Campylobacter Infections With and Without Bacteremia: A Comparative Retrospective Population-Based Study

Background. Bacteremia with species in the genus Campylobacter is rare, and knowledge of the disease course in comparison with Campylobacter enteritis is limited. Methods. This is a retrospective population-based study. Episodes of Campylobacter bacteremia and Campylobacter enteritis with a concurrent negative blood culture result that occurred between 2015 and 2022 in southern Sweden were identified through the laboratory database. Medical records were reviewed, and clinical features between patients with bacteremic Campylobacter infections were compared with patients with Campylobacter spp found in feces. Results. The study included 29 bacteremic infections with Campylobacter and 119 cases of Campylobacter spp found in feces. Patients with Campylobacter bacteremia were significantly older than those with enteritis (72 years [IQR, 58-62] vs 58 years [IQR, 33-67], P < .0001). Eleven patients with bacteremia developed sepsis within 48 hours from blood culturing, and no patient died within 30 days from hospital admission. Conclusions. Campylobacter bacteremia is rare and occurs mainly in the elderly with comorbidities. In comparison with Campylobacter infections limited to the gastrointestinal tract, patients with bacteremic Campylobacter infections are older and seem more prone to develop sepsis. Classical gastroenteritis symptoms in bacteremic cases with Campylobacter may be absent.