Campylobacter (Campylobacteriosis)

This illustration depicts a three-dimensional (3D) computer-generated image of a cluster of drug-resistant, curly-cue shaped Campylobacter sp. bacteria.

Get answers to frequently asked questions about Campylobacter

Campylobacter causes an estimated 1.5 million illnesses each year in the United States.

People can get Campylobacter infection by eating raw or undercooked poultry or eating something that touched it. They can also get it from eating other foods, including seafood, meat, and produce, by contact with animals, and by drinking untreated water.

Although people with Campylobacter infection usually recover on their own, some need antibiotic treatment.

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CDC estimates Campylobacter is the #1 cause of bacterial diarrheal illness in the United States. It is also the #1 intestinal disease diagnosed in travelers returning to the United States.

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Campylobacter infection is the most commonly identified cause of Guillan-Barré syndrome.

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Pets sometimes carry Campylobacter and other germs that can make us sick.