MORE than 200 people struck down with food poisoning in Bolton last year could have contracted the bug by simply stroking their pet dogs.

Victims of the strain of food poisoning, campylobacter, suffer symptoms ranging from severe stomach upsets to paralysis. And health experts believe the 200 or so victims in Bolton may be "just the tip of the iceberg". Many cases go upreported, according to local communicable diseases expert Graham Munslow.

The House of Lords will this month hear findings that the food poisoning bacteria is being carried in the stomachs of dogs and can be spread by simply stroking a pet.

More sinister, it can trigger the Guillan-Barre syndrome, a condition that results in creeping paralysis, starting in the hands and feet then moving slowly towards the neck. Scientists have until now thought the bacteria came from poultry.

But new findings show that dogs are carriers and that a vaccine would be impossible to find because the bug mutates so quickly. Mr Munslow said: "Washing hands is the single, biggest thing that people can do to protect themselves from all kinds of diseases.

"There are many underlying conditions that people can pick up from their pets. Bacteria in the guts of cats for instance can be very dangerous to humans."

Camplyobacter is more common than salmonella food poisoning and may often go upreported.

In Bolton last year, 208 cases were reported, a fall on the previous year which recorded 286 cases.

Ursula Seddon, a food expert based at Bolton Council's environmental health, said that as with any disease there is often an "under reporting".

Mrs Seddon said: "The fall was a surprise. Campylobacter is certainly increasing in numbers more than salmonella."