2018 Volume 53 Issue 4-5 Pages 289-292
【Objective】 To investigate the clinical characteristics of Campylobacter infection in pediatric patients with liver disease.
【Design】 Case series.
【Methods】 Pediatric patients (<18 years) with detection of Campylobacter sp. from blood or stool culture were retrospectively extracted from a microbiology database. Clinical information including age, sex, and underlying conditions was obtained from the medical records. The detailed clinical course of patients with liver disease was reviewed.
【Results】 We identified 74 patients with Campylobacter sp. infection. Among these, four patients were either awaiting or had undergone liver transplantation. Case 1 was a 10-year-old girl with biliary atresia awaiting liver transplantation. Three days after eating raw chicken liver, she developed fever and abdominal pain and Campylobacter jejuni was identified from blood and stool. Case 2 was a 14-year-old boy, status post liver transplantation for congenital absence of the portal vein, who developed fever 4 days after eating raw quail’s egg. Campylobacter sp. was detected from the blood. Case 3 was a 7-year-old boy, status post liver transplantation for hepatoblastoma, who developed fever and diarrhea. He ate undercooked chicken and beef two days prior to onset. Campylobacter sp. was detected from the stool. Case 4 was a 14-year-old girl, status post liver transplantation for biliary atresia. Fever developed three days after eating chicken liver and Campylobacter sp. was detected from the stool.
【Conclusion】 Patient education on diet is important for pediatric liver transplant recipients to reduce the risk of foodborne infection.
