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Food safety

Campylobacter

Campylobacter is a genus of bacteria that are a major cause of gastroenteritis throughout the world. Infection occurs mainly following consumption of contaminated undercooked poultry or contaminated water.

The most common symptoms of campylobacter infection include diarrhoea, abdominal pain, fever, headache, nausea and vomiting. Symptoms usually start 2–5 days after infection, and last for 3–6 days.

Specific treatment is not usually necessary, except to replace electrolytes and water lost through diarrhoea, but antimicrobials may be needed to treat invasive cases and the carrier state. Severe complications, such as Guillain-Barré syndrome, may follow campylobacter infection.