Campylobacter fetus | |
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SEM image of C. fetus showing the chracteristic "S-shaped" morphology. | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Bacteria |
Phylum: | Proteobacteria |
Class: | Epsilon Proteobacteria |
Order: | Campylobacterales |
Family: | Campylobacteraceae |
Genus: | Campylobacter |
Species: | C. fetus |
Binomial name | |
Campylobacter fetus (Smith & Taylor 1919) Sebald & Véron 1963 |
Campylobacter fetus is a species of Gram-negative, motile bacteria with a characteristic "S-shaped" rod morphology similar to members of the genus Vibrio [1]. Like other members of the Campylobacter genus, C. fetus is oxidase-positive.
In addition to causing some cases of abortion in cattle and sheep, C. fetus is an opportunistic human pathogen and can cause bacteremia and thrombophlebitis[2] . Though rare, C. fetus can lead to fatal septicemia in newborns and immunocompromised individuals[3] . It is the only Campylobacter species that can give septicemia. Bacteremia can lead to localized infections of the meninges in the brain, the respiratory pleural spaces or lungs, joints[4] , the pericardial sac around the heart, or the peritoneum.