Summary
Within a three-year period 712 patients withCampylobacter jejuni infection were diagnosed at our laboratory in Helsinki and 524 (72%) were treated as outpatients. More than half (57%) of the patients became infected when abroad, chiefly during holiday trips in the Mediterranean and in East European countries. The risk of acquiring infection was about 250 times greater abroad than in Finland, and it differed considerably from country to country, being highest in Morocco and Tunisia. Among domestic cases the incidence of infection was significantly higher (p < 0.001) during the summer and autumn months than during winter or spring. Animal contact prior to infection was reported in 59% of domestic and 31% of imported cases, and previous consumption of poultry in 28% and 42% of those from whom information was obtained. Besides diarrhoea (98%), the main symptoms included abdominal pain (87%), fatigue (81%), fever (78%), malaise (70%) and headache (51%). Arthralgia was observed in 19% and arthritis in 2% of patients. The mean duration of diarrhoea was 10.8 days, of fever 2.8 days.
Zusammenfassung
In einem Zeitraum von drei Jahren wurden in unserem Labor in Helsinki bei 712 Patienten Infektionen durchCampylobacter jejuni diagnostiziert; davon wurden 524 (72%) ambulant behandelt. Mehr als die Hälfte der Patienten (57%) infizierten sich im Ausland, vorwiegend auf Urlausbreisen in Mittelmeerländer und nach Osteuropa. Im Ausland war das Infektionsrisiko 250mal höher als in Finland; zwischen den Ländern bestanden beträchtliche Unterschiede, das höchste Risiko bestand in Marokko und Tunesien. Bei den zu Hause infizierten Fällen war die Inzidenz der Infektion während der Sommer-und Herbstmonate signifikant höher als im Winter und Frühling (p<0,001). Bei 59% der inländischen und bei 31% der importierten Fälle wurde über Tierkontakt vor der Infektion berichtet; soweit angegeben, hatten in 28% der im Inland und 42% der im Ausland infizierten Patienten Geflügel gegessen. Neben Durchfällen (98%) traten als Hauptsymptome Bauchschmerzen (87%), Müdigkeit (81%), Fieber (78%), schlechtes Befinden (70%) und Kopfschmerzen (51%) auf. Bei 19% der Patienten wurden Arthralgien und bei 2% eine Arthritis beobachtet. Die Diarrhöe hielt im Durchschnitt 10,8 Tage an, das Fieber 2,8 Tage.
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Pönkä, A., Pitkänen, T., Sarna, S. et al. Infection due to campylobacter jejuni: A report of 524 outpatients. Infection 12, 175–178 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01640893
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01640893