Common Foodborne Pathogens: Campylobacter jejuni

What you will learn

• Campylobacter jejuni is a major cause of foodborne illness.
• Symptoms usually begin 1–3 days after infection and usually include diarrhea, stomach pain, nausea, and fever.
• Cooking meat properly, avoiding raw milk, testing private water sources, preventing cross-contamination, and washing hands all help reduce the risk of infection.

Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni) is a leading cause of foodborne illness in humans worldwide and is the most common pathogen for causing diarrhea (CDC, 2025). C. jejuni is a curved or spiral-shaped bacterium that can move freely by swimming or gliding in their own environment (Figure 1).

Why do we care?

The illness caused by C. jejuni is known as campylobacteriosis, experienced by an estimated 1.5 million people annually (CDC, 2024). The onset of symptoms may be observed 1-3 days after the bacterial infection and can last for 10 days (WHO, 2020). The short-term symptoms include diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, headache, and fever (Figure 2). Though the infections are generally not serious, some can be life-threatening.

The long-term effects have been associated with Guillain-Barré syndrome, a severe neurological dysfunction that causes some forms of paralysis, joint inflammation (arthritis), and the development of other notable gastrointestinal diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease or colorectal cancer (Kaakoush et al., 2015). Twenty percent of patients need hospitalization (Shah et al., 2024), and around 124 deaths occur each year (CDC, 2024).

Where does it come from?

C. jejuni is zoonotic, meaning it spreads mostly from animals to humans (Table 1). Birds are a major host of C. jejuni, and can also be found in cattle, pigs, and pets (puppies and cats).

Table 1: Some major outbreaks by C. jejuni over the last decade in the U.S. (Jansen et al., 2021; CDC, 2024).

C. jejuni grows best between a temperature range of 98.6°F - 107.6°F (37°C - 42°C), so it thrives in an animal’s gastrointestinal tract. However, it can survive at refrigeration temperatures (Haddad et al., 2009).

The disease is transmitted to humans through food, mostly by eating

• Undercooked meat 
• Raw meat 
• Unpasteurized milk 
• Contaminated water or ice (especially when water is untreated)

Who is at greater risk?

Infants and children under 5 years old, older adults (>65 years old), and individuals with weakened immune systems are more likely to become sick with campylobacteriosis and to require hospitalization due to more severe illness (CDC, 2025).

How can I control it?

There are some easy ways that you can reduce the risk of becoming sick with campylobacteriosis: 

• Cook foods to their recommended, safe temperature. 
• Avoid consuming raw milk or foods that contain raw milk 
• If consuming water from a private well or open water source, regular testing and treatment are important 
• Keep raw meat and poultry separate from ready-to-eat foods, for example, by placing raw meat and poultry at the bottom of the refrigerator and fresh produce above it 
• When handling raw meat, be sure to wash your hands regularly and use separate utensils and cutting boards 
• Wash your hands after touching animals

Additional Resources

Schonberger, H.L. and R. Boyer. 2024. Is it Safe? Use a Food Thermometer to be Sure. (FST-28NP-A (FST-493NP-A)). https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/FST/FST-28/FST-28NP-A/FST-28NP-A.html

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 2025. Clinical Overview of Campylobacter https://www.cdc.gov/campylobacter/hcp/clinical-overview/index.html. 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 2025. Outbreaks of Campylobacter Infections. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/campylobacter/outbreaks/index.html.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 2024. About Campylobacter Infection. https://www.cdc.gov/campylobacter/about/index.html.

Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). 2025. Food Safety and Inspection Service. Campylobacter. https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/foodborne-illness-and-disease/illnesses-and-pathogens/campylobacter#:~:text=Cook%20all%20raw%20beef%2C%20pork,is%20above%2090%20degrees%20F.

Haddad, N., Burns, C. M., Bolla, J. M., Prévost, H., Fédérighi, M., Drider, D., & Cappelier, J. M. (2009). Long-term survival of Campylobacter jejuni at low temperatures is dependent on polynucleotide phosphorylase activity. Applied and environmental microbiology, 75(23), 7310–7318. https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.01366-09. 

Jansen, L., Birn, R., Koirala, S., Oppegard, S., Loeck, B., Hamik, J., Wyckoff, E., Spindola, D., Dempsey, S., Bartling, A., Roundtree, A., Kahler, A., Lane, C., Hogan, N., Strockbine, N., McKeel, H., Yoder, J., Mattioli, M., Donahue, M., & Buss, B. (2024). Campylobacteriosis Outbreak Linked to Municipal Water, Nebraska, USA, 20211. Emerging infectious diseases, 30(10), 1998–2005. https://doi.org/10.3201/eid3010.231509.

Kaakoush, N. O., Castaño-Rodríguez, N., Mitchell, H. M., & Man, S. M. (2015). Global Epidemiology of Campylobacter Infection. Clinical microbiology reviews, 28(3), 687–720. https://doi.org/10.1128/CMR.00006-15.

Lopes, Graciela; Volz, Tassiana; Ramires, Natalie; Rauber Kleinubing, Letícia; Klein Scheik, Ângela Maria; Fiorentini, and Wladimir Padilha da Silva. “Virulence Factors of Foodborne Pathogen Campylobacter Jejuni.” Microbial Pathogenesis 161 (December 2021): 105265. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.micpath.2021.105265.

Shah, H. J., Jervis, R. H., & Wymore, K. (2024). Reported Incidence of Infections Caused by Pathogens Transmitted Commonly Through Food: Impact of Increased Use of Culture-Independent Diagnostic Tests — Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network, 1996–2023. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 73:584–593. http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7326a1. 

World Health Organization (WHO). 2020. Campylobacter. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/campylobacter.