Download Food Poisoning (Campylobacter)

Food Poisoning (Campylobacter)
Information for patients
This information leaflet is for patients and has been prepared to give you a
greater understanding of food poisoning (Campylobacter). It may not answer all
your questions so if you do have concerns, please do not hesitate to contact the
Infection Control Team whose number is provided at the end of this leaflet.
What is Campylobacter?
It has been found mainly in poultry, red meat, unpasteurised milk and untreated water.
Although it does not grow in food it spreads easily so that only a few bacteria in a piece
of undercooked chicken could cause illness.
What are the symptoms?
An infected person may feel nauseous, run a temperature and feel off-colour for a few
days before the attack. You may have picked up the bug up to 10 days before the start
of the illness, although the average incubation period is 2-5 days.
Severe stomach cramps followed by profuse diarrhoea are the main symptoms. The
diarrhoea can be watery and slimy and is usually dark in colour. There may also be
traces of blood. The stomach cramps can cause intense pain. Vomiting is uncommon.
The stomach cramps and diarrhoea can continue for up to 2 weeks and a person may
continue to carry the infection for up to one month.
What treatment will I require?
Mild symptoms do not require treatment; rest is all that is needed to recover. You
should drink plenty of water and dilute rehydration solution (available over the counter)
or diluted fruit juice. It is recommended that you eat a bland diet e.g. bread, toast, rice
and fruit.
Antibiotic treatment is available for serious illness, and can shorten the period of
illness. However, the bacteria are resistant to many antibiotics and treatment is not
routinely advised.
If you have persisting diarrhoea for more than a few days your doctor will
advise you on testing and treatment.
Date: Jan 10
Review date: Jan 12
Ref: PI031
If I am admitted to hospital, what can I expect?
Hospital admission is uncommon with Campylobacter. Only in severe cases will you be
admitted to hospital. On admission to the hospital we might suspect that you have the
infection and will therefore test a sample of your stool for the bacteria.
It is the policy of the hospital to place any patient with diarrhoea in a side room
(sometimes referred to as isolation). You will therefore be admitted to a side room. This
is in order to protect other patients in our care from infection and to help maintain your
privacy. You will be allocated your own en suite toilet or commode should en suite
facilities not be available.
You will be encouraged to drink plenty of fluids and will probably be given extra fluids
through a tube in your arm to aid with your rehydration.
Can I have Visitors?
Yes, you can still have visitors to the ward.
Are there any extra precautions for visitors to take?
We want to keep our ward areas hygienic and free from infection. We ask everyone to
use the alcohol hand gel on entering and leaving the wards. They should also do this
before entering and leaving your room.
It is advisable not to ask your visitors to bring in any home cooked food during your
stay as a bland diet is advisable until fully recovered.
Your visitors should not use your toilet if ensuite and instead use the ones specifically
for visitors on the ward area.
How can it be prevented?
Safe food handling is the best prevention.
•
Always wash your hands before and after preparing a meal.
•
Wash hands after handling raw foods and before touching anything else.
•
Keep raw meat and poultry away from other foods to avoid cross-contamination.
•
Ensure that all chicken is cooked thoroughly.
• If refrigerating cooked foods then ensure this is done as soon as possible and that
the food is not kept at room temperature for long.
• Drink only pasteurised milk and ensure water supplies are protected from animals
and birds.
• Use separate chopping boards for foods from animal origin and other foods.
• Avoid handling food for others if you have diarrhoea, and ensure all other members
of the family adopt good hand-washing techniques.
• Always wash your hands before and after using the toilet.
Do I need to inform anybody?
Under the Public Health (Infectious disease) regulations 1988 it is a requirement to
report cases of Campylobacter. This is usually done by your GP or hospital if you
required treatment. You may be contacted by the Health Protection Unit in order to
clarify your circumstances. This is so that they can monitor episodes of Campylobacter
and act accordingly if an outbreak is suspected and the food source is impacted and
the manufacturer traced.
Further information
If you want further information please feel free to phone the Infection Control Team on
01895 279767, from 9am-5pm, Monday to Friday.
INFORMATION IS ALSO AVAILABLE FROM:
NHS Direct
Tel: 0845 4647
Website: www.nhsdirect.co.uk
Health Protection Agency
Tel: 020 7759 2700
Website: www.hpa.org.uk
Languages/ Alternative Formats
Please ask if you require this information in other languages, large print or audio
format. Please contact: 01895 279973
Fadlan waydii haddii aad warbixintan ku rabto luqad ama hab kale. Fadlan la
xidhiidh 01895 279 973
Jezeli chcialbys uzyskac te informacje w innym języku lub w duzej czcionce popros
pracownika oddzialu o kontakt pod numerem telefonu: 01895 279973
各國語言/模式選擇
若你需要以下資料改為其他語言，大寫，或其他模式例如收音式或
盲人字體的話，請電 01895 279973。