Treatment of Campylobacter Infection

At a glance

  • People with diarrhea should drink extra fluids to prevent dehydration.
  • Most people recover without using antibiotics.
  • Antibiotics are sometimes used to treat or prevent severe illness.
An older adult sitting on a couch drinking a glass of water.

Treatment overview

Fluids

People with diarrhea should drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration. Dehydration is not having enough water in the body.

Fluids to drink include:

  • Clear liquids (such as water)
  • Oral rehydration solutions (including Pedialyte®*)

*The use of trademarks is for identification only and does not imply an endorsement by the Public Health Service or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Antibiotics

Most people with Campylobacter infection get better without using antibiotics.

Antibiotics are sometimes used to treat severe illness caused by Campylobacter infection. They also are sometimes used to treat Campylobacter infection in people at risk for severe illness.

Reminder‎

Use antibiotics only when needed and take them exactly as prescribed. Talk with your healthcare provider if you have any questions about your antibiotics.

Antibiotic-resistant Campylobacter

Some Campylobacter are resistant to antibiotics commonly used to treat infection.

Antibiotic resistance happens when bacteria (germs) develop the ability to defeat the drugs designed to kill them. That means the germs are not killed and continue to grow.

Antibiotic-resistant infections can be harder to treat, last longer, cause more severe illness, and lead to higher healthcare costs.

How this affects your treatment

Your healthcare provider might order special tests to see if the bacteria causing your infection are resistant to antibiotics. Results from those tests might affect the antibiotics you receive.

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Content Source:
National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID)