A Case of Crohn's Disease-Significance of Campylobacter Jejuni Detected from the Stool during the Relapse

Abstract

A 22-year-old male with Crohn's disease associated with campylobacter jejuni infection during the relapse, is reported. In 1986 (20-year-old), he was diagnosed as Crohn's disease because of inflammatory mass and cobblestone appearance at ileo-cecal region and multiple longitudinal ulcers in the small intestine. Salazopyrin was given and his clinical course had been uneventful. In January, 1988 he developed bloody diarrhea and abdominal pain and was admitted to our department on February 24. Bloody diarrhea was about 17 times a day. Sigmoidoscopy revealed multiple discrete ulcers and bleeding. Serum total protein and albumin were 4.0 and 1.4g/dl respectively. Intravenous steroid regimen with TPN was started. Campylobacter jejuni was detected by stool culture on admission and erythromycin was given. One week later, stool culture for campylobacter jejuni was negative. Symptoms subsided gradually and bowel movements decreased to 2 times a day on the 14th hospital day. This is the first case in which campylobacter jejuni detected from the stool was described in Crohn's disease in Japan. The significance of campylobacter jejuni infection in Crohn's disease was discussed.