Campylobacter spp

From Felipedia

Campylobacter spp are microaerophilic gram-negative curved rods of the family Campylobacteracea that can cause bacterial disease in cats.

Campylobacter spp can be isolated from normal and diarrhoeic cats^[1]. Fecal-oral transmission is likely, but food may be a source of infection in people, especially improperly prepared poultry products. Many species have been isolated from cats; however, C. jejuni and C. coli are the species that are recognised most often. C. upsaliensis has been identified as a potential pathogen in cats (up to 60% of normal cats have been detected with this strain)^[2]. C. helveticus also has been isolated from feline feces, but no evidence exists that it causes disease in cats.

Clinical signs

In large mammals, watery diarrhea predominates but dysentery is common. Most affected cats are less than 6 months of age. Diarrhea (sometimes bloody) is the sign seen most often, but in most cases where Campylobacter are discovered there are other pathogenic organisms present as well. Other clinical signs include fever, malaise, partial anorexia and occasional vomiting. Concurrent infection with other enteric pathogens such as Feline Panleucopenia virus, Giardia spp, or Salmonella spp may play a synergistic role and worsen the clinical signs. Campylobacter, generally speaking, are not an important cause of feline gastroenteritis.

Treatment

In most cases, it can be treated with antibiotics but is usually a self-limiting disease. Erythromycin is one of the most consistently effective antimicrobials for C. jejuni. Tetracyclines most likely are the next best class of antibiotics to use for C. jejuni and probably effective against C. upsaliensis^[3]. Although the quinolones (enrofloxacin) usually are effective for the eradication of Campylobacter spp, these bacteria have a high rate of mutational resistance to quinolones. Therefore judicious use of this class of drugs is warranted.

Infected cats can shed bacteria for up to 4 months, the organism can survive in the environment for 3 days or more, and young children are probably at greatest risk for being infected by cats.

References

1. ↑ August, JR (2006) Consultations in feline internal medicine. Vol. 5. Elsevier Saunders, USA
2. ↑ Moreno, G, et al (1993) Occurrence of campylobacters in small domestic and laboratory animals. J Appl Bacteriol 75:49-54
3. ↑ Burnens, AP & Nicolet, J (1992) Detection of Campylobacter upsaliensis in diarrhoeic dogs and cats, using a selective medium with cefoperazone. Am J Vet Res 53:48-51