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What is Campylobacter jejuni ?
 Campylobacter jejuni is one of the most common bacteria causing diarrheal illness in North America. It is spread by the fecal-oral route and can be transmitted through food, wild and domestic animals, people and water. Campylobacter jejuni has a low infectious dose, only 500 organisms or less are required to cause illness.
Campylobacter jejuni is well adapted to birds, whose body temperature allows for optimal growth. Birds can carry these bacteria without becoming ill.
Most people recover from C. jejuni infections, however on rare occasions, some may develop arthritis or Guillain-Barré syndrome. Guillain-Barré syndrome is a disease affecting the nerves of the body; it can cause muscle paralysis that lasts several weeks and usually requires intensive hospital care. It is estimated that 1 in every 1000 reported cases of campylobacteriosis leads to Guillain-Barré syndrome.
Where is Campylobacter jejuni found?
It resides predominantly in the intestinal tracts of healthy birds such as poultry. This bacterium has also been isolated from the intestinal tract of several species of animals including sheep and cattle; it can also be found in humans and in untreated water.
  
What kind of environmental conditions can it survive?
Campylobacter jejuni prefers temperatures between 30˚C and 45˚C to grow. The average body temperature of many birds is approximately 42˚C explaining the high prevalence of C. jejuni among chickens and other birds.
C. jejuni is very sensitive to drying and, therefore, cannot survive for prolonged periods of time in the environment; it can survive for up to 9 days in feces, 2 to 5 days in water, 3 days in milk and 24 hours on glass surfaces. It is capable of surviving refrigeration temperatures (4˚C) and prefers an environment between a pH value of 4.9 and 5.1.
What foods are involved?
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Campylobacter jejuni infections are often a result of consuming raw or undercooked poultry.
Other sources of infection include:
- Other undercooked meats
- Raw (unpasteurized) milk
- Untreated water
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What is the duration and onset of illness?
The onset of illness occurs usually within 2 to 5 days after consuming contaminated food.
Unless there are severe complications, most people recover from C. jejuni related illness within 5 to 10 days, however, relapses are common.
What are the symptoms of illness?
The most common symptoms reported from those suffering from C. jejuni associated illness include:
- Fever
- Headache
- Nausea
- Muscle Pain
- Diarrhea (sometimes bloody).
Others, although infected with C. jejuni may not develop symptoms of illness; these people are carriers of this bacterium and may spread the infection to others.
What can you do to control or prevent C. jejuni infections?
1. Cook poultry and poultry products thoroughly to an internal temperature of 74˚C. Eggs should be cooked until the yolk and white are firm.
2. Use pasteurized eggs for recipes that call for raw or undercooked eggs such as mayonnaise, ice cream, hollandaise sauce etc.
3. Cook red meats thoroughly to an internal temperature of at least 63˚C.
4. Cool foods quickly and refrigerate promptly at temperatures at or below 4˚C. Leaving food out at ambient temperature increases the risk of bacterial growth.
5. Beware of cross-contamination. Keep raw foods separate from cooked or ready to eat foods; never put cooked meat back on the same plate that held raw foods.
6. Wash hands, kitchen surfaces, utensils and cutting boards frequently; especially after handling raw meat and poultry.
7. Thaw meat on the bottom shelf in the refrigerator so that blood or juices do not drip onto other foods.
8. Marinate meat in the refrigerator and do not re-use marinades used for raw meats.
9. Do not drink raw milk, use pasteurized milk instead.
10. Wash your hands frequently with soap and warm water, especially after using the washroom, changing soiled diapers and before and after handling raw meats.
11. Drink bottled water or water that has been treated with chlorine or other effective disinfectants when travelling.
Information Sources
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2008). Campylobacter. Retrieved from
http://www.cdc.gov/nczved/dfbmd/disease_listing/campylobacter_gi.html
Public Health Agency of Canada. (2006). Material Safety Data Sheet for Infectious Substances: Campylobacter jejuni, C. coli, C. fetus subsp. jejuni. Retrieved from http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/msds-ftss/msds29e.html
United States Department of Agriculture. (2008). Use a food thermometer. Retrieved from http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Use_a_Food_Thermometer/index.asp
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