Related Experiment Videos
Chronic diarrhea and failure to thrive in an infant with Campylobacter jejuni
Insights
Campylobacter jejuni infection can cause chronic diarrhea and failure to thrive in infants. Erythromycin treatment effectively eradicated the infection and resolved symptoms, leading to improved growth.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Chronic diarrhea and failure to thrive (FTT) in infants present diagnostic challenges.
- Conventional treatments and dietary modifications are often ineffective.
Observation:
- A 22-month-old girl presented with persistent diarrhea and weight loss unresponsive to dietary interventions.
- Jejunal biopsy showed mild mucosal atrophy without celiac disease markers.
- Stool cultures repeatedly identified Campylobacter jejuni.
Findings:
- Campylobacter jejuni infection was confirmed by stool cultures and high specific antibody titers.
- Erythromycin therapy led to rapid symptom resolution and catch-up growth.
- The patient achieved normal weight/height percentiles after treatment.
Implications:
- Highlights Campylobacter jejuni as a potential cause of chronic diarrhea and FTT in pediatric patients.
- Suggests considering Campylobacter testing in infants with unexplained chronic gastrointestinal issues.
- Emphasizes the efficacy of erythromycin in treating such cases.
Abstract:
We report the case of an infant with chronic diarrhea and failure to thrive. Campylobacter jejuni was isolated from stools and treatment with erythromycin resulted in eradication of infection and prompt resolution of symptoms. A 22-month-old girl was referred to our University Hospital because of weight loss and chronic diarrhea, which did not respond to repeated dietetic trials that excluded milk, gluten, and other foodstuffs. Microscopic examination of the jejunal biopsy specimen revealed a mild degree of partial mucosal atrophy with inflammatory infiltrates in the lamina propria without any hallmarks of celiac disease. Repeated stool cultures on Butzler medium were positive for C. jejuni. This finding was associated with a high titer of specific serum antibodies. Erythromycin therapy without any other form of therapy led to prompt improvement, and the patient reached her "own" 50th centile as weight/height ratio. The aim of this report is to alert pediatric gastroenterologists of the possibility that Campylobacter may be associated with chronic diarrhea and failure to thrive.