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5.8. Foodborne gastroenteritis caused by Campylobacter
Unit 5 - Foodborne pathogens
5.8. Foodborne gastroenteritis caused by Campylobacter
Characters
- Campylobacter are represented by the species C. jejuni and C. coli are the major causative agents of bacterial gastroenteritis in humans worldwide.
- These are Gram negative curved rods, motile with single polar flagella at one or both ends.
- C. jejuni is associated with intestinal tract of warm-blooded animals and is often present in foods of animal origin through fecal contamination during processing.
- Foods of animal origin including milk and clams have been implicated in cases of food poisoning.
- This organism is unable to grow well and survive outside the animal host’s environment, but ingestion of very low numbers can cause human illness.
- C. jejuni is microaerophilic aorganism requiring low levels of oxygen for growth. Growth is inhibited at oxygen concentration of less than 3% and more than 10-5%, with best growth at 5%. It grows within a narrow temperature of 30- 47oC with optimum temperature of 42-45oC, survives refrigerator temperature and is sensitive to freezing temperatures.
- Campylobacter are invasive and highly virulent requiring ingestion of only a few cells to cause illness.
- Though the actual mechanism of pathogenicity is not clearly understood, they are known to produce heat sensitive enterotoxins.
- Campylobacter infections occurs due to the consumption of foods of animal origin and contaminated milk, bakery products, clams and water.
- Symptoms of illness include abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, cramps, diarrhoea, headache, fever and occasional bloody stools.
- The onset of illness varies from 1 to 10 days, and illness may persist for from 1 day to few weeks but most recover within a week.
- Campylobacter enteritis is self limiting in most cases and resolve within few days of onset of symptoms.
- Proper cooking of food prior to consumption.
- Preventing cross contamination from raw meats to cooked foods.
- Chilling food rapidly.
- Following good sanitary measures while handling and processing of foods.
Last modified: Monday, 30 May 2011, 8:53 AM