[Durgical](https://durgical.com/en/) › [DurgiPedia](https://durgical.com/en/durgipedia/) › [Microbiology](https://durgical.com/en/microbiology/) › [Other Gram-negative rods](https://durgical.com/en/microbiology/groups/other-gram-negative-rods/) › Campylobacter jejuni

[Microbiology](https://durgical.com/en/microbiology/) · [Other Gram-negative rods](https://durgical.com/en/microbiology/groups/other-gram-negative-rods/)

# Campylobacter jejuni

- Bacterium
- Gram-negative
- Contact
- Exam priority: medium

A bacterium from undercooked chicken that causes diarrhea, often bloody; rarely it is followed by paralysis (Guillain-Barré).

Updated 2026-11-01

## Key points

- One of the most common bacterial causes of diarrhea worldwide; typical source: undercooked chicken.
- Curved "seagull wing" rod, microaerophilic, grows at 42 °C, oxidase-positive.
- The infection most often linked to Guillain-Barré syndrome (molecular mimicry).
- Also linked to reactive arthritis.
- Severe cases: azithromycin; quinolone resistance is common.

## At a glance

**Gram**
Gram-negative

**Shape**
Curved comma, S or "seagull wing" rod

**Oxygen**
Microaerophilic

**Family**
Campylobacteraceae

**Stain**
Gram: curved red rods

## Morphology

- Curved Gram-negative rod with a polar flagellum
- Oxidase-positive
- Grows best at 42 °C on selective media (Campy or Skirrow agar) with low oxygen

## Transmission

- Undercooked chicken and other meats, kitchen cross-contamination
- Raw milk, contaminated water or ice
- Contact with animals and pets
- Contact (on top of standard) for diapered or incontinent patients

**Reservoir:** Poultry and other warm-blooded animals (cattle, pigs, sheep, pets)

### Isolation precautions

What the care team adds to standard precautions.

**Contact**
Gown and gloves; dedicated equipment. For C. difficile, soap-and-water hand washing.

## Virulence factors

- Flagellum and spiral shape: cross the intestinal mucus
- Invades the mucosa of the jejunum, ileum and colon
- Lipooligosaccharide that resembles nerve gangliosides: molecular mimicry that triggers Guillain-Barré

## Diseases it causes

- Acute gastroenteritis (Campylobacter enteritis) [Acute (viral) gastroenteritis →](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/acute-gastroenteritis/)
- Guillain-Barré syndrome weeks after the diarrhea [Guillain-Barré syndrome →](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/guillain-barre-syndrome/)

## Clinical picture

- Onset 2 to 5 days after exposure
- Fever, strong abdominal pain and diarrhea, bloody in many cases
- Can mimic appendicitis
- Other complications: reactive arthritis

## Diagnosis

- Stool culture on selective media at 42 °C under microaerophilic conditions
- Stool Gram stain: curved "seagull wing" rods
- Stool PCR panels

## Treatment

Rehydration and electrolytes; most cases resolve alone. Antibiotics are used in severe, invasive or immunosuppressed cases, with a macrolide (azithromycin) preferred because fluoroquinolone resistance is high.

Drug class only; doses and regimens are set by the clinician from the current guideline.

In Pharmacology:

- [Azithromycin](https://durgical.com/en/pharmacology/azithromycin/)

## Prevention

- Cook chicken through and avoid cross-contamination
- Pasteurized milk and safe water
- Handwashing after touching raw meat or animals

## In Colombia

It causes acute diarrheal disease and foodborne outbreaks, both INS surveillance events; finding it needs special media and conditions.

## Memory aid

"Campylobacter flies like a seagull and likes it hot": wing-shaped, grows at 42 °C and lands on undercooked chicken.

## Test yourself

Think of the answer, then tap the question to see it.

## Which food is the classic source of Campylobacter jejuni?

Undercooked chicken (and raw milk).

## Which neurological complication is linked to prior Campylobacter infection?

Guillain-Barré syndrome, through molecular mimicry with nerve gangliosides.

## At what temperature and oxygen level is Campylobacter cultured?

At 42 °C under microaerophilic conditions, on selective media.

## Which antibiotic is preferred for severe infection, and why?

A macrolide such as azithromycin, because fluoroquinolone resistance is high.

[Add to my cards (4)](https://durgical.app/estudiar/?add=/en/microbiology/campylobacter-jejuni/)

## Related

- [Helicobacter pylori](https://durgical.com/en/microbiology/helicobacter-pylori/)
- [Non-typhoidal Salmonella](https://durgical.com/en/microbiology/non-typhoidal-salmonella/)
- [Shigella](https://durgical.com/en/microbiology/shigella/)

## Related conditions

- [Acute (viral) gastroenteritis](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/acute-gastroenteritis/)
- [Guillain-Barré syndrome](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/guillain-barre-syndrome/)

## What the colours mean

**Gram-positive**
Thick peptidoglycan wall: stains purple.

**Gram-negative**
Thin wall with an outer membrane: stains pink.

**Acid-fast**
Lipid-rich wall (mycobacteria): Ziehl–Neelsen stain.

**Contact**
Gown and gloves; dedicated equipment. For C. difficile, soap-and-water hand washing.

**Droplet**
Surgical mask within about a metre; single room.

**Airborne**
N95 respirator and a negative-pressure room.

[← Back to the group: Other Gram-negative rods](https://durgical.com/en/microbiology/groups/other-gram-negative-rods/)

Educational content on microorganisms; not a treatment guide and no substitute for a health professional's advice. No doses are given.

Sources: [Campylobacter](https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/campylobacter) (WHO, 2020); [Fichas y Protocolos](https://www.ins.gov.co/buscador-eventos/Paginas/Fichas-y-Protocolos.aspx) (Instituto Nacional de Salud (INS), Colombia, 2026).

## **Spotted a mistake?** We are always improving for the community. Tell us what is wrong and our team will review it. Report a mistake

Representative model, for educational purposes only.

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License: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Cite as: DurgiPedia (durgical.com), https://durgical.com/en/microbiology/campylobacter-jejuni/