Campylobacteriosis is an infectious disease caused by Campylobacter bacteria, most often the Campylobacter jejuni species. This bacteria can cause an infection in both humans and animals.
Campylobacter is high on the list for causing gastroenteritis. The majority of cases being isolated events instead of outbreaks.
Campylobacter jejuni is a fragile organism. It can’t tolerate drying and grows in oxygen deficient environments.
A very small amount of campylobacter can cause campylobacteriosis. Just a drop of raw chicken juice is all it takes.
Most frequently, poultry and cattle waste are the sources of Campylobacter. But puppy, kitten and bird feces may also be a cause for spreading this infection.
Activities that put you in danger of ingesting campylobacter jejuni are:
- consuming raw milk
- touching raw poultry
- handling infected feces
- eating undercooked poultry
- drinking nonchlorinated water
Campylobacteriosis food poisoning usually occurs in summer rather than winter.
The most common symptom of campylobacteriosis is bloody diarrhea. The bloody stool is caused by campylobacter jejuni bacterial attack on both your small and large intestinal lining.
Other infection symptoms beyond that blood in your diarrhea may involve:
- fever
- fatigue
- abdominal pain
- nausea & vomiting
- stomach cramping
Bloody diarrhea symptoms caused by campylobacteriosis usually presents within 5 days of exposure. And that blood in watery stool typically lasts about a week.
The main treatment for this intestinal infection is drinking plenty of water to prevent dehydration. No other special treatment is usually required if you’re otherwise healthy. For some, an antibiotic may be necessary.
In those with a chronic illnesses or weak immune system, campylobacter occasionally spreads to the bloodstream and causes bacteremia. At times, campylobacteriosis can cause convulsions with fever or meningitis.
In rare cases, campylobacteriosis can lead to Guillain-Barre syndrome, arthritis development or brain and nerve problems. These conditions develop a couple of weeks after your bloody diarrhea symptom has stopped.
For health preservation, follow some simple food handling practices that help prevent campylobacteriosis, along with other food poisoning illnesses.
