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Campylobacteriosis is an infectious disease caused by eating or handling contaminated food or drinking beverages contaminated with Campylobacter (pronounced kamp-e-lo-back-ter). This pathogen is most commonly found on raw poultry, unpasteurized raw milk and untreated water. Handling infected human or animal feces can also be a cause. Usually poultry and cattle waste are the sources of the bacteria, but feces from puppies, kittens, and birds may also be contaminated. Food contamination is, however, the most common cause.
Campylobacter is one of the most common causes of food poisoning and this infection is likely more prevalent then health records can show since fewer than one in ten people report cases of food-borne illness to their health department. More than 10,000 yearly cases are reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the CDC estimates that, among those, 100 people die of the disease each year. The bacteria Campylobacter jejuni, Campylobacter fetus, and Campylobacter coli are the types that usually cause the disease in people, with Campylobacter jejuni being the leading cause.
C. jejuni is, according the CDC, the leading cause of bacterial diarrheal illness in the United States, affecting about 2.4 million people every year. This is more than Shigella and Salmonella combined. The bacteria cause between 5 and 14 percent of all diarrheal illness worldwide. C. jejuni primarily affects children less than 5 years old and young adults 15 to 29 years old.
Unlike some other bacteria an extremely small infective dose of Campylobacter can cause illness. 500 bacteria can cause a person to become ill. To put this in perspective, a bacterial colony the size of a pin-prick can contain one million bacteria.
Symptoms
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Not everybody who ingests Campylobacter will have symptoms and they may take 2 to 5 days after ingestion of contaminated food to occur. This is important to note since two people who eat the same contaminated food may not become sick at the same time. Their incubation periods may differ.
The primary cause of the gastrointestinal complaints is inflammation of the small and large intestine which is called gastroenteritis. This is not to be confused with gastritis which is caused by inflammation of the stomach lining (mucosa). Symptoms of campylobacteriosis can include:
- Diarrhea (often bloody)
- Abdominal cramping and pain
- Nausea and vomiting
- Fever
- Tiredness
Campylobacteriosis usually lasts for 2 to 5 days, but in some cases as long as 10 days.
Diagnosis and Treatment
Most people with Campylobacter recover on their on, with no special treatment. If you need treatment, doctor can can prescribe an antibiotic such as ciprofloxacin or azithromycin. Diarrhea can be treated with Erythromycin. Dehydration is a primary danger of diarrhea so drink plenty of water or other fluids when while you are ill.
Upon reporting your symptoms to you doctor he or she will most likely order a stool sample to be collected for laboratory analysis. The bacteria can be detected in stool, where it is shed, and it is important to get an accurate identification of the causative microbe so that appropriate medications, such as antibiotics, can be prescribed. Also, it is important to know whether there is a bacterial infection present rather than a viral infection. Because although viral infections can cause many of the same gastrointestinal symptoms as bacterial infections, they cannot be treated with antibiotics and must "run their course". Having antibiotics prescribed "just in case", without a laboratory test to confirm the bacteria, is often done an this is a very harmful practice since the overuse of antibiotics when they are not needed contributes to antibiotic resistance.
If you are diagnosed with Campylobacterioses and are prescribed antibiotics you can expect to feel better very quickly. The earlier you are treated the less you will suffer so don't hesitate to see a doctor. Upon diagnosis, he or she, should contact the local health department so that the cause of your infection can be ascertained. This is very important to prevent widespread outbreaks which can be dangerous for the very ill, children, and elderly.
How Does This Happen and How Do I Prevent It
Although there are many ways to come in contact with campylobacter and you may get sick from eating contaminated food at a restaurant, you are just as likely to get it from food you prepared yourself at home.
For instance undercooked or mishandled poultry is a frequent cause. Poultry must be cooked to an internal temperature of 170ºF for breast meat and 180ºF for thigh meat. Just as important is cross-contamination which is what happens when raw poultry is mishandled.
Never store cooked and raw poultry near each other. Never cut vegetables or other meal components on the same surface as you used to cut raw poultry. Never wash vegetables in the same container or area used to wash poultry unless proper sanitation is carried out. Other general prevention tips are:
- Wash hands before preparing food
- Wash hands immediately after handling raw poultry or other meat
- Wash thoroughly with soap and hot water all food preparation surfaces and utensils that have come in contact with raw meat
- Cook poultry products to an internal temperature of 170ºF for breast meat and 180ºF for thigh meat
- Don’t drink unpasteurized raw milk
- Don't drink unchlorinated water that isn’t boiled
- Wash hands after handling pet feces or visiting petting zoos
Complications of Campylobacteriosis
Complications are rare but include:
- Convulsions with fever or meningitis (inflammation of the lining of the spinal cord).
- Arthritis.
- Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS), the leading cause of acute paralysis in the U.S.1
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Citation
"Campylobacteriosis." National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Home Page. Web. 09 Feb. 2011. <http://www.niaid.nih.gov/topics/campylobacteriosis/pages/default.aspx>.
References
"Campylobacteriosis." National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Home Page. Web. 09 Feb. 2011. <http://www.niaid.nih.gov/topics/campylobacteriosis/pages/default.aspx>.
Law, Bibiana, and I. Edward. Alcamo. Campylobacteriosis. Philadelphia: Chelsea House, 2004. Print.
This page is provided by Ground Up Strength for information purposes only and should not take the place of professional medical advice. Although we have done our utmost to provide accurate and safe information, we are not medical professionals and the information on this page should not be taken as professional medical advice, or any other kind of medical advice.
This page created 09 Feb 2011 16:12
Last updated 23 Feb 2011 18:12
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