Early onset neonatal sepsis with Campylobacter jejuni: a case report

Perinatal infections with bacteria belonging to the genus campylobacter are being increasingly recognized. We present a case of early onset neonatal sepsis with Campylobacter jejuni (previously C. Fetus ss. jejuni or Vibrio jejuni). The infant was born prematurely at 31 weeks of gestation and presented with respiratory distress and frequent apnoea from birth. The chest X-ray film demonstrated reticulogranular pattern consistent with hyaline membrane disease. The infant was successfully treated with ampicillin and gentamicin. C. jejuni infection should be considered in the differential diagnosis of early onset sepsis in the neonate and can mimic the radiological picture of hyaline membrane disease.