Campylobacter enteritis in the Arabian Gulf

Abstract

Diarrhoea illnesses constitute a common cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. In recent years, Campylobacter spp. has been recognized as the leading cause of bacterial enteritis in both developed and developing countries. The biology of Campylobacters as well as the mechanism by which they cause disease is yet to be fully explained. In addition, non-availability of fast and reliable diagnostic methodology and the growing trend of antibiotic resistance continue to pose significant challenges. The absence of national surveillance programs for campylobacteriosis, particularly in developing countries, makes it difficult to give an accurate picture of the true infection prevalence and the molecular epidemiology of isolates circulating in the populations, a situation which had hitherto existed in the Arabian Gulf region. However, in recent years, emerging data from studies in the Arabian Gulf region has not only enhanced our understanding of the epidemiology of Campylobacter both in humans and poultry in the region, but has also contributed to the overall understanding of the mechanism of Campylobacter enteritis, antibiotic resistance, and improved diagnostic approaches. In this review, we examine these emerging data from the Arabian Gulf region.

Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction for Detection of Gastrointestinal Pathogens in Migrant Workers in Qatar

“…Receipt of either of these medications was not associated with having a PCR result positive for any of the organisms for which these antibiotics have activity. Quinolone resistance has been documented in over 50% of Campylobacter isolates in Qatar32 and other Gulf countries 33,34. Furthermore, the effect of antibiotic treatment in prolonging the carrier state for nontyphoidal Salmonella may be particularly detrimental among our study population given the risk of person-to-person transmission in close-contact settings.…”

Human and Animal Thermophilic Campylobacter infections in East African countries: Epidemiology and Antibiogram

“…Faecal samples represent the specimen of choice for the isolation of Campylobacter species in individuals presenting with gastrointestinal symptoms [15]. In the present review, studies on Campylobacter in humans involved collection of faecal samples from individuals complaining of enteric problems (symptomatic) seeking for medical services in health facilities within the study areas.…”

Potential Impact of Food Safety Vaccines on Health Care Costs

“…Campylobacter species are one of the leading causes of bacterial foodborne illness (Senok and Botta, 2009;Kirkpatrick and Tribble, 2011;Silva et al, 2011). The bacterium also causes a variety of sequelae in a limited number of cases that include reactive arthritis and the life-threatening neuropathy Guillain-Barré syndrome (Kirkpatrick and Tribble 2011;Silva et al, 2011).…”

“…As a result, health care services may be overwhelmed due to a spike in the number of patients affected with E. coli O157 (Frank et al, 2011). Campylobacter species are another leading foodborne bacterial pathogen that is estimated to cause 400 million human cases of gastroenteritis per year worldwide (Senok and Botta, 2009;Kirkpatrick and Tribble, 2011;Silva et al, 2011). However, although most of the cases are individual infections rather than outbreaks, Campylobacter species remain a significant economic burden on health care systems.…”