Campylobacter as a cause of acute enteritis in children in South Australia. I. A 12-month study with controls.

During a 12-month period, we tested faecal samples from 386 children with acute enteritis and 332 controls by light and electron microscopy, and by bacterial and viral culture for pathogens, especially to assess the importance of campylobacter. Campylobacter alone was responsible for the illness in 17 patients (5%), and was second to salmonella among the bacterial agents, which were predominant in summer. Overall, rotavirus was the commonest identifiable cause of acute enteritis and was especially important in winter (with a rate of 49% in August). Thirty-five patients showed two or more agents. In 117 patients (30%) no pathogen was isolated or identified, suggesting that there are as yet unidentified agents in acute enteritis.