1. How widespread is Campylobacter bacterial infection?

- Campylobacter bacterial infection has become increasingly common in recent years. The rod-shaped bacterium is considered the most common cause of gastrointestinal infections worldwide – even more than Salmonellae .

- In Germany, campylobacteriosis is the most commonly reported bacterial disease, causing up to 70,000 cases per year. The disease manifests as stomach pain, severe diarrhea and high fever and is most common in children under 5 years of age. The disease is usually transmitted through contaminated food, especially through poultry that is not sufficiently heated or is re-contaminated.

2. How does Campylobacter enter meat ?

- Campylobacter bacteria are found almost everywhere in the environment and colonize the intestines of many animal species. Chickens usually carry Campylobacter without showing any clinical signs. When infected chickens are slaughtered, the bacteria can pass from the intestines into the meat.

- In Europe, Campylobacter is particularly prevalent. The EU is trying to combat this with an “integrated approach” in food safety, including preventive measures from farm to fork. In addition, the EU has set limit values for Campylobacter in slaughterhouses at the beginning of 2018 (see EU Regulation 2017/1495). Under this regulation, no more than 1,000 colony forming units (CFU) may be detected per gram of meat. At least 60 percent of slaughtered chickens tested must comply with this limit value.

3. What can poultry farmers do to fight Campylobacter bacteria?

- Campylobacter can enter the barn via insects, mites, rodents, wild birds, farm animals and pets as well as via the shoes and clothing of farm workers. Through manure contamination of drinking water, bedding or feed, the bacteria can spread very quickly within the flock. Hygiene measures can limit the spread. This includes keeping the barn in good condition, establishing hygiene barriers, implementing pest control and treating water with chlorine.

- However, even strict compliance with hygiene measures cannot always prevent infection Campylobacter. Antibiotic treatment of infected chickens is not an option because Campylobacter does not cause disease symptoms in poultry.

4. What can butchers do to fight Campylobacter bacteria?

- The slaughter process always carries a risk of contamination. In the case of poultry, another complication is that heavily contaminated skin is often not removed from the product. Feasible measures for a more hygienic slaughter process include scalding and singeing techniques, among others. Regular cleaning and disinfection of the entire plant is a basic prerequisite. While chemical decontamination is common practice in the United States, it is controversial in the EU.

5. How to detect Campylobacter?

- In addition to hygiene measures, regular food analysis is necessary to protect consumers. Because the cultivation process takes up to two weeks, PCR testing is the most suitable for detecting Campylobacter (see real time PCR kit SureFast® Campylobacter PLUS).

Source: food.r-biopharm.com