Campylobacter showae bacteremia with cholangitis.

Area of Science:

• Medical Microbiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Gastroenterology

Background:

• Cholangitis is a serious biliary tract infection.
• Campylobacter species are known pathogens, but Campylobacter showae is rarely reported.

Observation:

• A 71-year-old male patient with advanced bile duct cancer presented with severe cholangitis, shock, hypoglycemia, and renal impairment.
• Pus drained after biliary drainage tube replacement yielded an unidentified small, curved, gram-negative rod in anaerobic blood culture.
• Conventional methods failed to identify the bacterium, necessitating advanced molecular techniques.

Findings:

• 16S rRNA gene sequencing definitively identified the causative agent as Campylobacter showae.
• This molecular identification confirmed C. showae bacteremia in the context of cholangitis.
• The case suggests C. showae can be a significant pathogen in immunocompromised patients with biliary obstruction.

Implications:

• This case expands the spectrum of clinical manifestations attributed to Campylobacter showae.
• It underscores the importance of advanced diagnostic methods like 16S rRNA sequencing for identifying unusual pathogens.
• Further research into the pathogenicity and clinical significance of C. showae in biliary tract infections is warranted.