Campylobacter

What is Campylobacter?

Campylobacter is a bacterium that causes food poisoning. Symptoms include:

• Diarrhoea
• Vomiting
• Stomach pains and cramps
• High temperature (fever)
• Feeling generally unwell

Although symptoms can take up to 10 days to present, in most cases symptoms typically appear two to five days after exposure to campylobacter. The majority of cases begin to improve after two to three days of diarrhoea. The majority of people’s symptoms will settle in a week.

Who is at the greatest risk of a Campylobacter infection?

Campylobacter can affect anyone, however some groups are more vulnerable than others:

• Children under 5 years of age
• Adults over 60 years of age
• People who work with farm animals
• People who work in the meat industry
• Travellers to developing countries

How can you get Campylobacter?

You usually get campylobacter by eating contaminated food. Campylobacter is found in most raw poultry and is common in raw meat. 

Campylobacter can also be acquired from contaminated pets and other animals. It is impossible to determine whether food is contaminated simply by looking at it. Since it will appear, smell, and taste normal, proper handling is crucial.

What will happen if I have Campylobacter infection whilst I am in hospital?

You will remain isolated in a side room while you are symptomatic. Staff will use apron and gloves when providing care until symptoms have resolved. 

Antibiotic treatment is generally not required unless you have very severe infection.

You should drink plenty of liquids to replace the fluids lost. Also continue to eat as normally as possible.

Avoid tea, coffee, carbonated drinks and alcohol. 

Can I have visitors?

Yes, you can. However, your visitors should wash their hands with soap and water before and after visiting you. 

Although children are welcome, babies and young children are more at risk of picking up and passing on infection. So please do not let them visit other patients or wander unsupervised around the ward.

How can I avoid getting infected with Campylobacter?

Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water:

• Before and after preparing and eating food
• After handling raw food
• After going to the toilet or changing a baby’s nappy
• After contact with pets or other animals.
• After working in the garden
• Keep cooked food away from raw food
• Cook food thoroughly, especially meat
• Keep kitchen surfaces clean

Laundry

Patients’ laundry can be taken home and washed as normal.

If your own clothing does become soiled it will be placed in a plastic bag in the locker to be taken by relatives and laundered. 

Wash these clothes separately on the hottest wash suitable for the garment. Remember to wash your hands after handling soiled linen.

What should I do when I am discharged home?

If you still have symptoms, such as diarrhoea and/or vomiting;

Stay off work, university, college, etc., until at least 48 hours after the last episode of diarrhoea or vomiting. 
Ensure that you drink enough fluids to avoid dehydration.
Wash your hands with soap and water often, particularly after using the toilet and when preparing food.

Clean household surfaces frequently using disinfectant.

Contact your GP if your symptoms do not go away, or they come back.

For further information contact the Infection Prevention and Control Team on 07387546017.
 

This information has been reviewed by Cheshire and Merseyside Cancer Voices to check it is easy to understand. Cheshire and Merseyside Cancer Voices is a panel of cancer patients who volunteer to read NHS information to make sure it makes sense to people. They have been brought together by Cheshire and Merseyside Cancer Alliance.