中西部合衆国におけるCampylobacter腸炎の発生率

Incidence of Campylobacter Enteritis in the Midwestern United States

　Campylobacter（"曲がった小枝"という意味）という名称は1963年にSebaldとVeronにより提唱された．当時，（彼らによって）この微好気性のビブリオはVibrio choleraeとV. parahemolyticusのような真のビブリオと，遺伝的にも，生化学的にも，血清学的にも異なった（性状）ものであることが証明された．10年後，V. fetusがCampylobacter fetusとなり，三つの亜種が設定された．すなわち，ssp. fetrs, ssp. jejuni, ssp. intestinalisである．

　1900年代の初期から，Campylobacter感染症は獣医学では非常に重要なものと考えられており，いろいろな動物の流産，腸炎，肝炎の原因として一般的である．

The name Campylobacter (meaning" curved rod") was proposed in 1963 by Sebald and Veronwhen the microaerophilic vibrios were shown to be distinct genetically, biochemically, andserologically from the true vibrios such as Vibrio cholerae and V. parahemolyticus. Tenyears later, V. fetus became Campylobacter fetus and three subspecies were designated:ssp.^*1fetus, ssp. jejuni, and ssp. intestinalis. Since the early 1900s Campylobacter infections havebeen considered very serious in veterinary medicine^*2 and are a common cause of abortion,enteritis, and hepatitis among various animals. The first human infection with C. fetus wasreported in 1947, followed by sporadic case reports over the next 20 years. The majority ofthese early reported cases were caused by C. fetus ssp. intestinalis which were isolated fromnormally sterile sources and shown to be opportunistic pathogens among debilitated patients. C. fetus ssp. fetus has never been isolated from human infections^*3. Recently, a different groupof campylobacters, C. fetus ssp. jejuni has received much attention as a frequent cause ofenteritis in otherwise healthy individuals.^*4