Where is Campylobacter found and how are the bacteria spread?
Many animals including swine, cattle, dogs, cats, and birds (particularly poultry) carry the bacteria in their intestines. These sources may contaminate meat products (particularly poultry), water supplies, milk and other foods. Campylobacter is generally spread by eating or drinking contaminated food or water and, occasionally, by contact with infected animals. What are the symptoms of campylobacteriosis? Campylobacteriosis may cause mild or severe diarrhea, often with fever and traces of blood in the stool. How soon after exposure do symptoms appear? The symptoms generally appear 2 to 5 days after the exposure. For how long can a person carry Campylobacter? Generally, infected people will continue to pass the germ in their feces (stool) for a few days to a week or more. Certain antibiotics may shorten this carrier phase. Do infected people need to be isolated or excluded from school or work? Since the organism is passed in the feces, people with diarrhea should be excluded from day c
