Campylobacteriosis is a little known, but more and more common, infection of the digestive tract, caused by bacteria, among others, in the digestive tract of farm animals, told PAP Dr. Jolanta Szych, microbiologist from the National Institute of Public Health.
On the surface, campylobacteriosis is a rare disease in Poland – hundreds of cases are reported annually, while in Germany or the Czech Republic it is tens of thousands. However, according to Dr. Szych, the situation is not so good, but rather the doctors’ awareness is low, and the diagnosis is imperfect.
Campylobacter bacteria are found in the digestive tract of poultry, cattle, pigs, but also dogs and cats (especially young ones), wild birds and mammals. The most common infection occurs through the ingestion – mainly through the consumption of undercooked, undercooked poultry, unpasteurized or improperly pasteurized milk or contaminated water. Swimming in contaminated natural water bodies and direct contact with infected animals can be equally dangerous.
After a few days, severe abdominal pain, fever and diarrhea (sometimes bloody) appear. The disease usually lasts for a few days, but sometimes it lasts longer and requires a hospital stay. Sometimes complications occur – such as changes in joints or periodic paralysis of skeletal muscles (Guillain-Barr syndrome). Treatment with antibiotics helps.
Avoiding campylobacteriosis – like any other foodborne illness – is based on good hygiene. It is obvious that you need to wash your hands after handling animals and before eating. But it’s also worth remembering that store-bought meat always contains potentially harmful microorganisms. Raw meat cannot be allowed to come into contact with other food.
Even the low temperature in the freezer does not harm Campylobacter. Therefore, after each stage of work in the kitchen, you need to wash your hands, the board and the knife. In the prevention of infections, it helps to combat campylobacteriosis in farm animals and testing the quality of drinking water (PAP).