Diagnosis of Campylobacter Infection

What to know

• Campylobacter infection is diagnosed by a laboratory test.
• Most people recover without using antibiotics.
• Laboratory tests can provide information that your healthcare provider can use to make treatment decisions.

Why get tested

Campylobacter infections can sometimes be serious.

This is especially true for people at risk for severe illness – including people 65 years and older, pregnant people, and people with weakened immune systems.

Types of tests

Campylobacter infection is diagnosed by a laboratory test.

This test could be a rapid diagnostic test or a culture test.

Rapid diagnostic test

Culture test

Detects the genetic material of the bacteria

Grows the bacteria

Allows doctors to quickly determine the cause of a patient's illness

Provides more detailed information about the bacteria causing infection

Fact

Information from both kinds of tests can help guide treatment decisions.

On This Page

• Why get tested
• Types of tests

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.