A study of Campylobacter enteritis.

During the years 1978 and 1979, 432 separate outbreaks of gastro-enteritis were reported to this department by the employees of this company. All these outbreaks were fully screened, and it was seen that nineteen employees had gastro-enteritis caused by Campylobacter organisms. Investigation of these employees revealed significant findings with regard to the possible human source of the organism, and leads us to conclude that the organism can be spread by human-to-human contact, and must be treated as a food poisoning organism with subsequent exclusion of food handlers from work during the period of carriage of the organism. The study also demonstrated that the illness suffered by the affected employees was severe in nature and lasted approximately 1 to 10 days. It took on average between 17 and 19 days during 1979 for clearance to occur in the specimens of the affected employees. Thus, if food handlers are excluded from work when affected, this is a considerable period of absence from work, with considerable cost to industry and the community.