Campylobacter Fact Sheet
Cause
Campylobacter jejuni, a bacteria. C. jejuni is the leading cause of bacterial diarrheal illness in the United States, causing more disease than Shigella spp. and Salmonella spp. combined.
Occurrence in Animals
Many mammals and birds including poultry, farm animals (e.g. cattle, pigs) as well as companion animals (e.g., dogs, cats) may shed Campylobacter in their feces. Laboratory rodents are rarely infected, unless part of a specific experiment with this organism.
Source of Infection in Animals
Feces
Transmission
Accidental ingestion (fecal-oral route) both directly and indirectly through objects contaminated with feces or gastrointestinal tract contents (e.g. at necropsy). Most infections in humans arise from eating contaminated foods, e.g., poultry, or occasionally from drinking unpasteurized milk.
Observable Signs of Infection
Animals:
- Diarrhea is the most common presentation in animals.
- Campylobacter is often be shed by asymptomatic carriers.
Humans (three forms)
- Diarrhea which may be watery or sticky and can contain blood.
- Nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain.
- Fever, headache, and muscle pain.
Precautions
- Good personal hygiene
- WASH HANDS after handling animals or being in their environment
- No eating, drinking, smoking, etc., around animals or their environments
- Avoid hand-to-mouth contact
- Wear coveralls and gloves if in contact with animals that have diarrhea or their environment and wear gloves, face mask and goggles when cleaning contaminated areas
- Immunocompromised or immunosuppressed individuals may experience serious disease from contact with organisms that cause GI infection, and should take appropriate precautions.
- Use boot dip, dedicated boots, or disposable boot covers when accessing areas of potentially infectious animals