Causative Agents

Campylobacter jejuni

Source

• Intestine of animals (pets, cattle, chicken, ducks, birds)
• Contaminated water (from animal waste)

Food Implicated

• Food not adequated cooked
• Raw milk or inadequately pasteurized milk
• Untreated water
• Raw shellfish
• Raw /inadequately cooked mushroom

Mode of Spread

The most common way for food to be contaminated with Campylobacter jejuni is through direct exposure or contact to faeces from animals carrying te bacterium.

Symptoms

Persons suffering from food poisoning due to Campylobacter jejuni typically experience several of the following:

• Bloody diarrhoea
• Stomach ache / abdominal pain
• Headache
• Vomiting
• Fever
• Nausea
• Muscle pain

Onset of illness

1 – 10 days (usually 2 – 5 days)

Prevention

• Avoid cross contamination /contact between cooked and uncooked food.
• Cook meat and poultry dishes thoroughly until the juices run clear. Be especially careful at barbecues.
• Avoid consuming raw milk and other unpasteurized dairy products.
• Avoid swallowing water when doing water sports in rivers and lakes.
• Boil all your drinking water during flood and outbreak
• Be particular careful when travelling aboard to countries when sanitation is poor.
• Wash fruits and vegetables carefully, particularly if they are eaten raw. If possible, vegetables and fruits should be peeled and washed.
• Wash hands thoroughly using soap and water, concentrate on under fingertips and nail creases and dry completely with a disposable paper towel after contact with pets, especially puppies or farm animals; before and after preparing food, especially poultry; and after changing diapers or having contact with an individual with an intestinal, infection. Children should always wash their hands on arrival home from school or daycare.
• Treat pets promptly when they have diarrhoea.