Primary Enteric Infections Campylobacter jejuni Infection

Campylobacter jejuni infects a wide range of animals, including laboratory rats. Because of its wide host range, this bacterium can be introduced to laboratory animal units through a number of means and can spread between species within a facility. Infection in rats is usually subclinical, but young rats may manifest mild diarrhea or soft feces. Experimental oral inoculation of outbred rats induced mild acute lesions in the small intestine, including enterocyte swelling, basal sub- nuclear vacuolation, villus tip disruption, villus widen­ing, and mild crypt hyperplasia. Infection was also transient, with no detectable infection by 32 days after inoculation. Humans are susceptible to gastroenteritis when infected with C. jejuni.