Wisconsin Division of Public Health Disease Surveillance Manual (EpiNet, February 2005)
I. IDENTIFICATION
A. CLINICAL DESCRIPTION: An acute enteric illness of varying severity characterized by diarrhea, bloody diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever, and vomiting. The duration of illness is typically from 2-5 days.
B. REPORTING CRITERIA: Laboratory diagnosis.
C. LABORATORY CRITERIA FOR CONFIRMATION:
- Isolation of Campylobacter from any clinical specimen.
D. WISCONSIN CASE DEFINITION: A laboratory confirmed infection.
II. ACTIONS REQUIRED / PREVENTION MEASURES
A. WISCONSIN DISEASE SURVEILLANCE CATEGORY II: Report to the patient's local health officer on an Acute and Communicable Disease Case Report (DPH 4151) or other means within 72 hours of the identification of a case or suspected case.
B. EPIDEMIOLOGY REPORTS REQUESTED:
- Acute and Communicable Diseases Case Report (DPH 4151).
- Routine Enteric Follow-up Worksheet – (See page 1 of the Worksheet for specific recommendations regarding which sections are recommended during routine follow-up)
C. PUBLIC HEALTH INTERVENTIONS:
- Educate public about proper hand washing after using the toilet or handling contaminated clothing or linens, before cooking, or associating with high-risk individuals.
- Assess patient’s activities for high-risk settings.
- Educate and advise high-risk patients and food workers on enteric precautions.
- Exclude symptomatic patients from food handling, generally until asymptomatic. The LHD can require two negative stool cultures taken at least 24 hours apart if they determine the patient’s personal hygiene to be inadequate.
- Source investigation by LHD.
- Contacts with animals or animal feces, especially puppies and kittens with diarrhea should be avoided. Stress hand washing after animal contact.
- Determine if case is outbreak-related and notify DPH Regional Office or CDES.
III. CONTACTS FOR CONSULTATION
A. BCDP / COMMUNICABLE DISEASE EPIDEMIOLOGY SECTION: (608) 267-9009.
B. REGIONAL STAFF: See Epinet Introduction: “REGIONAL OFFICE CONTACTS”.
C. WSLH / ENTERICS LABORATORY: (608) 263-3421.
IV. RELATED REFERENCES
1. “Campylobacteriosis” DPH Disease Fact Sheet Series: View a list of all current Communicable Disease Fact Sheets
2. Heymann DL, ed. CAMPYLOBACTER ENTERITIS. In: Control of Communicable Diseases Manual. 18 th ed. Washington, DC : American Public Health Association, 2004:81-84.
3. Pickering LK, ed. Campylobacter Infections. In: Red Book: 2003 Report of the Committee on Infectious Diseases. 26 th ed. Elk Grove Village , IL : American Academy of Pediatrics, 2003:227-229.
4. Doyle M. CAMPYLOBACTER JEJUNI. In: Cliver DO, ed. Foodborne Diseases. San Diego , CA : Academic Press: 217-222.
IV. DISEASE TRENDS
Campylobacteriosis is one of the most commonly reported gastrointestinal illnesses in Wisconsin . Between 1999 and 2003, 5,811 episodes of campylobacteriosis were reported. Campylobacteriosis is reported from counties throughout Wisconsin and demonstrates no geographic trend.
