CampylobacterBacteremia: A Challenging Diagnosis – First Tunisian Case Report and a Literature Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62438/tunismed.v104i06.6659Keywords:
Campylobacter infections, Bacteremia, Blood culture, Delayed diagnosis, Immunocompromised hostAbstract
Introduction: Human infections with Campylobacter typically result from consuming undercooked chicken, leading to infectious gastroenteritis. Bacteremia is a rare but potentially serious complication, particularly in immunocompromised individuals.
Observation: The clinical case presented here involved an 18-year-old patient with X-linked agammaglobulinemia (XLA) who presented with mucocutaneous jaundice. During the same hospitalization, the patient was diagnosed with secondary sclerosing cholangitis, considered to be
related to his underlying immunodeficiency, and he exhibited Campylobacter coli bacteremia without gastrointestinal symptoms or secondary localization. The diagnosis was particularly challenging both clinically and microbiologically. The patient was treated with amoxicillin-clavulanic acid for 15 days, resulting in complete resolution of the Campylobacter coli bacteremia, with no relapse over two years of follow-up.
Conclusion: This case highlights that patients with XLA are at risk for systemic campylobacteriosis. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first reported case of Campylobacter bacteremia in Tunisia.
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