How to Diagnose Campylobacter Poisoning

The most common food-borne bacterial organism in the United States is Campylobacter jejuni, not Salmonella, as many people think. It's in the stomachs of healthy cattle, chickens, pigs and turkeys, so direct contact with these animals can bring it on. Though it is not usually fatal, there have been deaths from Campylobacter poisoning. Follow these steps to stay alert to this common bacterial infection.

Instructions

• 1

  Note the stools you are having. Like all food-borne infections, Campylobacter poisoning causes diarrhea. Seek medical attention if you see blood in your stools.

• 2

  Count how many times you vomit. This isn't as common in Campylobacter infections, but you should be concerned if you can't keep anything down for more than 24 hours.

• 3

  Check for abdominal pain and nausea along with the diarrhea or vomiting. This can mean your appendix or other intestinal organs have been affected by the bacteria. You should seek medical attention if it persists for more than a couple of days.

• 4

  Take stock of what poultry you have eaten in the last four or five days. Chicken is among the most common culprits for Campylobacter poisoning. Even restaurant food is suspect.

• 5

  Recall any milk products you ingested that may have been unpasteurized or raw. Since Campylobacter bacteria live in cow intestines, milk products need to go through a decontamination process to get rid of them.

• 6

  Recollect if you drank any well water in the last few days. Water can get contaminated if it doesn't go through a filtering process.

• 7

  Pay attention to what happens after you have gotten over Campylobacter poisoning. In rare cases, the bacteria causes Guillain-Barre syndrome, which can bring on sudden paralysis and leave you with mild to severe neurological damage.