Mucosal Invasion in Campylobacter Enteritis

Campylobacter fetus subspecies jejuni has recently been recognized as a significant cause of enteritis in humans. The organism has been previously postulated to cause illness by direct invasion of the mucosa of the gastrointestinal tract, but this has not been documented. Reported is a case of Campylobacter enteritis in which mucosal ulceration and crypt sbscesses were seen on rectal biopsy, suggesting that the pathogenesis of Campylobacter fetus enteritis involves direct mucosal invasion.