Author Topic: Campylobacter (Read 3250 times)

gillandtom · « **on:** June 15, 2009, 04:50:49 pm »

My husband has had bad guts all last week and after 6 days of not being able to get off the toilet he went to the doctor on Thursday. We thought that it was probably the home made nettle beer that he had the night before that had done it but now we are not so sure. He has just got his results back from the doc and he has got Campylobacter.

We have 3 hens in the garden and 5 (3 week old) hubbard chicks in the shed. Could it be from them or can you only catch it if you eat chicken? We are a bit worried as the Doc said that environmental heath will be giving us a call to try to trace the infection. If the birds do have this can we treat them? We have 2 young children so we will need to make sure they don't catch what he has.

Anyone else had any experience with this one?

Roxy · « **Reply #1 on:** June 15, 2009, 05:05:44 pm »

Its not just chicken, though, is it? I understood it is possible in any food. You have obviously not eaten any of your chickens, so it could possibly be a bought chicken you ate, perhaps something on a barbeque maybe?

A friend of mine, has a daughter in her twenties, who has been in hospital a few days with this. She certainly has not been near any chickens, but I know, as a typical young girl she does eat out, takeways etc. As far as I know, the environmental health have not been to check her out, and she has made a good recovery.

Do hope your husband is feeling better now.

doganjo · « **Reply #2 on:** June 15, 2009, 06:29:52 pm »

Found this website - http://www.cdc.gov/healthypets/diseases/campylobacteriosis.htm

Quote

Can animals transmit Campylobacter to me?
bacteria responsible for campylobacteriosis
Sometimes, yes, animals can spread Campylobacter to humans. Most people get campylobacteriosis from contaminated food. However, animals can have Campylobacter in their feces (stool). If people touch contaminated feces, they can get sick. Animals that may carry Campylobacter in their feces include farm animals, cats, and dogs. Animals do not have to be ill to pass Campylobacter to humans.

Rosemary · « **Reply #3 on:** June 15, 2009, 06:32:55 pm »

Poor Tom. Campylobacter is a bacteria carried by wild birds as well. All birds, tame and wild, carry bacteria - I suspect you can get it from contamianated chicken meat or from beaks etc. When I did food hygiene training, I was told that it's carried on birds' beaks so if they pecked milk bottles, that was a source of contamination.

gillandtom · « **Reply #4 on:** June 15, 2009, 09:06:55 pm »

Doesn't sound as if it is the Nettle beer then!

So if it is our Chickens that are the carriers can I get them tested then treated?

doganjo · « **Reply #5 on:** June 15, 2009, 09:20:47 pm »

I suppose you can - check with your vet once you have seen the Env Health mannie or wifie. In the meantime as is obvious just make sure you and particularly the kids wash hands immediately after touching the hens. It may not be them, might have been some other source, and anyway you may not be able to eliminate it from the hens.