Campylobacter
A Three Part Series
October 13, 2021
Most consumers are familiar with Salmonella as a foodborne disease, but Campylobacter is less commonly known. Campylobacteriosis is the most frequent and most misreported zoonotic disease in humans worldwide, with contaminated poultry meat being a major source of this enteric zoonosis. Broiler chickens are common natural hosts for this pathogen—and as infected birds carry a very high Campylobacter load in their gastrointestinal tract, there is a high potential for cross-contamination during slaughtering and processing.
A multi-disciplinary approach involving producers, processors, retailers, and the consumer is necessary in order to put controls along the food supply chain and reduce the number of Campylobacteriosis cases in humans.