Campylobacter enteritis mimicking acute abdominal emergency.

Among 81 hospitalized patients with enteritis due to Campylobacter fetus ssp. jejuni, abdominal pain was found to be an outstanding symptom, being observed in half the patients on admission. In 16 patients pain was the main reason for admission and in 5 prompted laparotomy. In 4 cases appendicitis was suspected, but in only 2 was slight inflammation seen; in 1 of these, however, the inflammation could not be verified by microscopic examination. One patient was operated on because of intestinal occlusion, presumably due to Campylobacter enteritis. In 10 further cases a surgeon was consulted because the abdominal pains were at first suspected to be due to cholecystitis, pancreatitis or other abdominal emergencies. Thus, acute phase of Campylobacter infection may mimick acute abdominal emergency. The diagnosis is sometimes hampered by the late onset of diarrhoea or even by its total absence, as well as by the usual presence of abdominal tenderness and severe abdominal pains.