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Campylobacteriosis
What is Campylobacteriosis?
Campylobacteriosis is an intestinal illness caused by infection with Campylobacter bacteria. Most human illness is caused by the species, Campylobacter jejuni.
Who gets Campylobacteriosis?
Anyone can get campylobacteriosis. These bacteria are a significant cause of diarrhea, especially in developing countries, and is a frequent cause of travelers diarrhea. Illness occurs more frequently in summer than in winter.
How is Campylobacteriosis spread?
A person becomes infected with Campylobacter by swallowing the bacteria. This can occur when an individual eats or drinks food or water contaminated with Campylobacter bacteria. Animals can also be infected, and pets, such as puppies and kittens with diarrhea, can be a source of spread to humans.
Campylobacter can be found in the intestines of farm animals such as cattle, pigs and chicken. Thus beef, pork and especially chicken meat can become contaminated with Campylobacter bacteria during processing. Incompletely cooked beef, pork, and chicken can be a source of Campylobacter illness.
What are the symptoms of Campylobacteriosis?
The most common symptoms of campylobacteriosis are mild to severe diarrhea (sometimes bloody), fever, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Many individuals infected with Campylobacter have no symptoms.
How soon do symptoms occur?
Symptoms usually appear within 2 to 5 days after swallowing the bacteria, and usually last no more than 10 days. A prolonged illness may occur in some adults.
How is Campylobacteriosis diagnosed?
Campylobacteriosis is diagnosed by finding the Campylobacter bacteria in a stool specimen examined under a microscope.
What is the treatment for Campylobacteriosis?
Most people infected with Campylobacter will recover on their own without treatment. Sometimes an antibiotic is prescribed in severe cases of illness. Ill individuals should drink lots of fluids while they have diarrhea to prevent dehydration.
How long is an infected person infectious to others?
An infected person is capable of transmitting campylobacteriosis to others as long as the Campylobacter bacteria are being passed in his/her stool. This usually lasts from several days to several weeks after the symptoms of illness have resolved.
Should an infected person be excluded from work or school?
Individuals with vomiting or diarrhea due to campylobacteriosis should remain home from work or school until those symptoms have resolved.
Special precautions are indicated for food handlers, health care workers, day-care providers and young children attending day care. After their symptoms of illness have resolved, good personal hygiene practices should be reviewed with these individuals (or for children recovering from campylobacteriosis, the day care staff providing their care) prior to their return to work or day care. This includes proper hand washing after using the toilet or changing diapers.
How can Campylobacteriosis be prevented?
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