Campylobacter Jejuni

Campylobacter jejuni is one of the leading bacterial causes of food-borne human gastroenteritis.

C. jejuni is currently estimated to cause 5–14% of diarrhea worldwide, which translates into 400–500 million cases per year.

Campylobacter is found most often in food, particularly in chicken.

Food is contaminated when it comes into contact with animal feces. 

Any raw poultry may contain Campylobacter, including organic products.

In fact, studies have found Campylobacter contamination on up to 88 % of chicken carcasses

Two age groups are most commonly affected by Campylobacter: children under 5 years of age and young adults aged 15-29. 

Campylobacter Symptoms

Symptoms of food poisoning from Campylobacter usually occur 2 to 5 days after a person eats contaminated food, but may take up to 10 days to appear. The most common symptom of a Campylobacter infection is diarrhea, which is often bloody.  Typical symptoms include:

Diarrhea: Diarrhea ranges from mild to severe and is often bloody

Fever

Nausea

Vomiting

Abdominal pain

Headache

Muscle pain

How do you get infected with campylobacter?

Sources of Campylobacter include raw milk, meat, raw beef liver, raw clams, mushrooms, unpasteurized milk and dairy products.

There are 2 main routes foods take to become contaminated with the Campylobacter pathogen:

       Cross-Contamination - Juices from raw product (poultry, meats, seafoods) come in contact with ready-to-eat foods, such as salads, or already cooked foods ready to serve. This happens by using the same utensils, cutting boards, plates, platters or hands for the raw product without thorough washing and/or sanitizing in-between uses.

       Consuming raw or partially cooked naturally hazardous foods. This includes beef (raw or rare hamburgers), poultry, egg or egg based dishes, seafoods (shellfish and finfish), unpasteurized dairy products (including cheese products from unknown sources, i.e. someone's home or garage).

Complications of Campylobacter Infection

The following are a list of possible long-term consequences of Campylobacter infection.

Guillan-Barré Syndrome (GBS): Although rare, Guillan-Barré Syndrome is the most common cause of acute generalized paralysis in the western world.  GBS occurs when the antibodies the body builds up against Campylobacter attack one’s nerve cells. Symptoms of GBS appear several weeks after diarrheal illness. Approximately one in every 1000 reported Campylobacter cases results in GBS.

Reactive Arthritis: Campylobacter infection may also lead to reactive arthritis. Symptoms include inflammation of the joints, eyes, or reproductive or urinary organs. On average, symptoms appear 18 days after infection.

Other complications: Campylobacter may also cause appendicitis or infect specific parts of the body, including the abdominal cavity, the heart, the central nervous system, the gall bladder, the urinary tract, or the blood stream.

Who gets campylobacter?

Anyone can get campylobacter, but young children under 5 years of age, those over 60 and people who work with farm animals or in the meat industry and travellers to developing countries are at greater risk.

How do you treat campylobacter?

Campylobacter infections usually resolve after about a week, although treatment with antibiotics can shorten the course of the illness. Patients with Campylobacter poisoning should drink lots of fluids to stay hydrated as long as the diarrhea lasts. Antidiarrheal medication may also help lessen symptoms.

• If you feel sick, try taking small sips of fluid, frequently.
• Avoid tea, coffee, carbonated drinks or alcohol.
• Always dilute sugary drinks even if you would not normally dilute them.

Do you need to stay off work?

Yes. While you are ill and have symptoms you are infectious. You can return to work once you have been free from diarrhea for 48 hours.

Note: The amount of food borne bacteria resistant to antibiotics is on the rise, so certain antibiotics may prove ineffective at treating a given type of Campylobacter. Finding an effective antibiotic is key to treating this bacterial infection.

How can you avoid getting infected with campylobacter?

v  Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water:

o   before preparing and eating food

o   after handling raw food

o   after going to the toilet

o   after contact with pets and other animals

v  Keep cooked food away from raw food

v  Store raw foods below cooked or ready-to-eat foods in the fridge to prevent contamination.

v  Cook food thoroughly, especially meat, so that it is piping hot, as this will destroy any campylobacter

v  Keep all kitchen surfaces and equipment including knives, chopping boards and dish cloths clean

v  Do not drink untreated water from lakes, rivers or streams

You should pay special attention to hygiene during farm visits, washing hands after any contact with animals, and eating only in designated areas. 

Recent Campylobacter Outbreaks

v     Outbreak of Campylobacter in Alaska Linked to Raw Milk

According to a recent epidemiology bulletin, on June 15, 2011, All four persons with matching Campylobacter isolates experienced acute gastroenteritis in May and June 2011. Patient ages ranged from 1 – 81 years. All four persons were living in Southcentral Alaska at the time of their illness, and all reported consuming raw milk from the same cow share farm in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley.

 Wisconsin School Campylobacter Outbreak

At least 16 students and adults who attended an event at North Cape Elementary School in Raymond, Wisconsin became ill with Campylobacter food poisoning in the days following a school event on June 3, 2011. The raw, or unpasteurized, milk was brought into a fourth grade classroom by a parent. 

 Hinerwadel’s Grove Raw Clam Campylobacter Outbreak

Dozens of people who ate raw clams at a clambake event at Hinerwadel’s in Syracuse NY were infected with Campylobacter jejuni in September of 2010.  The outbreak was concentrated among attendees of a CNY Builders Exchange event held September 15, which was attended by as many as 3,800 people

v Saratoga Springs Utah Municipal Water Campylobacter Outbreak

The city of Saratoga Springs, Utah issued a boil order for its municipal water after residents fell ill with Campylobacter infections traced back to the water supply.  The boil order was issued on May 13, 2010.  At least 7 residents have confirmed Campylobacter infections, but many more suffered undiagnosed illnesses, unaware that their water was making them sick.