Campylobacter

Description and health risks:

Campylobacter infection causes symptoms like headaches, fatigue, chills and gastrointestinal issues. Severe cases can lead to complications (eg., autoimmune disease or systemic infections) requiring hospitalization. Symptoms appear 2 to 5 days after infection. Symptoms appear within 2-5 days and may worsen in immunocompromised individuals, the elderly, pregnant women, and newborns. 

People who have consumed a contaminated product and are experiencing symptoms should seek medical advice and disclose their exposure. Symptoms may vary from person to person and may vary in severity depending on the extent of infection.

Which foods are affected?

Poultry meat is primarily affected. Pork and beef may be affected to a lesser extent, but this is mainly due to cross-contamination.

Unique Characteristics:

Birds are the primary carriers, while other animals (e.g., cattle, cats) may also host the bacteria, usually asymptomatically. These bacteria commonly inhabit the digestive tract of these animals, where they rarely cause disease.