Campylobacter enteritis is a common cause of intestinal infection. These bacteria are also one of the many causes of traveler's diarrhea or food poisoning.
People most often get infected by eating or drinking food or water that contains the bacteria. The most commonly contaminated foods are raw poultry, fresh produce, and unpasteurized milk.
A person can also be infected by close contact with infected people or animals.
Symptoms
Symptoms start 2 to 4 days after being exposed to the bacteria. They often last a week, and may include:
The infection almost always goes away on its own, and often does not need to be treated with antibiotics. Severe symptoms may improve with antibiotics.
The goal is to make you feel better and avoid dehydration. Dehydration is a loss of water and other fluids in the body.
These things may help you feel better if you have diarrhea:
Drink 8 to 10 glasses of clear fluids every day. For people who do not have diabetes, fluids should contain salts and simple sugars. For those with diabetes, sugar-free fluids should be used with careful monitoring of blood sugars.
Drink at least 1 cup (240 milliliters) of liquid every time you have a loose bowel movement.
Eat small meals throughout the day instead of 3 big meals.
Eat some salty foods, such as pretzels, soup, and sports drinks. (If you have kidney disease, check with your doctor before increasing your intake of these foods).
Eat some high-potassium foods, such as bananas, potatoes without the skin, and watered-down fruit juices. (If you have kidney disease, check with your doctor before increasing your intake of these foods).
Outlook (Prognosis)
Most people recover in 5 to 8 days.
When a person's immune system does not work well, the Campylobacter infection may spread to the heart or brain.
Allos BM, Blaser MJ, Iovine NM, Kirkpatrick BD. Campylobacter jejuni and related species. In: Bennett JE, Dolin R, Blaser MJ, eds. Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 216.
Endtz HP. Campylobacter infections. In: Ryan ET, Hill DR, Solomon T, Aaronson NE, Endy TP. eds. Hunter's Tropical Medicine and Emerging Infectious Diseases. 10th ed., Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 50.
Review Date:
3/10/2022
Reviewed By:
Jatin M. Vyas, MD, PhD, Associate Professor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Associate in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.