Campylobacter ssp. infections in Iceland during a 24-month period in 1980-1982. Clinical and epidemiological characteristics

During a 2-year period, 67 isolates of Campylobacter ssp. were cultured from 7213 stool specimens submitted for culture from 4019 individuals (1.7%). In the same period considerably more strains of Salmonella were isolated, 164 (4.1%). In the majority of cases campylobacteriosis presented as a mild disease. Some patients however were severely ill and 22 (32.8%) were hospitalized. Clinical resemblance to ulcerative colitis caused diagnostic difficulties in several patients. Two thirds of the patients contracted their disease domestically. There was a marked seasonal variation with peak incidence during the summer months.