Campylobacter jejuni-associated perimyocarditis: two case reports and review of the literature

From gastroenteritis to myocarditis: a case series of Campylobacter-mediated cardiac involvement

Background

While viruses remain the leading cause of infectious myocarditis, improved diagnostic methods have highlighted the role of bacteria as a possible cause. We report two cases of myocarditis as a complication of Campylobacter jejuni infection.

Case summaries

Patient A, a 17-year-old Caucasian male with a history of asthma, presented to the emergency department (ED) after experiencing fever and nausea for four days, followed by 1 day of diarrhoea and chest discomfort. Laboratory evaluation revealed elevated troponin levels. Transthoracic echocardiography showed left ventricular enlargement and apical dyskinesia. C. jejuni was identified in stool cultures. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging confirmed the diagnosis of myocarditis. The patient was treated with furosemide and enalapril, with improvement of symptoms. Patient B, a previously healthy 14-year-old Caucasian male, presented to the ED with retrosternal chest pain lasting 2 h. He also reported a 3-day history of fever, nausea, and diarrhoea. Electrocardiography showed widespread PR-segment depression and concave ST-segment elevation. Laboratory testing revealed elevated Troponin I levels, and C. jejuni was identified in stool cultures. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging findings were consistent with acute myocarditis. The patient was treated with ibuprofen and azithromycin, leading to resolution of symptoms. Eight months later, he returned with recurrent chest pain and dry cough. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging at this time showed T1 and T2 criteria consistent with recurrent myocarditis.

Discussion

Although rare, clinicians should be aware of the potential cardiac involvement in patients with Campylobacter gastroenteritis, paying special attention to myocarditis symptoms like chest pain or shortness of breath, especially in areas with elevated Campylobacter infection rates.

Campylobacter-Associated Myocarditis in a 17-Year-Old Male

Chest pain is a common presenting complaint in adolescent patients. Myocarditis is an important and potentially serious etiology of chest pain for clinicians who care for these patients to recognize. Myocarditis is commonly virally mediated, while extra-intestinal cardiac manifestations of bacterial enteritis, such as Campylobacter infections,are rare. Awareness of this uncommon, but potentially life-threatening pathophysiology is important for clinicians to understand.  In our case, a 17-year-old male presented with chest discomfort, chest pain on inspiration, headache, myalgias, vomiting, and diarrhea. He denied recent viral illnesses or immunizations. He lived in rural Ohio, swam recently in a freshwater lake, and had eaten home-prepared deer meat. His father had diarrhea as well. Presenting vital signs were within normal limits for age. The patient was obese (BMI 48.5), with an otherwise normal physical exam, including a thorough cardiopulmonary assessment. Laboratory workup revealed leukocytosis (16.1 x 109/L) and elevated high-sensitivity troponin (15,857 ng/L, >22,000 ng/L three hours later, ref range <20). Gastrointestinal polymerase chain reaction (PCR) panel detected Campylobacter spp., and stool culture was positive for Campylobacter jejuni. ECG, echocardiography, chest X-ray, and CT angiography were normal. Cardiac MRI revealed an increased T2 signal consistent with myocarditis. The patient was treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and azithromycin and had complete resolution in symptoms. He was exercise-restricted for six months.  Myocarditis is a potentially fatal pathology, representing a significant cause of sudden death in young adults. Myocarditis can present with a broad spectrum of signs and symptoms as well as variable clinical severity. Bacterial causes of myocarditis are uncommon, with Campylobacter among the least common. Campylobacter gastroenteritis, however, is quite common worldwide. Extra-intestinal and cardiac manifestations are rare; thus, it is important to maintain a high index of suspicion. Due in part to its rarity, treatment for Campylobacter-associated myocarditis is not well established. Treatment for myocarditis, regardless of etiology, is largely supportive in nature. Campylobacter-directed antibiotics, such as azithromycin, have been used successfully in adolescents with Campylobacter-associated myocarditis. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are frequently used for symptom control, though their use remains controversial. Activity restriction is recommended for six months to reduce the risk of sudden cardiac death.  Myocarditis is an important cause of sudden death in young adults and is a rare extra-intestinal manifestation of Campylobacter bacterial gastroenteritis. Pediatric and adult providers should be aware of this presentation and its pathophysiology. They should also utilize a multi-modal workup, aggressive supportive care, appropriate subspecialty consultation, and appropriate antibiotics for patients with diarrheal illness and a high clinical suspicion for extra-intestinal involvement, such as myocarditis.

