Campylobacter is a bacterium that affects the intestines.

Anyone can get a campylobacter infection.

Campylobacter bacteria are found in uncooked foods, especially poultry, in unpasteurized milk or unchlorinated water. The bacteria is spread by direct contact with an infected person or object such as a cutting board, eating or drinking contaminated food or water. Puppies and kittens with diarrhea are possible sources of infection. The bacterium is spread by the fecal-oral route (hand to mouth) through contaminated foods.

People exposed to the campylobacter bacteria may have diarrhea, (sometimes bloody), abdominal pain, malaise, nausea, vomiting, and fever. Seek medical help if you observe any of these symptoms, especially if you work at a restaurant, day care center, nursing home, hospital or any other facility where several people attend or reside.

The symptoms usually appear in 3 to 5 days with a range of 1 to 10 days.

People with campylobacter may be infectious for several days or several weeks. Individuals not treated with antibiotics may pass the bacteria in their stool for as long as 2 - 7 weeks.

Most people recover on their own. Some may require fluids to prevent dehydration. Antibiotics are sometimes used.

• Make an extra effort to wash your hands with soap and water before handling food, after toileting, handling garbage or after any soiling of your hands;
• Only consume pasteurized milk and milk products;
• Take care in preparing and cooking foods - use proper temperatures;
• Be aware that you may become infected by handling infected food or directly from an infected person - once again, hand washing is stressed.
• Persons employed at day care centers, nursing homes, hospitals, restaurants or other facilities where several persons attend or reside, and having any of the signs or symptoms listed above, should be excluded until tested (by physician or public health department).

January 1996