Campylobacter bacteria is one of the leading causes of food-borne illness. Babies less than one year old, teens, and young adults are the people most commonly infected with Campylobacter (also known as campylobacteriosis).
Campylobacter bacteria is typically transmitted through contaminated food or water. Campylobacter bacteria can infect the gastrointestinal tract and cause fever, stomach cramps, and diarrhea.
Campylobacter is found in the intestinal tracts of many domesticated and wild birds. The bacteria are released in the animal’s feces, which can cause infection in humans through contaminated food, meat (chicken is the most commonly contaminated meat), non-pasteurized milk (pasteurization is a heating process that kills bacteria in the milk), or water from contaminated sources (streams where animals graze).
Campylobacter bacteria can be passed from one infected person to another, when a non-infected person comes into contact with fecal matter from an infected person. It can also be carried and transmitted by family pets to their owners.
Once the Campylobacter has been ingested by a person, the bacteria infects and attacks both the large and small intestines. In rare cases, the campylobacteriosis can get into the bloodstream and cause bactermia. Campylobacteriosis can sometimes cause Guillan- Barré syndrome, a rare autoimmune disorder.
Symptoms of campylobacteriosis typically appear between 1 and 7 days after ingesting the bacteria. The most common symptoms of campylobacteriosis are fever, abdominal cramping, and diarrhea (ranging from mild to severe). Diarrhea can lead to severe dehydration, so this will need to be closely monitored.
Bowel movements associated with campylobacteriosis are typically watery in the beginning, but later may contain mucus and/ or blood. For many people, the abdominal pain is a more significant symptom than the diarrhea. Because of the severe abdominal pain, campylobacteriosis can sometimes be mistaken for a problem with the pancreas or an appendicitis.
Prevention is pretty simple. Do not drink water from streams or rivers, drink only inspected drinking water; drink only pasteurized milk; kill bacteria in meat by cooking meat (especially chicken) thoroughly and consuming while it is still warm; make sure to disinfect all surfaces that the raw meat touches; wash your hands thoroughly with soap and running water after caring for someone with diarrhea; clean and disinfect the toilet after the infected person uses it; thoroughly wash your hands after caring for a pet with diarrhea and contact your veterinarian.
If you believe that you or a member of your family has campylobacteriosis, you should contact your physician. Your physician will take a stool sample to test for Campylobacter bacteria, and will then decide whether or not you require an antibiotic. While you have diarrhea, it is important to remain hydrated, so you should drink a lot of fluids. Also, follow any instructions given by your doctor.
