Demographic and Clinical Characteristics of Campylobacter Bacteremia in Children With and Without Predisposing Factors

Childhood CB is rare in southern Israel. The disease manifests as a single gastroenteritis complication in a previously healthy young child or as recurrent episodes in an older, immune-compromised child, usually without gastrointestinal symptoms. This disparity may reflect pathogenesis differences, with disease in the immune-competent being dependent on pathogen virulence, whereas disease in the immune-compromised being host dependent. Disease outcome is usually favorable, and macrolides remain the antibiotic treatment of choice.