subject: Campylobacter and holiday illness [print this page] Campylobacter and holiday illness Campylobacter and holiday illness
Campylobacter is one of the most common causes of food poisoning, and if you contract Campylobacter on holiday, you are likely to suffer symptoms of diarrhoea, stomach cramps and fever within two to five days of exposure to the organism.
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You may also have blood in diarrhoea, and the illness typically lasts for one week. Like Salmonella, if Campylobacter spreads to the blood stream, it can cause serious, life-threatening infection, particularly among people with weakened immune systems, young children and older people.
Campylobacter normally clears up without any specific treatment, although it is particularly unpleasant if you contract the illness on holiday. Patients should drink plenty of fluids for as long as diarrhoea lasts, and in severe cases a doctor may prescribe antibiotics, which will shorten the duration of symptoms. Depending on the severity of your Campylobacter illness, your doctor will decide whether antibiotics are necessary or not.
Most holidaymakers who contract Campylobacter recover within two to five days, although recovery can take as long as ten days, without any further complications. It is possible to suffer arthritis following Campylobacter infection, or a rare disease which affects the nerves of the body, beginning several weeks after diarrhoea. Known as Guillan-Barr syndrome, this may occur when a persons immune system attacks the bodys own nerves, and can result in urgent medical treatment.
Campylobacter on holiday can occur as a single case or as an outbreak, where a large number of people become ill at the same time. Most cases are associated with handling or eating raw/undercooked poultry, particularly chicken. The smallest amount of raw chicken can cause infection, which commonly occurs when raw chicken is prepared on a chopping board, which is then used to cut other food, without being washed in-between. This causes cross-contamination and results in illness.
Campylobacter does not usually spread from person to person, but can do so if a small child, for example is producing a large amount of diarrhoea. Larger outbreaks of Campylobacter are usually linked to drinking unpasteurized milk or contaminated water.
Chickens can be infected with Campylobacter, but show no signs of illness, and the disease can spread easily from bird to bird, through a common water source or through infected faeces.
Good standards of health and hygiene in hotel kitchens can prevent Campylobacter, including:
All poultry products should be cooked thoroughly. The meat must be cooked until juices run clear and the meat is no longer pink. The inside of a chicken breast should be cooked to 77C, and the thigh to 82C.If you are served undercooked meat or poultry in a holiday hotel restaurant, refuse to eat it and make a complaint to the hotel management and/or tour rep. Food handlers should always wash their hands with soap and water before and after handling raw poultry, and use separate cutting boards for raw foods, cooked foods and vegetables.
Always avoid consuming unpasteurized milk and untreated surface water, and make sure that people, especially children, wash their hands frequently with soap to reduce the risk of spreading the infection.
If you suffer any type of food poisoning in a holiday hotel which is part of a package tour, make a claim for compensation when you return to the UK. After visiting your doctor, to make sure you are clear of the disease, contact a regulated personal injury solicitor who will give you advice and guidance about making a claim for holiday illness compensation. There is nothing worse than suffering food poisoning on holiday, and if your holiday has been spoilt by illness, and you are out of pocket, you should claim the compensation you deserve with the help of a no win, no fee personal injury solicitor in the UK.
