We've all heard news reports in recent years of people sickened or even dying from consuming food contaminated with E. coli or Salmonella bacteria.

So I was astonished recently to learn that bacteria called campylobacter cause many more cases of food-borne illness than either E. coli or Salmonella.

"Campylobacter is the leading cause of gastrointestinal illness in the United States, yet nobody's heard of it," Laura Hendley, a sanitarian with the Lewis & Clark City-County Health Department, informed me last week.

"Especially in this county," her colleague Laurel Riek said. Riek added that between July 1, 2004 and June 30, 2005, Lewis & Clark County recorded 18 cases of campylobacter infection, compared with only six cases of illness from Salmonella.

She and Hendley explained that campylobacter, like many other kinds of bacteria, get into humans when people unwittingly ingest feces ("poop") from young animals with diarrhea such as calves, kittens and puppies, as well as chickens and wild birds. In humans, the infection can occur when water or improperly prepared food get contaminated with the feces of animals infected with the bacteria. Infection can also occur during swimming, when people swallow water contaminated by wild birds.

The good news is that proper cooking, handling and preparation of food kill the bacteria, rendering them harmless. And avoiding swallowing water while swimming makes water play much safer.

Handling raw meat and cooking meat improperly are by far the most common sources of campylobacter infection, Hendley said. Harmful levels of bacteria can live on the outside of a package of meat too, Riek warned. Most raw poultry is contaminated with campylobacter, both inside it and on its surface, she said.

"Your best defense is good handwashing after handling raw meat or packages of raw meat," she said.

Raw eggs, too, may contain the bacteria inside and out, Hendley added.

As unsettling as all this sounds, it's easy to banish bacteria. Your best tool for ensuring meat is cooked safely is a probe thermometer, the two sanitarians taught me. This device looks something like a long, thin nail with a dial thermometer on one end, and costs only about $5. At that price, you can keep one at home and another one packed with your outdoor recreation gear.

To find out whether your burger or chicken is safely cooked, simply insert the pointed end of the probe thermometer into the thickest part of the meat. Poultry should reach an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees, ground beef should reach 155 degrees, and steaks, 145 degrees.

With steaks, Hendley told me, the contamination would be on the surface of the meat, not the interior.

"What's really important is that you sear the outside," she said. "Don't worry about getting steaks well-done."

Hand-washing: an essential key to staying healthy

Simply washing your hands frequently is crucial to keeping you and your family safe from dangerous bacteria, both sanitarians emphasized.

"Wash your hands after handling any animal, before you eat, before you prepare food, and between different kinds of food preparation, such as between handling chicken and making a salad," Riek said. Wash dishes and utensils thoroughly after each use - especially when a dish, utensil or cutting board has touched raw meat.

"Use different plates to carry raw meat to the grill and cooked meat to the table," Riek cautioned.

More tips for summertime food safety

If clean water is not available for drinking and washing, bring water for both purposes.

Keep your food colder than 40 degrees or hotter than 140 degrees. Bacteria multiply rapidly between those limits.

When taking food away from home, plan to eat all your perishables so you won't have to worry about keeping any leftovers safe to eat.

Pack an insulated cooler with enough ice or frozen gel packs to keep the food well-chilled. Store your raw meats completely contained with lids or store in a separate cooler.

Unwashed fruits and vegetables can harbor bacteria on their surfaces. Wash them before leaving home if clean water is scarce at your destination.

If symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea make you suspect food poisoning, call your local health department. Call a health-care professional if the symptoms last longer than 24 hours in an adult or 12 hours in a young child.

One more tip: If you have any doubts, throw it out.

Laura Behenna is a development and public information specialist at the Lewis & Clark City-County Health Department.