Genomic Characterization of Campylobacter jejuni Associated with Perimyocarditis: A Family Case Report

Campylobacter spp. is the leading cause of foodborne gastrointestinal infections in humans worldwide. This study reports the first case of four family members who had contact with the same source of Campylobacter jejuni contamination with different results. Only the little siblings were infected by the same C. jejuni strain, but with different symptoms. Whereas the daughter was slightly affected with mild enteritis, the son suffered a longer campylobacteriosis followed with a perimyocarditis. This is the first case of the youngest patient affected by C. jejuni-related perimyocarditis published to date. The genomes of both strains were characterized by whole-genome sequencing and compared with the C. jejuni NCTC 11168 genome to gain insights into the molecular features that may be associated with perimyocarditis. Various comparison tools were used for the comparative genomics analysis, including the identification of virulence and antimicrobial resistance genes, phase variable (PV) genes, and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) identification. Comparisons of the strains identified 16 SNPs between them, which constituted small but significant changes mainly affecting the ON/OFF state of PV genes after passing through both hosts. These results suggest that PV occurs during human colonization, which modulates bacteria virulence through human host adaptation, which ultimately is related to complications after a campylobacteriosis episode depending on the host status. The findings highlight the importance of the relation between host and pathogen in severe complications of Campylobacter infections.

Myocarditis as a Complication of Campylobacter jejuni-Associated Enterocolitis: A Report of Two Cases

Myocarditis refers to inflammation of the heart muscle and may occur individually or together with pericarditis, which refers to inflammation of the saclike tissue layer that surrounds the heart. They may have infectious or non-infectious etiologies. Campylobacter jejuni, a major cause of gastroenteritis worldwide, may also cause myocarditis in rare situations. We present two cases highlighting this rare complication of diarrheal disease caused by Campylobacter jejuni infection and subsequent development of myocarditis. Both patients presented with chest pain and multiple episodes of watery diarrhea, with initial EKGs showing ST segment changes, as well as elevated inflammatory markers and elevated troponins. GI panels for both patients were positive for Campylobacter jejuni. Based on their presentations and investigative findings, they were diagnosed with myocarditis secondary to Campylobacter infection, and their symptoms subsided with appropriate management. It is unclear if the myocardial damage, in this case, is a direct effect of the toxin on cardiac myocytes or secondary to an immunologic phenomenon. Regardless, Campylobacter jejuni-associated myocarditis remains a rare phenomenon and needs to be considered in the differential of patients presenting with concurrent chest pain and diarrheal symptoms.

Molecular Targets in Campylobacter Infections

Human campylobacteriosis results from foodborne infections with Campylobacter bacteria such as Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli, and represents a leading cause of bacterial gastroenteritis worldwide. After consumption of contaminated poultry meat, constituting the major source of pathogenic transfer to humans, infected patients develop abdominal pain and diarrhea. Post-infectious disorders following acute enteritis may occur and affect the nervous system, the joints or the intestines. Immunocompromising comorbidities in infected patients favor bacteremia, leading to vascular inflammation and septicemia. Prevention of human infection is achieved by hygiene measures focusing on the reduction of pathogenic food contamination. Molecular targets for the treatment and prevention of campylobacteriosis include bacterial pathogenicity and virulence factors involved in motility, adhesion, invasion, oxygen detoxification, acid resistance and biofilm formation. This repertoire of intervention measures has recently been completed by drugs dampening the pro-inflammatory immune responses induced by the Campylobacter endotoxin lipo-oligosaccharide. Novel pharmaceutical strategies will combine anti-pathogenic and anti-inflammatory effects to reduce the risk of both anti-microbial resistance and post-infectious sequelae of acute enteritis. Novel strategies and actual trends in the combat of Campylobacter infections are presented in this review, alongside molecular targets applied for prevention and treatment strategies.

Campylobacter coli Myocarditis: a case report

We report the case of a 14-year-old male presented with raised myocardial injury biomarkers, on the workout, Campylobacter coli was identified on stool culture, treated with antibiotics with total resolution. Cardiac magnetic resonance showed interventricular septum and lateral wall hypokinesia and subepicardial delayed enhancement, with preserved ventricular systolic function. To our knowledge, this is the first report linking Campylobacter coli to myopericarditis in children.

Case report of Campylobacter jejuni-associated myopericarditis: rare case of cardiac involvement by a common gastroenteritis pathogen

Background

Myocarditis is caused by inflammation affecting the heart muscle. The usual aetiological factor is viral, especially in immunocompetent hosts and developed countries. Campylobacter jejuni is a common cause of bacterial gastroenteritis but has rarely been associated with myocarditis.

Case summary

We report a case of a 22-year-old male admitted with pleuritic chest pain and a diarrhoeal illness. Thorough evaluation of the patient history did not reveal any sources for contracting the diarrhoea. Stool cultures confirmed that the patient had C. jejuni infection as well as myopericarditis confirmed on cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (cardiac MRI). Treatment with colchicine 0.5 mg BD, ibuprofen 600 mg TDS, and ciprofloxacin 500 mg BD orally for 5 days was started, together with an intravenous infusion of 0.9% normal saline 1 L TDS. The patient showed signs of improvement over a span of three days and the ST changes on electrocardiogram resolved.

