Clinical Profile and Epidemiology of Campylobacter Associated Diarrhea Among Children in New Delhi, India

Background: Campylobacter, a well-known enteropathogen among children shows variable clinical presentations. Age groups and seasonal distribution is dependent on geographical position. Objectives: To explore clinical manifestations and seasonal variation of Campylobacter infection and to study its importance as enteric pathogen among children. Patients and Methods: Two hundred five children (≤12 years age) having acute diarrhea as cases and 100 children without from diarrhea were taken as control. All the fecal samples were processed for Campylobacter species by culture on to modified charcoal cefoperazone deoxycholate agar and Skirrow’s Columbia blood agar media. Detection of Campylobacter specific antigen in faecal samples was also done by enzyme-immuno assay. Results: A total of 32 (15.61%) faecal samples of children with diarrhea had positive results for Campylobacter spp. Among them 31.25% cases had polymicrobial infections. Children below 1 year were most commonly (18.96%) affected by the infection. The organism was isolated throughout the year with a higher isolation rates during summer and monsoon months. Watery diarrhea was significantly more common in the Campylobacter infected cases. Conclusions: Application of antigen assay increases detection rate of Campylobacter enteritis cases, which was significantly higher than the control group (P < .05). Specific clinical profile could not be associated with this infection which, indicates need of microbiological diagnosis of this pathogen for antibiotic therapy.