Campylobacteriosis

Overview

Campylobacteriosis is an acute bacterial enteric disease.

Pathogen(s)

Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli. There are other species that can also cause infection, though they are less prevalent.

Transmission

Campylobacteriosis usually occurs through consumption of undercooked food (notably poultry), unpasteurised milk, and contaminated food or water.

Incubation period: Typically 2 to 5 days; range is 1 to 10 days.

Infectious period: Organisms can be excreted in the faeces for 2 to 7 weeks, person-to-person transmission is uncommon.

Clinical features

Symptoms can be clinically indistinguishable from other foodborne illnesses. The most common clinical symptoms of Campylobacter infections include diarrhoea (frequently bloody), abdominal pain, fever, headache, nausea, and vomiting. The symptoms typically last 3 to 6 days. Death from campylobacteriosis is rare.

Rare late onset complications include reactive arthritis and Guillain-Barré syndrome.

Risk factors

Anyone can get Campylobacter infection. But some groups of people are at increased risk for infection or serious illness. These groups include:

• Children younger than 5

• Adults 65 and older

• People with a weakened immune system

• People who work with animals

• International travellers

Diagnosis

Campylobacter infection is diagnosed by isolating Campylobacter species from stool samples through culture.

Treatment and management

Campylobacteriosis is usually mild and self-limiting. Treatment is generally supportive.

Most people recover without using antibiotics. Antibiotics are sometimes used to treat or prevent severe illness.

Precaution, prevention, and control

Standard and contact precautions (if active diarrhoea) apply in healthcare settings. There is no available vaccine.

Prevention measures include:

• Not letting infected individuals prepare or handle food until symptoms are resolved

• Cooking poultry and meat thoroughly

• Avoiding unpasteurised dairy products

• Boiling or filtering drinking water and avoiding consumption of untreated water or ice made from untreated water

• Washing utensils and cutting boards used to handle raw poultry separately

Notification

Who should notify:

• Laboratories

When to notify:

• On laboratory confirmation

How to notify:

• Please refer to the Infectious Disease Notification for more information.

Notification timeline:

• As soon as possible. No later than 72 hours from the time of laboratory confirmation.

Resources

Please refer to the Weekly Infectious Diseases Bulletin for the number of confirmed campylobacteriosis cases in Singapore.