Human acute gastroenteritis associated with Arcobacter butzleri

Abstract

Arcobacter spp. are considered emerging food-borne pathogens ( 1). Contaminated water and meat play an important role in the transmission of these bacteria to humans ( 2 ; 3). Currently, the genus Arcobacter has 13 recognized species: A. butzleri, A. cryaerophilus, A. skirrowii, A. nitrofigilis, A. cibarius, A. halophilus, A. mytili, A. thereius, A. marinus, A. trophiarum, A. defluvii, A. molluscorum, and A. ellisii ( 4 ; 5). Only three species, namely, A. butzleri, A. cryaerophilus, and A. skirrowii, have been associated with human and animal diseases ( 1). These microorganisms cause a number of infections, such as abortion, mastitis, and septicemia, in animals. In humans, they have been reported to cause gastrointestinal tract infections and septicemia ( 6 ; 7). Arcobacter septicemia secondary to underlying diseases, such as cirrhosis ( 8) and acute gangrenous appendicitis (9), has also been documented in humans.