Risks of campylobacteriosis (Campylobacter)

Learn what the risks of campylobacteriosis are and who is most at risk.

On this page

• The risk of getting campylobacteriosis
• Who is most at risk
• The risk of complications
• For more information

The risk of getting campylobacteriosis

Your risk of getting campylobacteriosis is highest if you eat certain raw or undercooked foods contaminated with Campylobacter, especially:

• poultry
• unprocessed milk and milk products

Other foods that increase your risk include:

• shellfish
• untreated drinking water
• raw or undercooked meat, such as:
  • beef
  • pork
  • lamb
• raw fruits and vegetables (and their juices)

You are at risk of being exposed to Campylobacter if you do not:

• wash your hands with soap after:
  • looking after livestock
  • handling raw meat or vegetables
  • handling pets, including animals at petting zoos
  • using the bathroom or looking after someone who is sick from the Campylobacter bacteria
• wash fruits and vegetables well before eating them raw
• prevent cross-contamination by using different cutting boards for raw meat and other foods
• clean work surfaces thoroughly before and after preparing raw meat, particularly poultry

Who is most at risk

Anyone can get sick fromcampylobacteriosis. However, you are at greater risk if you:

• are aged 60 or older
• are a pregnant woman
• are a child under 5 years of age
• have a weak immune system (ability to fight disease)

The risk of complications

In rare cases, there can be risks of severe complications, such as:

• Guillain-Barré syndrome, a disorder that affects the nervous system (brain, nerves and spinal cord)
• reactive arthritis, a condition that develops in response to an infection in another part of the body
  • this can lead to long-term arthritis

You may also be at risk for:

• irritable bowel syndrome
• an infection of the bloodstream (septicemia)
• a swollen and irritated colon (chronic colitis)
• infection of the brain and spinal cord (meningitis)
• a swollen gall bladder, which can feel like sharp stomach pain