Discussion

Although C. jejuni-associated myopericarditis is uncommon, it can be potentially life-threatening if not considered in the differential. Its diagnosis involves good history taking, examination, and investigation with electrocardiography, troponins and inflammatory markers, echocardiography, and cardiac MRI. Several mechanisms of infection have been suggested, including direct insult by toxin or bacterium as well as an immune-mediated response. Both supportive and causative treatments are important to ensure recovery while reducing the risk of complications. It is therefore crucial to ensure that the patient receives adequate follow-up to ascertain patient progress and to mitigate any complications that may arise as well as tackle patient concerns. The patient had a rapid recovery.

Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Imaging Pattern in Campylobacter jejuni-related Myocarditis

Background: Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni) is a common cause of mostly self-limiting enterocolitis. Although rare, myocarditis has been increasingly documented as a complication following campylobacteriosis. Such cases have occurred predominantly in younger males and involved a single causative species, namely C. jejuni. Case report: We report herein a case of myocarditis complicating gastroenteritis in a 23-year-old immunocompetent patient, caused by this bacterium with a favorable outcome. Cardiac magnetic resonance imagining was useful in establishing an early diagnosis. Conclusions: Myocarditis should be considered in younger patients presenting with chest pain and plasmatic troponin elevations. The occurrence of myocarditis complicating C. jejuni is reviewed.

Myocarditis in a Pediatric Patient with Campylobacter Enteritis: A Case Report and Literature Review

Myocarditis represents a potential complication of various infectious and noninfectious agents and a common diagnostic challenge for clinicians. Data regarding Campylobacter-associated myocarditis are limited. Here, a case of a 13-year-old female with Campylobacter jejuni gastroenteritis complicated by myocarditis is presented, followed by a literature review in order to retrieve information about Campylobacter-associated carditis in the pediatric population. A search on MEDLINE/PubMed yielded 7relevant cases in the last 20 years. Most of them (six/seven) were males and the mean age was 16.1 years. All patients presented with gastrointestinal symptoms followed in six/seven cases by chest pain within two to seven days. Campylobacter was isolated from stool cultures in six patients; abnormal electrocardiographic findings were detected in six; and abnormal echocardiographic findings in three of the cases. Five patients were treated with antibiotics. Full recovery was the clinical outcome in six patients, whereas one patient died. Concerning the nonspecific symptoms of patients with myocarditis, high clinical suspicion of this complication is necessary in cases where patients with a recent infection present with chest pain and elevated cardiac biomarkers.

Characteristics of hospitalized patients during a large waterborne outbreak of Campylobacter jejuni in Norway

Very few reports describe all hospitalized patients with campylobacteriosis in the setting of a single waterborne outbreak. This study describes the demographics, comorbidities, clinical features, microbiology, treatment and complications of 67 hospitalized children and adults during a large waterborne outbreak of Campylobacter jejuni in Askoy, Norway in 2019, where more than 2000 people in a community became ill. We investigated factors that contributed to hospitalization and treatment choices. Data were collected from electronic patient records during and after the outbreak. Fifty adults and seventeen children were included with a biphasic age distribution peaking in toddlers and middle-aged adults. Most children, 14 out of 17, were below 4 years of age. Diarrhea was the most commonly reported symptom (99%), whereas few patients (9%) reported bloody stools. Comorbidities were frequent in adults (63%) and included cardiovascular disease, pre-existing gastrointestinal disease or chronic renal failure. Comorbidities in children (47%) were dominated by pulmonary and gastrointestinal diseases. Adult patients appeared more severely ill than children with longer duration of stay, higher levels of serum creatinine and CRP and rehydration therapy. Ninety-two percent of adult patients were treated with intravenous fluid as compared with 12% of children. Almost half of the admitted children received antibiotics. Two patients died, including a toddler. Both had significant complicating factors. The demographic and clinical findings presented may be useful for health care planning and patient management in Campylobacter outbreaks both in primary health care and in hospitals.

Relapse of acute myocarditis associated with Campylobacter jejuni enterocolitis

Chest pain in a patient with Campylobacter jejuni infection may be caused by acute myocarditis associated with C jejuni infection. Because the myocarditis associated with C jejuni infection can recur, careful follow-up is required even after the improvement of chest pain and electrocardiography abnormalities.

Epidemiologic and clinical profiles of bacterial myocarditis. Report of two cases and data from a pooled analysis

We aimed to characterize the epidemiology, diagnostic peculiarities and outcome determinants of bacterial myocarditis.

Two cases from our institution and literature reports were collected ending up with a total of 66 cases. In 37 (56%) patients, the diagnosis was confirmed by magnetic resonance and histopathological criteria. The other patients were classified as having possible myocarditis.

