abortus, Haemophilus somnus and Campylobacter fetus. The dilutions were made individually for each bacterium, as well as in different concentrations needed to standardize the multiplex PCR test. DNA extractions of all solutions containing sperm and bacteria analyzed in this study were performed according to protocol described by Heinemann et al. (2000). The multiplex PCR products were analyzed by electrophoresis on 8% polyacrylamide gel and capillary electrophoretic separation system for automated equipment in the analysis of DNA fragments MegaBACE. We observed amplification of fragments of 193pb, 330pb, 415pb and 400bp from the DNA of B. abortus, L. pomona, H. somnus, C. fetus respectively. The analysis by capillary electrophoresis of multiplex PCR products of DNA for simultaneous detection of the four pathogens was observed by detecting the dilution of 10-3 bacteria / mL times the initial concentration of the stock solution of each bacterium. The multiplex PCR coupled with capillary electrophoresis was first used for the direct diagnosis of four pathogenic bacteria in semen, proving to be a rapid method to detect bacteria that cause reproductive disorders.

Pheochromocytoma crisis caused by Campylobacter fetus.

Pheochromocytoma crisis is a life-threatening endocrine emergency associated with symptoms of excess release of catecholamines. It might present spontaneously or be unmasked by triggers including trauma, surgery and certain medications that provoke catecholamine release by tumors. Here we report a case of pheochromocytoma crisis associated with abscess formation in the tumor and bacteremia of Campylobacter fetus, which was successfully treated with antibiotics and a surgical resection. This case appears to be the first reported case in the literature of abscess formation by C. fetus in pheochromocytoma, leading to catecholamine crisis.

Campylobacter fetus subspecies fetus spondylodiscitis.

Campylobacter spp. are common causes of gastrointestinal infections. Campylobacter fetus is a much rarer pathogen in humans, and usually causes bacteraemia and systemic complications in patients with predisposing conditions. We report a case of spondylodiscitis caused by C. fetus subsp. fetus as revealed by vertebral biopsy culture. This identification was confirmed by sequencing the 16S rRNA gene and by phylogenetic analysis. Treatment consisted of 6 weeks antimicrobial therapy combined with a strict initial immobilization, followed by a re-education program. The patient's recovery was uneventful.

[Isolation of Campylobacter fetus from persons with obstetric-gynecological infections].

Campylobacter fetus subspecies fetus is a cause of different obstetric-gynecological diseases. It is a first time when rate of infection with Campylobacter was studied and connection between the infection and development of chronic gynecologic diseases and pathology of labor was established. Bacteria were isolated and identified in 36.0% +/- 0.7 of studied women admitted to inpatient clinics. It was established that Campylobacter fetus subspecies fetus can cause abnormalities in placenta functions as well as different inflammatory processes during pregnancy.