1. Campylobacter JEJUNI The Silent Danger
Shatasha M. Lawson, MPH Student
Walden University
PUBH Environmental Health
Dr. Rebecca Heick
Spring, 2010
Required Title Page

2. Welcome
Good Morning and welcome to the Campylobacter – The Silent Danger presentation. My name is Shatasha M. Lawson and I would first like to thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedules to learn a little about how certain food contaminations occur how those contaminations can impact the food processing and food service industry and how such contaminations can be avoided in the future. Specifically, the focus of this presentation will be on Campylobacter, a common infectious disease that is avoidable if proper handling is practiced at all times. For those of you in the food processing and food service industry, it is my hope that the information contained in this presentation will not only be useful, but will serve as a guide in terms of policy development in the future.
If you will look to your left, I have provided a pen and notebook for you to jot down any questions you may have regarding the information discussed today. I understand your time is valuable, so I would ask that you hold all questions until the end of the presentation so that we can move through the presentation as quickly as possible. Before we begin are there any questions or concerns? If not, let’s begin our journey into the world of Campylobacter.

3. Presentation Outcomes
Define Campylobacter Jejuni and its mode of transmission
Recognize potential environments for contamination, as well as the most common hosts for contamination
Be able to design and develop safety programs aimed at reducing the number of occurrences of Campylobacter Jejuni contamination
The information being provided to you today will leave you with a greater understanding of Campylobacter and the reasons why there is such a urgent need to address this infectious disease and establish realistic practices to reduce and/or eliminate the number of incidences of same. Upon the completion of this presentation each participant shall be able to: (1) define Campylobacter and its mode of transmission; (2) recognize potential environments for contamination, as well as the most common hosts for contamination; and (3) be able to design and develop safety programs aimed at reducing the number of occurrences of Campylobacter contamination.

4. What are Food-Borne Illnesses
Food borne illnesses are caused by bacterial pathogens
76 million estimated cases in the U.S. each year
Most cases are mild and resolve within one to two days
325,000 hospitalization each year; 5000 deaths
Age, immunity health and volume of exposure are significant factors
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2005). How many cases of food borne illnesses are there in the united states. Retrieved from
United States Department of Agriculture – Food Safety and Inspection Service (2006). Food borne illnesses: What consumers need to know. Retrieved from
In order to understand the importance of controlling Campylobacter, we must first examine exactly what food-borne illnesses are and how they impact the lives of human beings and food related industries. Food borne illnesses are caused by the introduction of bacterial pathogens into the food supply (United States Department Agriculture – Food Safety and Inspection Service, 2006). Though it is true that not all bacteria found in foods are harmful to human beings such as those that naturally occur in foods (i.e. yogurt, cheese, buttermilk, etc.), certain bacteria are not conducive to the human body’s environment, and therefore serve to only cause sickness and disease. Currently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that approximately 76 million cases of food – borne illnesses occur each year (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2005). In most instances, the point of infection and time of recovery stand between one to two days, however, in more severe cases, individuals who become infected may require hospitalization (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2005). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2005), 325,000 hospitalizations occur each year and approximately 5,000 deaths occur as a result of food – borne illnesses. Interestingly, the addition of variables such as age, one’s immunity health and the volume of bacteria that has been introduced into an individual’s system is a significant determinant as to how quickly or if an individual will recover from a food-borne illness episode.

