Campylobacter Enteritis Antibiotic Treatment

Campylobacter Enteritis General Comments:

• Role of antibiotics is controversial.
• Erythromycin can rapidly eliminate Campylobacter from the stool.
• Erythromycin has not been shown to affect the duration of illness.
  
• Campylobacter jejuni dysentry in children, may show benefit from early treatment with erythromycin.
• In children, avoid tetracyclines & quinolones.

Public Health Issues:

• Multiple antibiotic resistance may be seen in Campylobacter acquired from animals because of the widespread use of antibiotics in animals.
• Quinolone use has also been withdrawn from commercial poulty farming in the USA because of rising ciprofloxacin resistance.

Indications For Antibiotics:

• Bloody diarrhoea
• High fever
• Illness lasting for over a week
• Immunocompromise
• More than 8 stools daily
• Pregnancy
• Worsening clinical condition

Antibiotics Useful:

• Azithromycin
• Erythromycin
• Quinolones

References:

• Nelson JM, Chiller TM, Powers JH, et al. Fluoroquinolone-resistant Campylobacter species and the withdrawal of fluoroquinolones from use in poultry: a public health success story. Clin Infect Dis. 2007 Apr 1;44(7):977-80. Epub 2007 Feb 14. [abstract]
• Shea KM. Nontherapeutic use of antimicrobial agents in animal agriculture: implications for pediatrics. Pediatrics. 2004 Sep;114(3):862-8. [abstract]

Tags: Antibiotics - Azithromycin - Campylobacter - Campylobacter enteritis - Erythromycin - Poultry
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