Preventing Campylobacter Infection

What to know

• You can help protect yourself and others from Campylobacter infection.
• Wash your hands regularly with soap and water.
• Be careful when preparing raw meat, poultry, and seafood.
• Drink treated water and pasteurized milk.
• Be mindful when playing with or taking care of pets.

Prevention tips

Wash your hands

Campylobacter and other harmful germs can survive on your hands. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water:

• Before, during, and after preparing food
• Before eating food
• After using the toilet
• After changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet
• After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
• Before and after caring for someone who is sick
• Before and after treating a cut or wound
• After touching pets and other animals or their food or poop
• After touching garbage

Keep ReadingWhen and how to wash your hands

Keep certain foods separated

Keep raw meat away from other foods. Use separate cutting boards and clean them properly.

• Use one cutting board for raw meat (including poultry, seafood, and beef).
• Use another cutting board for fresh fruits and vegetables and other foods.
• Clean all cutting boards, countertops, and utensils with soap and hot water after preparing any kind of raw meat.

See AlsoSeparate: Don't cross contaminate

Cook food to the right temperature

Be extra careful with poultry, one of the top causes of Campylobacter infection in the United States. Poultry includes chicken, turkey, duck, goose, and other farmed birds.

• Cook poultry and foods containing poultry (such as sausages and casseroles) to a safe internal temperature of 165°F.
• If you get poultry that seems undercooked in a restaurant, send it back for further cooking.

See AlsoCook to the right temperature

Drink pasteurized milk

Pasteurized milk and juices have undergone a process called pasteurization. Pasteurization kills harmful germs, including Campylobacter. Look for the word "pasteurized" on the label when shopping for milk, dairy products, and juices. If in doubt, don't buy it!

Keep ReadingRaw Milk

Drink safe, treated water

Be aware of the source of your drinking water, if it's been treated to remove harmful germs, and if it's safe to drink.

• Do not drink untreated water from streams, rivers, ponds, or lakes.
• Ensure wells are a safe distance away from possible sources of contamination, such as septic tanks, livestock, and manure.
• Have septic tanks and wells inspected regularly to ensure that they are functioning properly.

Take care with pets

Pets and other healthy animals can carry germs that can make you sick. Follow CDC's tips to help keep yourself, your family, and your pets healthy.

Aug. 12, 2026

Sources and Page InfoPrintShare](javascript:document.getElementById('returnToTop').scrollIntoView();)[](javascript:document.getElementById('returnToTop').scrollIntoView();)[

FacebookLinkedInTwitterSyndicate

Content Source

National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID)About This Page

Published: May 15, 2024

Updated: August 12, 2026This page was last updated on this date. Updates may include minor edits, image changes, or other modifications to page content.

Reviewed: August 12, 2026The information on this page was last reviewed by subject matter experts to ensure accuracy.

Content provided and maintained by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Please see our system usage guidelines and disclaimer.

Where this page came from

This page was imported from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Material produced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is a work of the United States government and is in the public domain.

Nobody has written it yet — it is the source material at a new address, which is why search engines are asked to skip it and why no one earns from it. It is up for grabs: take it on, and it is yours to rewrite and to earn from.