Clinical manifestations of Campylobacter jejuni infection in adolescents and adults, and change in antibiotic resistance of the pathogen over the past 16 years

AbstractBackground: Campylobacter jejuni infection, traditionally a paediatric illness, is now seen more frequently in adolescents and adults in northern China. Published surveillance reports on C. jejuni infection in these patients are rare. We aimed to characterize (1) the clinical manifestations of this infection in adolescents and adults, and (2) changes in antibiotic resistance of the pathogen. Methods: We retrospectively examined 492 cases of C. jejuni infection in patients aged ≥ 14 y treated at the Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China, for the period January 1994 to December 2010. Results: The disease was more common in patients aged 14–24 y and in men (57.9%; p < 0.0001 vs women). The peak incidence was seen between May and October. The infection manifested with acute diarrhoea (< 10 bowel movements per day, loose or mucous stool), fever (mostly low grade), and abdominal cramps and pain. Faecal leukocytes and erythrocytes were demonstrated in, respectively, 90.9% and 79.3% of stool sp...