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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania » Eastern Regional Research Center » Characterization and Interventions for Foodborne Pathogens » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #356492
Research Project: Molecular Characterization of Foodborne Pathogen Responses to Stress

Location: Characterization and Interventions for Foodborne Pathogens

Title: Commentary: Campylobacter and hemolytic uremic syndrome

Author
item Smith, James
item Gunther, Nereus - Jack

Submitted to: Foodborne Pathogens and Disease
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/15/2018
Publication Date: 2/13/2019
Citation: Smith, J., Gunther, N.W. 2019. Commentary: Campylobacter and hemolytic uremic syndrome. Foodborne Pathogens and Disease. 16(2):90-93. https://doi.org/10.1089/fpd.2018.2513.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1089/fpd.2018.2513

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: There are reports in the literature stating that Campylobacter infections can cause hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS); however, a mechanism for how Campylobacter induces HUS has not been proposed by investigators. The most common bacterial inducer of HUS is the Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) and a few cases of HUS are induced by an invasive Shigella dysenteriae or Streptococcus pneumoniae infection. Campylobacter species have not been shown to produce Shiga toxin (Stx) nor do they possess genetic elements capable of producing a Stx-like toxin. The neuramindase associated with pneumococcal HUS has not been observed in Campylobacter. Therefore, in the absence of a well-defined toxic mechanism, it not clear that Campylobacter actually causes HUS.