Only occurrence of rhythm disturbances was associated with the specific diagnosis of myocarditis (p = 0.04). Thirty-two (48%) patients presented with severe sepsis that was associated with a worse prognosis. At multivariate analysis, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) at admission and heart rhythm disturbances were associated with incomplete recovery (odds ratio (OR) 1.1, 95% (CI) 1.03–1.2, p = 0.004 and OR 6.6, 95% CI 1.35–32.5, p = 0.02, respectively).

In summary, bacterial myocarditis is uncommon. Most commonly, it is secondary to septic dissemination of bacteria or to transient secondary myocardial toxicity.

Brugada syndrome revealed by intestinal shigellosis in a patient from Benin at the University Hospital of Saint-Etienne

This paper is about a Brugada syndrome (BS) of accidental discovery in a patient from Benin during an intestinal shigellosis episode in the infectiology department of university hospital of Saint-Etienne, France. Authors establish a link between these two diseases. After a literature's review, they underline that BS is under-diagnosed in Africa. Furthermore, they highlight socio-cultural characteristics of sudden deaths in West Africa including BS.

Campylobacter jejuni myocarditis: A journey from the gut to the heart

Objectives:

Campylobacter jejuni is an unusual cause of myocarditis and could easily be missed.

Methods:

We describe a case of a 25 year old man, who presented with 3 day history of vomiting and diarrhoea, followed by chest pain and significant high sensitive troponin rise.

Results:

The patient’s profuse diarrhoea was accompanied by raised inflammatory markers, electrocardiogram changes and evidence of cardiomyopathy on transthoracic echocardiogram. Various aetiological viral serologies which were tested for came back negative. However, stool culture was positive for the bacteria, Campylobacter jejuni. He was successfully treated with antibiotics and made an uneventful recovery.

Conclusions:

Campylobacter jejuni gastroenteritis has a worldwide prevalence. Therefore, prompt diagnosis and treatment is crucial when this organism is implicated in myocarditis.

From the Gut to the Heart: Campylobacter jejuni Enteritis Leading to Myopericarditis

Campylobacter jejuni enteritis is the most common enteric infection in the developed world. Although rare, pericarditis and myopericarditis have been increasingly documented as complications following campylobacteriosis. The present paper implicates that myopericarditis and non-ischemic cardiomyopathy following Campylobacter jejuni infection might be more prevalent than initially thought and perhaps underreported so far. Therefore, it is imperative to perform the appropriate initial diagnostic testing, including stool cultures, in order to make an accurate diagnosis early in the course of the disease. Identifying the etiology of myopericarditis as bacterial will ensure appropriate treatment with antibiotics in addition to the cardiac medications needed for supportive care.

First case report of myopericarditis linked to Campylobacter coli enterocolitis

BACKGROUND

Campylobacter spp. are a common cause of mostly self-limiting enterocolitis. Although rare, pericarditis and myopericarditis have been increasingly documented as complications following campylobacteriosis. Such cases have occurred predominantly in younger males, and involved a single causative species, namely Campylobacter jejuni. We report the first case of myopericarditis following Campylobacter coli enterocolitis, with illness occurring in an immunocompetent middle-aged female.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 51-yo female was admitted to a cardiology unit with a 3-days history of chest pain. The woman had no significant medical history or risk factors for cardiac disease, nor did she report any recent overseas travel. Four days prior to the commencement of chest pain the woman had reported onset of an acute gastrointestinal illness, passing 3-4 loose stools daily, a situation that persisted at the time of presentation. Physical examination showed the woman's vital signs to be essentially stable, although she was noted to be mildly tachycardic. Laboratory testing showed mildly elevated C-reactive protein and a raised troponin I in the absence of elevation of the serum creatinine kinase. Electrocardiography (ECG) demonstrated concave ST segment elevations, and PR elevation in aVR and depression in lead II. Transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) revealed normal biventricular size and function with no significant valvular abnormalities. There were no left ventricular regional wall motion abnormalities. No pericardial effusion was present but the pericardium appeared echodense. A diagnosis of myopericarditis was made on the basis of chest pain, typical ECG changes and troponin rise. The chest pain resolved and she was discharged from hospital after 2-days of observation, but with ongoing diarrhoea. Following discharge, a faecal sample taken during the admission, cultured Campylobacter spp. Matrix assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight (Bruker) confirmed the cultured isolate as C. coli.

CONCLUSION

We report the first case of myopericarditis with a suggested link to an antecedent Campylobacter coli enterocolitis. Although rare, myopericarditis is becoming increasingly regarded as a complication following campylobacteriosis. Our report highlights potential for pericardial disease beyond that attributed to Campylobacter jejuni. However uncertainty regarding pathogenesis, coupled with a paucity of population level data continues to restrict conclusions regarding the strength of this apparent association.