Campylobacter Infections and Antimicrobial Resistance

Campylobacter species, notably Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli, are leading causes of bacterial gastroenteritis worldwide. Infection typically follows consumption of contaminated poultry, unpasteurised milk or water, manifesting as self-limiting diarrhoea but occasionally precipitating severe sequelae such as reactive arthritis, irritable bowel syndrome and Guillain–Barré syndrome. The burden is greatest in low- and middle-income regions, where recurrent and persistent infections contribute to childhood growth stunting and elevate healthcare costs. Rising antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Campylobacter strains—driven by antibiotic use in human medicine and animal production—compromises first-line therapies. Resistance to fluoroquinolones and macrolides, the mainstays of treatment, arises via target-site mutations and efflux pump overexpression. Surveillance programmes that integrate genomic, epidemiological and environmental data support a One Health framework linking human, animal and environmental reservoirs. Advances in understanding molecular pathogenicity, transmission dynamics and host interactions have informed novel interventions, including vaccine development and stewardship measures. Despite progress, critical gaps remain in controlling AMR, necessitating coordinated global efforts to monitor resistance emergence, optimise therapeutic regimens and implement preventive strategies across farm, processing and community settings.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have explored vaccine-based interventions against Campylobacter. A rhesus macaque model of naturally occurring infection demonstrated that immunisation can eliminate fatal diarrhoeal disease and improve growth trajectories in early infancy. Compared with unvaccinated controls, vaccinated infants experienced no Campylobacter-associated deaths, a 76% reduction in overall diarrhoeal mortality and significant gains in length-for-age Z scores by nine months. This work underscores the potential of vaccine strategies to disrupt transmission, mitigate long-term sequelae and reduce burden in environments where sanitation challenges persist. Concurrent genomic analyses are pinpointing antigenic targets and immune correlates essential for effective vaccine design.

Campylobacter Infections and Antimicrobial Resistance publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in campylobacter infections and antimicrobial resistance across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Antimicrobial resistance: The ability of microorganisms to survive and proliferate despite the presence of drugs designed to inhibit or kill them.

Fluoroquinolones: A class of broad-spectrum antibiotics targeting bacterial DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV.

Macrolides: Antibiotics that bind the 50S ribosomal subunit to inhibit bacterial protein synthesis.

Persistent infection: Continued detection of a pathogen in a host over an extended period, often with subclinical carriage.

Virulence factors: Molecules produced by pathogens that enhance colonisation, invasion and disease severity.

References

1. Campylobacter vaccination reduces diarrheal disease and infant growth stunting among rhesus macaques. Nature Communications (2023).
2. Campylobacter jejuni virulence factors: update on emerging issues and trends. Journal of Biomedical Science (2024).
3. The epidemiology and impact of persistent Campylobacter infections on childhood growth among children 0–24 months of age in resource-limited settings. EClinicalMedicine (2024).
4. Trends in fluoroquinolone resistance in Campylobacter. Microbial Genomics (2018).
5. Quinolone and macrolide resistance in Campylobacter jejuni and C. coli: resistance mechanisms and trends in human isolates.. Emerging Infectious Diseases (2001).
6. Tracing the Source of Campylobacteriosis. PLOS Genetics (2008).