ABSTRACT:
Campylobacter infection is recognized as a major cause of acute diarrhea in Humans especially children worldwide. This study was designed to determine the distribution of Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni) among children suffering from diarrhea in Syria. It is the first study dealing with campylobacteriosis caused by C. jejuni in Syria. The study was carried out on 73 stool samples of children with ages up to fourteen years admitted with diarrhea in two local hospitals during the period from September 2017 to December 2017. The samples were collected and analyzed to detect for the presence of Campylobacter jejuni by using Skirrow medium, and the incubation was at 42oC under microaerophilic conditions. The growth after 48 hours was provisionally identified by colonial morphology, oxidase test, catalase test, Gram staining and motility. The organisms were identified to species level by hippurate hydrolysis, resistance to Cephalothin and sensitivity to Nalidixic acid. This study showed that 5 of 73 stool samples were positive for campylobacter spp. (6.84%). three of which were positive for C. jejuni (4.10%) and two for C. coli (2.73%). In conclusion this study showed that Campylobacter spp. especially Campylobacter jejuni is frequently associated with childhood diarrhea in Syria. Furthermore Campylobacteriosis may be underdiagnosed because the detection of Campylobacter is not part of the routine stool culture.