Pathogenicity of Campylobacter jejuni in intraperitoneally or intravenously inoculated ferrets

Ferret kits inoculated intravenously (IV) with Campylobacter jejuni after pretreatment with parenteral iron developed more severe systemic signs and more prolonged bacteremia than untreated inoculated controls. Watery diarrhea began in both groups 2-16 h after inoculation and lasted less than 48 h. C. jejuni was cultured from rectal swabs 2-8 h after inoculation, and gut colonization persisted up to 15 days, suggesting that colonization does not necessarily induce diarrhea. Gut colonization occurred as rapidly after IV inoculation of ferrets in which the common bile duct had been ligated as it did in unligated controls. Histological evidence of an inflammatory response in the mucosa, without severe epithelial damage, suggests a toxin-mediated secretory diarrhea.