5. What is Campylobacter? Campylobacteriosis Mode of Transmission
One of the most common food-borne illnesses in the United States
2.4 million people or 0.8% of the population affected each year; 13 cases diagnosed each year per 100,000 persons in the population
Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment
Altekruse, S.F., Stern, N.J., Fields, P.I., Swerdlow, D.L. (1999). Campylobacter jejuni – An emerging foodborne pathogen. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 5(1). Retrieved from
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2009). Campylobacter. Retrieved from
Klein, J. (2009). Campylbacter infections. Retrieved from
Maritoba Health (2001). Campylobacter infection. Retrieved from
Campylobacteriosis is the name given to infections that occur as a result of the introduction of the Campylobacter bacteria (Klein, 2009). Campylobacter is a “spiral-shaped bacteria that can cause disease in both humans and animals” and is most often associated with poultry, as the body temperature of birds appears to be a more conducive breeding place for the bacteria (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2009, p. 3).
The bacteria is typically transmitted through the consumption of water, unpasteurized milk and food that has been contaminated by fecal matter. The dangers associated with Campylobacter stem from the fact in the case of poultry, most birds do not exhibit any outward symptoms of infection and as a result there is a high risk of contamination among the flock (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2009). “Most cases of Campylobacteriosis are associated with eating raw or uncooked poultry meat or from cross contamination of other foods by these items” (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2009, p. 3).
Campylobacter jejuni “infections are now the leading cause of bacterial gastroenteritis reported in the United States” (Altekruse, Stern, Fields, and Swerdlow, 1999, p. 1). The illness typically occurs as isolated events and not as a significant epidemic (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2009, p. 1). Currently 2.4 million or 0.8% of the population will experience an episode of Campylobacteriosis and approximately 13 cases are diagnosed per year (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2009, p. 1).
The incubation period of the infection runs between two to five days, however this period can run as long as ten days in some cases and remains communicable throughout the course of the infection (Manitoba Health, 2001). The infection is diagnosed though the testing of an individual’s stool sample, in which the spiral-shaped organism can be detected under a microscope (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2009, p. 2). Individual’s that have been infected with Campylobacter will often exhibits symptoms such as fever, abdominal cramps, mild to severe diarrhea, and dehydration (Klein, 2009). Because of the severity of the abdominal pain associated with the infection, Campylobacterosis can often be misdiagnosed as appendicitis or pancreatitis (Klein, 2009, p. 1).
Interestingly, the number of incidences of Campylobacterosis seems to occur most often during the summer months and be diagnosed more often in females than males (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2009, p. 1).

6. Public Health Implications
Guillain- Barre̒ Syndrome
One case for every 1,000 cases of Campybacteriosis
20% of infected individuals will have a lasting disability; 5% will ultimately die
Antimicrobial-resistance
Altekruse, S.F., Stern, N.J., Fields, P.I., Swerdlow, D.L. (1999). Campylobacter jejuni – An emerging foodborne pathogen. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 5(1). Retrieved from
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2009). Campylobacter. Retrieved from
The control of Campylobacter is important for those in the food processing and food service industry as in many cases these areas can be considered the point of contamination and therefore it is necessary to ensure that all efforts are being made to curtail any incidences of contamination if at all possible. The spread of Campylobacter is not only a concern for those in the food industry, but is also a major public health concern due to the impact the spread of the Campylobacter bacteria can have on the public at large.
Though in most instances Campylobacter infections resolve on their own and have a relatively short activity period, there are situations in which the onset of the disease will prompt an autoimmune response to occur in the affected individual. The end result of said response is Guillan-Barre’ Syndrome, an autoimmune response that leads an individual’s immune system to attack the body’s nervous system resulting in paralysis (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2009, p. 2). According to Altekruse, et al, 1999, Guillain-Barre’ Syndrome occurs in 1 out 1,000 cases of Campylobacterosis and approximately 20% of individuals diagnosed with Guillain-Barre’ Syndrome will have some type of lasting disability and 5% will die despite advancements in medical technology (Altekruse, et al, 1999, p. 2).
The other concerns associated with the spread of Campylobacter is the increasing resistance to the anti-microbal drugs utilized in the treatment of severe cases of the campybacteriosis. In part the resistance to treatment is due to the wide spread use of antibiotic treatments used in food production. For example, “within 2 years of the 1995 approval of fluoroquinolone use for poultry in the United States, the number of domestically acquired human cases of ciprofloxacin-resistant Campylobacterosis doubled in Minnesota” (Altekruse, et al, 1999, p. 3). This data would seem to suggest that the use of antibiotics in the production of food should perhaps be scaled back in an effort to reduce the resistance to antimicrobial drugs used in the treatment of Campylobacter bacteria.

