What is campylobacteriosis?
It is an infection of the intestines caused by a bacteria called Campylobacter jejuni. The bacteria is commonly found in the feces of infected people and animals. It is probably the most common cause of bacterial diarrhea in New York State. Most cases are seen in the summer months and are seen as single cases. Outbreaks are uncommon.
What are the symptoms?
- Mild to severe diarrhea (may be bloody)
- Stomach cramps
- Fever (can be high)
- Vomiting
- Convulsions (in severe cases)
Infected persons may have mild or no symptoms at all. Symptoms start 1 to 10 days after exposure, but usually within 3 - 5 days.
How is it spread?
- People can get the infection by eating contaminated food, or drinking contaminated water or unpasteurized milk. The bacteria are often found in poorly cooked meat or poultry.
- People can also get the illness from infected pets (especially puppies and kittens with diarrhea), or from handling wild animals.
- The bacteria can also be spread from an infected person to others when bacteria leave the body in the stool and enter in another person when hands, food, or objects, contaminated with stool, are put in the mouth.
- Infected persons or animals are contagious as long as the bacteria are in the stool - may be several days or several weeks.
Do infected people need to be isolated or excluded from school or work?
Only people with active diarrhea who are unable to control their bowel habits (infants and young children) should be isolated. Most infected people may return to work or school when diarrhea subsides provided they carefully wash their hands after using the bathroom. Food handlers, children in day care and health care workers must obtain approval of the local or state health department before resuming routine activities (????)
Diagnosis and treatment
- The disease can be diagnosed from a stool sample.
- Most people recover without treatment. If the infection is severe or prolonged, erythromycin may be prescribed.
Prevention
- Wash hands well with soap and warm water after using the bathroom or changing diapers. Make sure children also wash their hands well after going to the bathroom.
- Wash hands well before and after preparing food, especially after handling raw meat or poultry.
- Do not drink unpasteurized milk or eat cheese made from unpasteurized milk.
- Thoroughly cook all meats, especially poultry.
- Make sure that other foods, such as fruits or vegetables, do not come into contact with cutting boards or knives that have been used with raw meat or poultry. Wash them carefully with soap and warm water to avoid cross-contamination.
- Wash hands after handling animals or pets and their waste