What are the symptoms of a campylobacter infection?

Not everyone who is infected with campylobacter becomes ill, and not all of those become seriously ill. The symptoms usually start with:

• fever (38 degrees Celsius or higher)
• headache
• muscle pain
• tiredness
• flu-like symptoms

The patient may also suffer from:

• stomach pain or cramps
• diarrhoea, sometimes more than ten times a day and sometimes with blood
• nausea and vomiting

If you are dehydrated, see blood in your stool, or have a high fever (40 degrees or higher), or if the symptoms are not improving after a week, please call your GP.

In very rare cases, people develop joint or nerve problems after a campylobacter infection. These complications are called reactive arthritis (Reiter’s syndrome) or Guillain-Barre syndrome. These are diseases in which a person’s own immune system attacks their body.

Who can become very ill from a campylobacter infection?

Anyone can become ill from campylobacter.

Some people can become more seriously ill from a campylobacter infection:

• young babies (under 3 months)
• older people (over 70)
• people who are already ill
• people with impaired immunity, such as those who are HIV-positive

In people with poor immunity and over-70s, there are sometimes rare cases in which the bacteria can spread through the bloodstream.

How does campylobacter spread?

You can contract a campylobacter infection from animals. Many different kinds of animals carry the bacteria. In particular, animals that have diarrhoea are a high risk for spreading bacteria through their manure. Healthy animals can also carry the bacteria and spread it to other animals and people. A very small amount of the bacteria is already enough to make someone ill.

Humans and animals are exposed to the bacteria via the oral route (through the mouth). This usually happens in food. You could ingest the bacteria by eating meat (especially chicken) that was not fully cooked, or other food that came into contact with contaminated meat.

Other ways to get the bacteria include:

• contact with farm animals or pets
• drinking raw milk (directly from the cow or goat)
• playing or swimming in water that has the bacteria in it
• stool (poop) from an infected person, for example via the WC or through hand contact
• while travelling abroad in areas that are less clean

The time between exposure and illness (the incubation period) is 1 to 10 days. On average, it takes 3 days to become ill. A person who has a campylobacter infection can infect others for as long as they have symptoms, and sometimes even after that.

How can I prevent a campylobacter infection?

The most important way to prevent a campylobacter infection is to practice good hygiene in the kitchen. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before cooking, and preferably use fresh hand towels and dishcloths every day. It is also important to cook food thoroughly, heating it all the way through; this applies especially to meat. Also make sure that pre-cooked meat and other foods that will not be heated again before serving never come into contact with raw meat. For example, do not cut vegetables on a cutting board that was used for raw meat.

Is there any treatment for a campylobacter infection?

Campylobacter infections usually go away on their own. The illness usually lasts 1 to 10 days, and the fever usually goes away within 72 hours

To prevent dehydration, it is important to drink enough fluids and get salt and sugar. This is possible by drinking tea (with sugar), water, bouillon or rehydration salts (ORS).

If the infection is very severe or does not go away on its own, the GP may prescribe antibiotics.

How common are campylobacter infections in the Netherlands?

More than 100,000 people in the Netherlands have a gastrointestinal infection and diarrhoea caused by campylobacter every year. Over 23,000 patients see their GP as a result. On very rare occasions (about 24 to 52 times annually), a patient dies from the consequences of a campylobacter infection.

Campylobacter infections are more common in summer. Most cases are isolated, and epidemics are extremely rare.

Every year, campylobacter infections cause about 60 cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome and several thousand cases of reactive arthritis.

Can a person with a campylobacter infection go to childcare, school or work?

Children with symptoms often do not feel well enough to go to childcare or school. A child who feels fine again can go to childcare or school as usual. However, do tell the teacher or childcare worker that your child had a gastrointestinal infection caused by campylobacter. If your child has diarrhoea with blood in it, consult the GP first.

You can go to work as usual if you feel well enough, unless you work:

• in healthcare
• with small children
• in food preparation, such as in a restaurant or butcher shop

In those professions, you are not allowed to work for as long as you have symptoms of a gastrointestinal infection caused by campylobacter. Consult with your employer about when you can go back to work.