In the UK campylobacter is the most common cause of food poisoning – and the most common source is chicken.
Many cases of Campylobacter contracted on holidays abroad may also be the result of chicken being infected with campylobacter and undercooked or not properly stored in the kitchen or on the all-inclusive buffet at your holiday hotel.
Campylobacteriosis can also break out in nurseries and children and the elderly can be especially vulnerable to the bacterium.
The symptoms of a campylobacter infection include:
- Fever
- Headache
- Stomach cramps
- Diarrhoea
- Vomiting
- Dehydration.
The symptoms of campylobacter can last for up to four weeks – and campylobacter can also take up to 10 days to incubate, so many holidaymakers may return home still suffering from symptoms – or may even start experiencing symptoms after their return to the UK.
Many cases of campylobacter clear up without antibiotics, but severe symptoms should also be treated medically and not left to clear up by themselves.
The sort of symptoms which should be investigated include very high fever, blood in stools, dehydration and drowsiness in a patient – or any symptoms which do not show signs of improvement or grow worse after the first 24 hours of the illness.
Campylobacter can lead to secondary infections and complications like the conditions Reiter’s syndrome (reactive arthritis), Guillain Barré syndrome (an autoimmune disease affecting the nerves external to the spine and brain) and irritable bowel syndrome – and patients with HIV/AIDS should receive early treatment if they develop a gastric infection leading to symptoms of sickness and diarrhoea.
Campylobacter requires specific types of antibiotic to clear the infection – especially in children – and so patients should be wary of buying over-the-counter antibiotics abroad, or accepting any prescription from a doctor who does not diagnose the specific infection (involving taking a stool sample).
It is better to contact your GP at home for advice if you are given a prescription abroad, especially if you have a pre-existing medical condition you are being treated for.
On returning to the UK from holiday, always see your GP for a diagnosis of any gastrointestinal illness contracted abroad in case you need further medical treatment to clear the infection.