7. Prevention General hygiene practices
Reduction of contamination at the farming level
Reduction of contamination at the processing level
Proper food handling techniques
Altekruse, S.F., Stern, N.J., Fields, P.I., Swerdlow, D.L. (1999). Campylobacter jejuni – An emerging foodborne pathogen. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 5(1). Retrieved from
In that Campylobacter is a fecal-oral bacteria meaning is transmitted as a result of fecal material coming in contact with the consumed item, basic general hygiene practices such as hand washing can be very effective in reducing the potential for cross contamination to occur for individuals that handling raw meats and vegetables. Hands should be washed before and after handling raw foods prior to handling or touching any surfaces that may be used to process foods (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2009, p. 4). Additionally, individual’s should avoid drinking untreated water and/or unpasteurized milk (Klein, 2009, p. 2).
In an effort to reduce the level of contamination within farming communities, strict hygiene programs must be enacted to ensure a reduction of cross contamination, further, the use of commensal bacteria, use of chlorinated drinking water and the immunization of older chickens has shown some promise in reducing the number of occurrences of infection (Altekruse, et al, 1999).
From a processing perspective, Altekruse, et al 1999, suggests that the potential for bacterial growth increases during the slaughter phase of processing, however, various methods have proven to reduce the level of bacterial growth in significant proportions (Altekruse, et al, 1999). Specifically, According to Altekruse, et al, 2009, thestudy indicates that the use of the following methods has proven useful:
Forced air chilling;
Scalding;
Addition of sodium chloride or trisodium phosphate to the chiller water with an electrical current;
Chlorinated spray;
maintenance and cleaning of work areas;
Lactic acid spray; nd
Radiation doses (p. 7).
Finally, from the consumer’s perspective, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2009), Campylobacter can be reduced through the following methods:
cooking all poultry to an internal temperature of 165 ° F and until all juices run clear;
never eat undercooked poultry either at home or at a restaurant;
wash hands before and after the handling of raw meats;
use separate kitchen utensils when preparing foods and wash same in hot soapy water;
make sure person with diarrhea wash his or her hands frequently; and
wash hands immediately after the handling of pet feces (pp. 3-4).

8. Conclusion
Thank you for listening to the Campylobacter- The Silent Danger presentation. I hope that the information provided to you today has enlighten you all on the significance of Campylobacter and why it is important to remain vigilant in our efforts to maintain hygienic working practices that are conducive to the reduction of bacterial organisms. If anyone has any questions at this time, I will be more than happy to answer them.
At the end of this presentation you will find some suggested reasons that you may find beneficial in regards to Campylobacter. Again, I think you for your time and attention and I hope you all have a wonderful rest of the day.

9. References
Altekruse, S.F., Stern, N.J., Fields, P.I., Swerdlow, D.L. (1999). Campylobacter jejuni – An emerging foodborne pathogen. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 5(1). Retrieved from
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2009). Campylobacter. Retrieved from
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2005). How many cases of food borne illnesses are there in the United States. Retrieved from
Klein, J. (2009). Campylbacter infections. Retrieved from
Maritoba Health (2001). Campylobacter infection. Retrieved from
United States Department of Agriculture – Food Safety and Inspection Service (2006). Food borne illnesses: What consumers need to know. Retrieved from
APA References

10. Suggested Readings
Altekruse, S.F., Stern, N.J., Fields, P.I., Swerdlow, D.L. (1999). Campylobacter jejuni – An emerging foodborne pathogen. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 5(1). Retrieved from
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2009). Campylobacter. Retrieved from
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (n.d.) Campylobacter infection and animals. Retrieved from
United States Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Services (2006). Foodborne illnesses and disease. Retrieved from
Here are a few suggested readings that you may find beneficial in your research of Campylobacter jejuni.