Medicina Fluminensis, Vol. 45 No. 4, 2009.
Review article
Campylobacter – the major cause of acute bacterial diarrhoea in humans worldwide
Darinka Vučković
orcid.org/0000-0003-1266-3891
; Zavod za mikrobiologiju, Medicinski fakultet Sveučilišta u Rijeci, Hrvatska
Maja Abram
orcid.org/0000-0003-4113-098X
; Zavod za mikrobiologiju, Medicinski fakultet Sveučilišta u Rijeci, Hrvatska
Abstract
Campylobacter spp. (mainly C. jejuni and C. coli) are the major cause of bacterial gastrointestinal infections in humans throughout the world. Campylobacters are isolated more often than other enteric pathogens (Salmonella, Shigella). Campylobacteriosis is a zoonotic disease and the major source of infection is contaminated food and water. Several Campylobacter virulence factors and their role in the development of the disease have been described. The important role of flagella, cytolethal distending toxin, capsule and lipooligosaccharide
in the pathogenesis of Campylobacter jejuni mediated enteritis have been confirmed.
Studies indicate that humoral immunity is crucial for the development of protection against Campylobacter disease. Nevertheless, experimental studies suggest that cell-mediated
immunity contributes to protection against C. jejuni. Viable but non-culturable (VBNC) state of campylobacters is presented and their unknown role in human infections is pointed. Epidemiological data, clinical simptoms and therapy of the disease are also described.
Keywords
Campylobacter; disease; epidemiology; immunity; pathogenesis; therapy
Hrčak ID:
45854
URI
Publication date:
1.12.2009.
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