Israel plagued by diarrhea-causing bacteria sourced from meat

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The Campylobacter bacterium had been spreading in Israel for several years, but there was a sharp increase in the number of infections over the past year. Data from the Health Ministry, obtained by Maariv, indicated thousands of infections in recent months, a significant increase compared to previous years.

Campylobacter is one of the most common bacteria found in contaminated food. It belonged to the “Gram-negative” bacteria family that resided in the digestive and urinary systems, proliferating in warm, humid environments, typically at temperatures between 37 and 42 degrees Celsius.

The bacterium usually enters the digestive system through contaminated meat and poultry, causing intestinal inflammation with characteristic symptoms. It could also be transmitted through unpasteurized milk, contaminated water, fruits, and vegetables in a contaminated environment, or direct contact with infected animals or their feces.

Symptoms of the disease

Symptoms appeared within one to ten days after consuming contaminated food and usually manifested as high fever, weakness, nausea, abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhoea.

In most cases, the illness resolved on its own, but it was particularly dangerous for people with weakened immune systems, infants, pregnant women, and chronic patients.

In rarer cases, the disease could cause dehydration, joint inflammation, and a severe neurological syndrome called Guillain-Barre, which led to ascending paralysis from the legs to the head.

The disease can be diagnosed by stool culture at health clinics. In cases of severe symptoms, it was common to treat with Azithromycin for three days or Ciprofloxacin for about a week.

Data from the Health Ministry showed that in the first six months of 2024, a record number of 3,402 Israelis had already been infected. The number of infections in the same period last year was 2,440, and the year before that, 1,654. According to estimates from Health Ministry officials, the infection rate was expected to continue to rise in the coming months.

In light of the high infection rate, the Health Ministry urged the public to take preventive measures: “Campylobacter is the most common bacterium associated with foodborne infections in Israel. The primary source of illness is exposure to fresh poultry, primarily in the home kitchen, which may contaminate work surfaces and equipment such as utensils. To reduce possible exposure, it is crucial to separate fresh poultry products from ready-to-eat food from the moment of purchase until preparation. Additionally, avoid washing fresh poultry to prevent environmental contamination in the kitchen, thoroughly cook the poultry, and ensure kitchen surfaces are disinfected immediately after handling poultry parts.”

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