What does the Campylobacter species test measure?

Why is Campylobacter species measured?

Campylobacter is one of the commonest bacterial causes of gastroenteritis worldwide and the leading pathogen in bacterial foodborne illness in many high-income countries. Acute infection presents with diarrhoea (often bloody), abdominal pain, fever, and malaise; the illness is usually self-limiting within a week but can be severe in the immunocompromised. Post-infectious sequelae include reactive arthritis and Guillain-Barré syndrome, the latter triggered by molecular mimicry between Campylobacter lipopolysaccharides and gangliosides in peripheral nerves. Detection guides targeted antimicrobial therapy when indicated and public-health investigation of outbreaks.

Reference ranges

Standard reference

Not detected in healthy individuals.

Functional medicine optimal

Not detected.

Units

Qualitative (detected/not detected), Log₁₀ CFU/g

Reference ranges vary by laboratory and assay platform. Interpret in context of the issuing laboratory's stated range.