Campylobacter Infection

What is Campylobacter ?

Campylobacter (cam-pillow-back-ter) is a bacteria that can infect the intestines (stomach) and sometimes the bloodstream. When a person gets sick from this infection it is called campylobacteriosis, or "campy" for short.

The campy bacteria is the most common cause of bacterial diarrhea in British Columbia. About three thousand cases of campy are reported to the B.C. Centre for Disease Control each year. Sometimes a person can be infected and not feel sick or have any diarrhea at all. Many cases are probably never reported.

What are the symptoms of a campy infection ?

Campy may cause mild or severe diarrhea, bloody diarrhea, nausea and stomach pain, often with fever. Symptoms usually start two to five days after getting the bacteria and usually last for less than one week. In some cases symptoms may continue for more than ten days, and sometimes a relapse can happen after you have started to get better.

People at most risk of serious complications from campy include children, the frail elderly, and persons whose immune systems are compromised from HIV infection or AIDS, cancer treatments (radiation or chemotherapy), or who have had an organ or bone marrow transplant.

How is campy spread ?

Campy bacteria can live in the intestines of many animals including cattle, birds, poultry, pigs, sheep, dogs and cats, and humans.

Sometimes campy can be caught just by contact with infected people or animals, especially puppies or kittens. Campy is usually spread by eating food or drinking water or other liquids that have been contaminated by animal or human feces. Common sources of infection are undercooked poultry (chicken) and meats, unpasteurized milk, and contaminated food and water.

Cutting boards and chopping blocks used to cut up raw meat can spread the bacteria to other foods (salads, vegetables, etc.) if not properly cleaned after use.

Drinking water can be contaminated by wild or domestic animals dropping their manure in or near outside surface water sources (streams, rivers, lakes) or near shallow wells that are not properly protected.

How can you prevent the spread of the campy bacteria ?

Since the bacteria is passed in the feces, people with diarrhea who can't control their bowel movements should be excluded from work or school. Children with diarrhea (especially those in diapers) should be kept out of child care or else they should be cared for in a separate, protected area until the diarrhea has stopped. Handwashing by children in day cares should be supervised by an adult, to make sure they wash their hands properly.

Most infected adults can return to work or school when their diarrhea stops, as long as they make sure to carefully wash their hands after going to the toilet.

NOTE: Infected people will keep passing the bacteria in their bowel movements for anywhere from a few days to several weeks. Even after the symptoms disappear, some people stay infected and can infect others for up to seven weeks. Some antibiotics may shorten the length of time people carry the bacteria.

What is the treatment for campy infections ?

If you think you have campy, you should see your family doctor to be tested, and for advice and treatment. Specific antibiotic treatment is usually not needed, although your doctor will decide if treatment is needed in a particular case. People with campy are usually advised to drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration from diarrhea. Most people infected with campy will get better on their own without taking any medicine.

How can campy infections be prevented ?

Since raw poultry and other contaminated food or drinks are the most common source of campy bacteria, the best protection against getting infected is to prepare your food safely and make sure it is well cooked.
Treat all raw poultry or meat as if it is contaminated and handle it accordingly. Refrigerate foods promptly. Keep raw meat on lower refrigerator shelves so that it doesn't drip blood on other foods.
Use a mild bleach solution to thoroughly clean cutting boards and counters used for meat preparation immediately after use. You can make this solution using one half ounce of bleach to a gallon of water, or a teaspoon of bleach in a litre of water.
Wash your hands :
Do not eat raw or undercooked poultry or meats. Make sure that the correct internal cooking temperature is reached -particularly when using a microwave. Use a meatthermometer. Minimum temperature for poultry is 165º Fahrenheit (74º Celsius) and 155º Fahrenheit (68º Celsius) for all other meats.
Never eat raw eggs or uncooked foods containing raw eggs.
Never drink unpasteurized milk or juices.
Make sure children, particularly those who handle pets, wash their hands carefully before eating, and on a regular basis if they suck their thumbs, or like to put their hands in their mouths.
Never drink untreated water from a stream or lake. When camping, if you have to get your water from a lake, stream or shallow well make sure that you boil or otherwise disinfect any water you use for drinking, washing food, making baby formula, brushing teeth, etc.
If your local Medical Health has issued a boil water advisory for your community water system - take the advice seriously. Even if the water seems to have always been safe it may not be!