Campylobacter - Clinical information

Incubation period

1 to 11 days (usually 2 to 5 days).

Common clinical features

Abdominal pain, profuse diarrhoea, malaise; vomiting is uncommon.

Reservoir

Gastrointestinal tract of birds (particularly poultry) and animals, cattle and domestic pets.

Transmission

Raw or undercooked meat (especially poultry), unpasteurised milk, bird-pecked milk on doorsteps, untreated water, and domestic pets with diarrhoea. Person to person if personal hygiene is poor.

Other relevant features

The infective dose is relatively low but campylobacter does not multiply in food; foodborne outbreaks are rare. Large outbreaks from raw and inadequately pasteurised milk and contaminated water supplies. Occupational exposure when processing poultry in abattoirs may be implicated in some cases.

Last reviewed: 19 August 2009