--- title: Campylobacter Food Poisoning date: 2021-01-04T19:43:00-08:00 author: admin canonical_url: "https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/campylobacter/about-campylobacter" section: Resource Library --- [Foodborne Illnesses](/foodborne-illnesses) / [Campylobacter](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/campylobacter) / # Campylobacter Food Poisoning ### What is *Campylobacter*? ![Campylobacter](https://s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/aboutcampylobactercom-images/outbreaks/image1.jpeg?1617997237622)*Campylobacter* is a genus of bacteria that is among the most common causes of bacterial diarrheal illness in humans worldwide. The name means “curved rod,” derived from the Greek *campylos* (curved) and *baktron* (rod). While there are dozens of species, three represent the main sources of human infection: *Campylobacter jejuni*, *Campylobacter coli*, and *Campylobacter lari*. *C. jejuni* is the most commonly implicated species. Campylobacteriosis as a disease entity was first recognized by Theodor Escherich in 1886, who described the symptoms of intestinal *Campylobacter* infections in children as “cholera infantum” or “summer complaint.” However, the organisms were not easily cultured or characterized, which precluded their recognition as major causes of disease until the 1970s. *Campylobacter jejuni* is a gram-negative rod-shaped bacterium that grows best in a high temperature (42°C, or 107°F) and low oxygen environment. These characteristics represent adaptations to growth in its normal habitat—the intestines of warm-blooded birds and mammals. Several closely-related bacterial species with similar characteristics, *C. coli*, *C. fetus*, and *C. upsalienis*, may also cause disease in humans but are responsible for less than 1% of human infections annually. The optimal conditions required for the growth of *Campylobacter* make it difficult to isolate in the laboratory from fecal specimens without special techniques, including the use of selective culture media. [ Next: The Incidence of Campylobacter Infections › ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/campylobacter/campylobacter-incidence) ### More information about Campylobacter [January 11, 2022 ###### Preventing Campylobacter Outbreaks: What you need to know Campylobacter jejuni grows poorly on properly refrigerated foods but does survive refrigeration and will grow if contaminated foods are left out at room temperature. The bacterium is sensitive to heat ... ](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/preventing-campylobacter-outbreaks-what-you-need-to-know) [October 28, 2012 ###### The Family Farm Raw Milk Campylobacter Lawsuit – Pennsylvania (2012) The Pennsylvania Department of Health confirmed at least 80 cases of Campylobacter infections in an outbreak tied to contaminated unpasteurized milk from The Family Cow dairy, located in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. ... ](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/the-family-farm-raw-milk-campylobacter-lawsuit-) [January 01, 2009 ###### Kinikin Dairy Raw Milk Campylobacter Outbreak - Colorado (2009) At least 8 people were sickened with Campylobacter from consuming raw milk produced by the Kinikin Corner Dairy in Montrose, Colorado. The dairy was ordered to stop production of raw ... ](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/kinikin-dairy-raw-milk-campylobacter-colorado) [November 23, 2008 ###### Alexandre EcoDairy Raw Milk Campylobacter Outbreak Lawsuit - California (2008) In the summer of 2008, an outbreak of Campylobacter jejuni in Del Norte County, California (near the Oregon border) that sickened 16 people was traced to Alexandre EcoDairy Farm raw ... ](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/alexandre-ecodairy-campylobacter-outbreak-in-raw-milk) [1. View all ](/news_events/outbreaks?illness=campylobacter&year=all) ## All Campylobacter Resources [###### Campylobacter Food Poisoning ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/campylobacter/about-campylobacter) [###### The Incidence of Campylobacter Infections ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/campylobacter/campylobacter-incidence) [###### The Prevalence of Campylobacter in Food and Elsewhere ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/campylobacter/campylobacter-prevalence) [###### Transmission of Campylobacter jejuni ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/campylobacter/campylobacter-transmission) [###### Symptoms of Campylobacter infection ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/campylobacter/campylobacter-symptoms-risks) [###### Complications of Campylobacter Infection ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/campylobacter/campylobacter-complications) [###### Diagnosis of a Campylobacter Infection ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/campylobacter/campylobacter-diagnosis) [###### Treatment for Campylobacter Infection ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/campylobacter/campylobacter-treatment) [###### The Economic Impact of Campylobacter Infections ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/campylobacter/campylobacter-economic-impact) [###### Real Life Impacts of Campylobacter Infection ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/campylobacter/real-life-impacts-of-campylobacter-infection) [###### Mari Tardiff's Story ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/campylobacter/mari-tardiffs-story) [###### How Can Campylobacter Food Poisoning Be Prevented? ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/campylobacter/campylobacter-prevention) [###### Campylobacter Outbreaks ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/campylobacter/campylobacter-outbreaks) [###### Campylobacter References ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/campylobacter/campylobacter-references) ### Other foodborne illnesses [E. coli](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli) [Salmonella](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/salmonella) [Listeria](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/listeria) [Hepatitis A](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/hepatitis-a) [Reactive Arthritis](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/reactive-arthritis) [Guillain-Barre Syndrome](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/guillain-barre-syndrome) [Irritable Bowel Syndrome](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/irritable-bowel-syndrome) [Norovirus](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/norovirus) [Botulism](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/botulism) [Shigella](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/shigella) [Cyclospora](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/cyclospora) [Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/hemolytic-uremic-syndrome)