Diarrhea is the most consistent and prominent manifestation of campylobacter infection. It is often bloody.5 Typical symptoms of C. jejuni infection also include fever, nausea, and vomiting, abdominal pain, headache, and muscle pain. A majority of cases are mild and do not require hospitalization and may be self-limited. However, Campylobacter jejuni infection can be severe and life-threatening. Death is more common when other diseases (e.g., cancer, liver disease, and immuno-deficiency diseases) are present.
Children under the age of five and young adults aged 15-29 are the age groups most frequently affected. The incubation period (the time between exposure on onset of the first symptom) is typically two to five days, but onset may occur in as few as 2 days or as long as 10 days after ingestion.5 The illness usually lasts no more than one week; however, severe cases may persist for up to three weeks, and roughly 25% of individuals experience symptom relapse.