Bacteria commonly found in animal feces.   It is one of the most common causes of human gastroenteritis in the world. Infection with Campylobacter Jejuni usually results in enteritis, which is characterised by abdominal pain, diarrhea, fever, and malaise.                                  In the United States, an estimated 2.1 to 2.4 million cases of human campylobacter-iosis (illnesses ranging from loose stools to dysentery) occur each year. Commonly reported symptoms of patients with laboratory-confirmed infections (a small subset of all cases) include diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramping. In one study, approximately half of the patients with laboratory-confirmed campylobacter- iosis reported a history of bloody diarrhea. Less frequently, C. jejuni infections produce bacteremia, septic arthritis, and other extraintestinal symptoms. The incidence of campylobacteriosis in HIV-infected patients is higher than in the general population. For example, in Los Angeles County between 1983 and 1987, the reported incidence of campylobacteriosis in patients with AIDS was 519 cases per 100,000 population, 39 times higher than the rate in the general population. Common complications of campylobacteriosis in HIV-infected patients are recurrent infection and infection with antimicrobial-resistant strains. Deaths from C. jejuni infection are rare and occur primarily in infants, the elderly, and patients with underlying illnesses. [ Back ]