Campylobacter infection is one of the most common causes of bacterial gastroenteritis in developed countries. A large proportion of Campylobacter infections are asymptomatic. In symptomatic cases, the symptoms typically observed are those of acute gastroenteritis, which is usually mild and resolves spontaneously within a week. Complications associated with Campylobacter infection are rare, as are deaths (<0.1%), and occur mainly in vulnerable individuals (the elderly, immunocompromised patients).

Each year, Santé publique France publishes a comprehensive report on surveillance data for Campylobacter infections. This surveillance is based on the National Reference Center (CNR) for Campylobacter and Helicobacter and the mandatory reporting of foodborne illness outbreaks (TIAC).

Key Points

The number of Campylobacter strains reported by the NRC has been increasing since 2013, the year laboratories began directly entering data online. This increase could reflect a rise in Campylobacter infections in France. However, this increase in the number of reported strains must be considered within the context of the surveillance system’s specific characteristics.
In 2019, surveillance of Campylobacter infections confirmed the epidemiological and biological trends already observed in recent years. More specifically, the data show:

• a predominance of the C. jejuni species;

• a higher number of cases and incidence among children;

• a predominance of infections among men, except among those aged 20 to 29;

• a seasonal peak during the summer;

• high resistance to fluoroquinolones and tetracyclines, which has remained stable in recent years;

• no notable increase in resistance rates for the six antibiotics routinely tested;

• consumption of poultry products as the primary food (identified or suspected) identified as the source of contamination in outbreaks of foodborne illness.