Campylobacter Infections

Campylobacter bacteria, usually transmitted in contaminated food or water, can infect the gastrointestinal tract and cause diarrhea, fever, and cramps. Practicing good food safety habits will help prevent Campylobacter infections (or campylobacteriosis), which usually clear up on their own but sometimes are treated with antibiotics.

Campylobacter infects over 2 million people each year, and it's a leading cause of diarrhea and food-borne illness. Babies under 1 year old, teens, and young adults are most commonly affected.

Causes

Campylobacter is found in the intestines of many wild and domestic animals. The bacteria are passed in their feces, which can lead to infection in humans via contaminated food, meats (especially chicken), water taken from contaminated sources (streams or rivers near where animals graze), and milk products that haven't been pasteurized.

Bacteria can be transmitted from person to person when someone comes into contact with fecal matter from an infected person, especially a child in diapers. Household pets can carry and transmit the bacteria to their owners.

Once inside the human digestive system, Campylobacter infects and attacks the lining of both the small and large intestines. The bacteria can also affect other parts of the body. In some cases — particularly in very young patients and those with chronic illnesses or a weak immune system — the bacteria can get into the bloodstream, causing bacteremia. In rare cases, campylobacteriosis can lead to Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare autoimmune disorder.

Symptoms

Symptoms generally appear 1 to 7 days after ingestion of the bacteria. The main symptoms of campylobacteriosis are diarrhea.  Diarrhea can lead to Elana Pearl Ben-Joseph, MD
Date reviewed: September 2006