Food poisoning is pretty nasty when we inadvertently eat something spoiled. There are even occasions when we touch an infected utensil and fall ill. Now, scientists at the University of Oklahoma say that the most common bacteria can be transmitted through sex, like an STI.
The scientists found that infection by Campylobacter, the most common foodborne illness in the Western world, can also be transmitted through sexual contact. Although in most cases it is not a serious infection, it can cause vomiting and diarrhea. It can even pose additional risk to people with underlying health conditions.
Sex could transmit symptoms like diarrhea
With these findings, the researchers encourage clinicians to talk with their patients about the risks associated with sexual contact in the midst of an episode of food poisoning. The study is trying to understand if Campylobacter infection can be transmitted through sexual contact. This is important research for public health and for doctors who talk to their patients about the risks associated with sexual contact.
"Although Campylobacter infection is not usually a serious illness, it does cause diarrhea, which can cause people to miss work, lose productivity, or perhaps lose their job. It poses an additional risk to people with underlying health conditions.”.
Campylobacter infections usually occur when eating chicken crude, they drink unpasteurized milk or consume water contaminated from the feces of infected animals. However, these methods of transmission do not explain all cases of infection, leading researchers to wonder if it could be transmitted in other ways.
In the study, the team focused on men who have sex with men, following an outbreak of Campylobacter infections in northern Europe among this group. Their analysis revealed that the rate of infection by this bacterium was 14 times higher in men who have sex with men than in control subjects.
Campylobacter is more transmissible than Salmonella
Two other bacteria were used as comparisons in the study: Salmonella, which is transmitted mainly through infected food, and Shigella, which can be transmitted through food or sexual contact.
Although salmonella has a high infectious dose, meaning people must ingest a large amount before getting sick, the other two have low infectious doses, making it easier to transmit. «That's an additional reason why we believe Campylobacter can be transmitted through sex like Shigella is, because people can become infected when only small amounts of the bacterium are present.a,” said Dr. Kuhn.
The team believe that intestinal infections are likely to be much more common than the figures show, with only one in 20 infected people seeking medical advice.
While the infection is usually not serious for most people, for those with underlying immune conditions, such as arthritis, it can cause serious complications.