Campylobacter jejuni vs Salmonella and Shigella
How to tell Campylobacter jejuni and Salmonella and Shigella apart when a board question makes them look alike.
Campylobacter is curved/poultry/GBS; Salmonella is H2S-positive; Shigella is low-dose nonmotile dysentery.
Side by side
Curved gram-negative rod from undercooked poultry, grows at 42 C, causes inflammatory diarrhea, and can trigger Guillain-Barre syndrome.
Salmonella is motile/H2S-positive animal-food disease; Shigella is nonmotile low-dose person-to-person dysentery.
Campylobacter invades intestinal mucosa and can trigger molecular mimicry leading to postinfectious neuropathy.
Salmonella and Shigella are invasive enteric rods but are separated by reservoir, motility, and H2S production.
Curved rod, poultry exposure, 42 C growth, or later ascending weakness points Campylobacter.
H2S/motility points Salmonella; daycare low-dose nonmotile dysentery points Shigella.
The trap
Bloody diarrhea after poultry can be Salmonella or Campylobacter, so curved morphology and GBS clue decide.
The repair move
For bloody diarrhea, force exposure plus lab shape before choosing the organism.
Try a free question
CoreA patient develops fever, abdominal pain, and bloody diarrhea after eating undercooked poultry. Stool culture grows a curved gram-negative rod that grows well at 42 C. Which organism is most likely?
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. Campylobacter jejuni. C jejuni is curved, microaerophilic, poultry-associated, grows at 42 C, and can cause bloody diarrhea.
Why the other choices are tempting
- B. Salmonella is a motile H2S-positive non-lactose fermenter linked to poultry/eggs/reptiles.
- C. Shigella is nonmotile and low-dose person-to-person dysentery.
- D. ETEC causes watery traveler diarrhea.
- E. V cholerae causes rice-water diarrhea after contaminated water.
Flashcards
Tap a card to flip it.
What is the fastest separator for Campylobacter jejuni vs Salmonella and Shigella?
Campylobacter is curved/poultry/GBS; Salmonella is H2S-positive; Shigella is low-dose nonmotile dysentery.
What clue should make you choose Campylobacter jejuni?
Curved gram-negative rod from undercooked poultry, grows at 42 C, causes inflammatory diarrhea, and can trigger Guillain-Barre syndrome.
Quick answers
What is the fastest way to tell Campylobacter jejuni from Salmonella and Shigella?
Campylobacter is curved/poultry/GBS; Salmonella is H2S-positive; Shigella is low-dose nonmotile dysentery.
What is the key clue for Campylobacter jejuni?
Curved gram-negative rod from undercooked poultry, grows at 42 C, causes inflammatory diarrhea, and can trigger Guillain-Barre syndrome.
What is the key clue for Salmonella and Shigella?
Salmonella is motile/H2S-positive animal-food disease; Shigella is nonmotile low-dose person-to-person dysentery.
What is the common trap with Campylobacter jejuni vs Salmonella and Shigella?
Bloody diarrhea after poultry can be Salmonella or Campylobacter, so curved morphology and GBS clue decide.