What is Campylobacteriosis?

 

What causes Campylobacteriosis?

Campylobacter jejuni (formerly known as Campylobacter fetus subsp. jejuni), is a Gram-negative slender, curved, and motile rod.This bacterium is now recognized as an important enteric pathogen.It causes more disease than Shigella spp. and Salmonella spp. combined. 
Because the pathogenic mechanisms of C. jejuni are still being studied, it is difficult to differentiate pathogenic from nonpathogenic strains.

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How can I become infected with Campylobacter jejuni?

Non-chlorinated water may be a source of infections.Raw milk is also a source of infections.
C. jejuni frequently contaminates raw chicken.The bacteria are often carried by healthy cattle and by flies on farms.
Although C. jejuni is not carried by healthy individuals in developed countries, is not unusual to find the bacteria in the intestinal tracts of people living in developing countries.
The infective dose of C. jejuni is considered to be small. Human feeding studies suggest that about 400-500 bacteria may cause illness in some individuals, while in others, greater numbers are required. A conducted volunteer human feeding study suggests that host susceptibility also dictates infectious dose to some degree. The pathogenic mechanisms of C. jejuni are still not completely understood. C. jejuni may also be an invasive organism. 

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What are the symptoms of Campylobacteriosis?

C. jejuni infection causes diarrhea, which may be watery or sticky and can contain blood (usually occult) and fecal leukocytes (white cells). Other symptoms often present are fever, abdominal pain, nausea, headache and muscle pain.
Complications are relatively rare, but infections have been associated with reactive arthritis, hemolytic uremic syndrome, and following septicemia, infections of nearly any organ. The estimated case/fatality ratio for all C. jejuni infections is 0.1, meaning one death per 1,000 cases. Fatalities are rare in healthy individuals and usually occur in cancer patients or in the otherwise debilitated. Only 20 reported cases of septic abortion induced by C. jejuni have been recorded in the literature. 
Meningitis, recurrent colitis, acute cholecystitis and Guillain-Barre syndrome are very rare complications.
Although anyone can have a C. jejuni infection, children under 5 years and young adults (15-29) are more frequently afflicted than other age groups. 

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If I swallowed Campylobacter jejuni, how quickly would I become sick?

The illness usually occurs 2-5 days after ingestion of the contaminated food or water. Illness generally lasts 7-10 days, but relapses are not uncommon (about 25% of cases).

 

What should I do if I think I have Campylobacteriosis ?

See your health care provider.

 

How is Campylobacteriosis diagnosed?

C. jejuni is usually present in high numbers in the diarrheal stools of individuals, but isolation requires special antibiotic-containing media and a special microaerophilic atmosphere (5% oxygen). However, most clinical laboratories are equipped to isolate Campylobacter spp. if requested.

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How is Campylobacteriosis treated?

Most infections are self-limiting and are not treated with antibiotics. However, treatment with erythromycin does reduce the length of time that infected individuals shed the bacteria in their feces. 

 

I am going to travel to a country that has poor sanitary conditions. What should I eat and drink there so I will not become infected with C. jejuni or other such germs?

Travelers to developing countries are advised to follow the precautions included under "Risks From Food and Drink For travelers to developing countries".
Properly cooking chicken, pasteurizing milk, and chlorinating drinking water will kill the bacteria.

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Should I be concerned about spreading infection to the rest of my household?

Yes. However, the risk of spreading infection is low if the infected person has good personal hygiene. This includes thorough hand washing with soap and water after using the toilet and before handling food.