How does campylobacter make you sick

Top of Page. People with Campylobacter infection usually have diarrhea often bloody , fever, and stomach cramps. Nausea and vomiting may accompany the diarrhea. Symptoms usually start two to five days after infection and last about one week. Some people experience complications, such as irritable bowel syndrome, temporary paralysis, and arthritis.

In people with weakened immune systems, such as those with a blood disorder, with AIDS, or receiving chemotherapy, Campylobacter occasionally spreads to the bloodstream and causes a life-threatening infection. Many chickens, turkeys, cows, and other animals that show no signs of illness carry Campylobacter. Campylobacter can be carried in the intestines, liver, and other organs of animals and can be transferred to other edible parts when an animal is slaughtered.

Milk can become contaminated when a cow has a Campylobacter infection in her udder or when milk is contaminated with manure. Pasteurization makes milk safe to drink. Fruits and vegetables can be contaminated through contact with soil or water containing feces poop from cows, birds, or other animals.

Animal feces can contaminate lakes and streams. Washing or scrubbing fruits and vegetables and disinfecting untreated drinking water helps prevent illness.

It takes very few Campylobacter bacteria to make someone sick. Prepare foods safely. Wash your hands before and after handling food. Also wash them after using the bathroom or changing diapers. Wash fresh fruits and vegetables by rinsing them well with running water. If possible, use two cutting boards—one for fresh produce and the other for raw meat, poultry, and seafood. Otherwise, be sure to wash the cutting board with hot, soapy water between each use.

You can also wash your knives and cutting boards in the dishwasher to disinfect them. Store foods safely. Cook, refrigerate, or freeze meat, poultry, eggs, fish, and ready-to-eat foods within 2 hours. Cook foods safely. Use a clean meat thermometer to determine whether foods are cooked to a safe temperature. Do not eat undercooked hamburger. And be aware of the risk of food poisoning from raw fish including sushi , clams, and oysters. Serve foods safely. Follow labels on food packaging.

Food packaging labels provide information about when to use the food and how to store it. Reading food labels and following safety instructions will reduce your chances of becoming ill with food poisoning. When in doubt, throw it out. If you are not sure whether a food is safe, don't eat it. Reheating food that is contaminated will not make it safe.

Don't taste suspicious food. Refrigerate foods right away; avoid keeping food at room temperature. Cutting boards and counters used for raw poultry and meat products should be washed immediately after use to prevent cross contamination with other foods. Avoid eating raw or undercooked poultry or meats.

Ensure that the correct internal cooking temperature is reached, particularly when using a microwave. Consult www. Wash hands with soap and water after handling raw poultry or meat products. Avoid eating raw eggs or undercooking foods containing raw eggs. Avoid consuming raw unpasteurized milk or milk products. Encourage careful handwashing with soap and water before and after food preparation. Make sure children, particularly those who handle pets, wash their hands carefully with soap and water.

Wash hands with soap and water after using the bathroom or handling soiled diapers. Revised: September The bacteria also can affect other parts of the body. In some cases — particularly in very young kids and those with chronic illnesses or a weak immune system — they can get into the bloodstream this is called bacteremia.

Campylobacteriosis can spread from person to person when someone comes into contact with fecal matter poop from an infected person especially a child in diapers. Household pets can carry and spread the bacteria to people.

More than 2 million people get a Campylobacter infection each year, with babies younger than 1 year old, teens, and young adults most commonly affected. The diarrhea is watery at first, but later may contain blood and mucus. Sometimes, the abdominal pain seems worse than the diarrhea.

When this happens, the infection may be mistaken for appendicitis or a problem with the pancreas. Diarrhea can lead to dehydration , so kids with an infection should be watched closely. Signs of dehydration include thirst, irritability, restlessness, dizziness or drowsiness, sunken eyes, a dry or sticky mouth, dry skin, peeing less than usual, and in infants a dry diaper for more than 4—6 hours. Doctors may send a stool sample to the lab to be tested for Campylobacter bacteria.

They might order other lab tests, especially if there's blood in the stool. If needed, a blood test can confirm bacteremia. Most kids with Campylobacter infection will recover without needing medicine.