Category Archives: Campylobacter

USA – Campylobacter in Raw Milk Outbreak

Posted on May 24, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning JournalimagesCAZ9J1WP

The Alaska Section of Epidemiology is investigating another outbreak of Campylobacter infection associated with the consumption of raw milk. This new outbreak is associated with raw milk distributed by the same Kenai Peninsula cow-share program that was linked to a Campylobacter outbreak sickened at least 31 people in February 2013.

In the current investigation, five cases of Campylobacter infection have been identified to date. Two of the five people sought medical attention. Testing by the Alaska State Public Health Laboratory identified the bacteria strain as Campylobacter jejuni. The exact same strain of C. jejuni was found in cow manure obtained earlier this year at the cow-share farm that distributed the raw milk. “The genetic fingerprint of the bacteria isolated from these two people and the cow is unique. It has never been seen before in the United States,” said Dr. Joe McLaughlin, State Epidemiologist. “These outbreaks are an unfortunate reminder of the inherent risks associated with raw milk consumption, and underscore the importance of pasteurization.”

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Posted in Bacteria, Campylobacter, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Technology, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Hygiene, Illness, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen

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Research – Retrospective Analysis of Salmonella, Campylobacter, Escherichia coli, and Enterococcus in Animal Feed Ingredients

Posted on May 23, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Liebert Online

The presence and antimicrobial susceptibility of foodborne pathogens and indicator organisms in animal feed are not well understood. In this study, a total of 201 feed ingredient samples (animal byproducts, n=122; plant byproducts, n=79) were collected in 2002 and 2003 from representative rendering plants and the oilseed (or cereal grain) industry across the United States. The occurrence and antimicrobial susceptibility of four bacterial genera (Salmonella, Campylobacter, Escherichia coli, and Enterococcus) were determined. Salmonella isolates were further characterized by serotyping and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). None of the samples yielded Campylobacter or E. coli O157:H7, whereas Salmonella, generic E. coli, and Enterococcus were present in 22.9%, 39.3%, and 86.6% of samples, respectively. A large percentage (47.8%) of Salmonella-positive samples harbored two serovars, and the vast majority (88.4%) of Enterococcus isolates were E. faecium. Animal byproducts had a significantly higher Salmonella contamination rate (34.4%) than plant byproducts (5.1%) (p<0.05). Among 74 Salmonella isolates recovered, 27 serovars and 55 PFGE patterns were identified; all were pan-susceptible to 17 antimicrobials tested. E. coli isolates (n=131) demonstrated similar susceptibility to these antimicrobials except for tetracycline (15.3% resistance), sulfamethoxazole (7.6%), streptomycin (4.6%), ampicillin (3.8%), and nalidixic acid (1.5%). Enterococcus isolates (n=362) were also resistant to five of 17 antimicrobials tested, ranging from 1.1% to penicillin to 14.6% to tetracycline. Resistance rates were generally higher among isolates recovered from animal byproducts. Taken together, our findings suggest that diverse populations of Salmonella, E. coli, and Enterococcus are commonly present in animal feed ingredients, but antimicrobial resistance is not common. Future large-scale studies to monitor these pathogenic and indicator organisms in feed commodities is warranted.

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Posted in Antibiotic Resistance, Antimicrobials, Bacteria, Campylobacter, E.coli, Enterococcus, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Laboratory, Microbiology, Pathogen, Research, Salmonella

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Research – Salmonella and Campylobacter Prevalence and Concentration on Pasture-Raised Broilers

Posted on May 23, 2013 by | Leave a comment

USDA

The small-scale, pasture-raised poultry production model is a growing niche in
the locally grown food movement. There is limited research that focuses on the
food safety of small-scale broiler processing methods. The objective of this
study was to compare Salmonella and Campylobacter prevalence and concentrations on pasture-raised broilers processed on-farm, in a small United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)-Inspected custom slaughter facility (U-IF), and in a Mobile Processing Unit (MPU) pilot plant. A total of 120, 100, and 50 post-chill, pasture-raised broiler carcasses were sampled from each processing method, respectively. Salmonella and Campylobacter concentrations in whole carcass rinses were determined using a 3-tube Most Probable Number (MPN) method for Salmonella and direct plating method for Campylobacter according to the USDA-Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) protocols. Salmonella prevalence and concentrations on-farm (89% and 1.78 MPN/carcass [95% CI: 1.60-1.96]), USDA-IF (43% and 0.78 MPN/carcass [95%CI: 0.58-0.98]) were significantly (P <0.05) different. Campylobacter prevalence was not significantly (P >0.05) different on carcasses processed by the three methods (70% on-farm, 82% USDA-IF, and 100% MPU). The mean log10 Campylobacter concentrations in MPU processed carcasses (5.44 CFU/carcass [95% CI: 5.24-5.63]) was significantly higher (P < 0.05) compared to on-farm (2.32 CFU/carcass [95% CI: 2.06-2.80]) and USDA-IF (2.44 CFU/carcass (95% CI: 2.03-2.85]). Based on the results of this baseline study, most pasture-raised broilers processed by the three methods were contaminated with Salmonella and/or Campylobacter with the exception of MPU carcasses on which Salmonella was not detected. Further research is needed to assess other potential risk factors such as farm and regional differences.

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Posted in Bacteria, Campylobacter, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Technology, Food Testing, Microbiology, Pathogen, Research, Salmonella

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Research – Campylobacter in Chicken Embryo’s

Posted on May 23, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Poultry SiteEGGS

US – Evidence of Campylobacter has been found in all the seven-day-old chick embryos tested by researchers with the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS).

Campylobacter, a foodborne pathogen closely associated with poultry, is recognised as a leading bacterial aetiological agent of human gastroenteritis in the United States.

In a paper published in Poultry Science, Kelli Hiett and colleagues at USDA ARS Richard B. Russell Research Center in Athens, Georgia, report two trials in which tissues from seven-, 14/15- and 19-day-old commercial broiler chicken embryos were tested for the presence of Campylobacter using both culturing methodology and PCR.

Conventional culturing methods failed to detect Campylobacter from any samples tested during this investigation.

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Posted in Bacteria, Campylobacter, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Laboratory, Microbiology, Pathogen, Research, Uncategorized

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USA Research – Food Testing Laboratory Accuracy?

Posted on May 21, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Medical Express

Food microbiology laboratories continue to submit false negative results and false positive results on a routine basis. A retrospective study of nearly 40,000 proficiency test results over the past 14 years, presented today at the 113th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology, examined the ability of food laboratories to detect or rule out the presence of Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, and Campylobacter.

The study found that, on average, food laboratories report false negatives of 9.1% for Campylobacter, a bacterial foodborne illness that may cause bloody diarrhea, cramping and fever, and 4.9% for Salmonella, a bacteria that may cause diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps sometimes leading to hospitalization or death. The false positive rate, on average, is 3.9% for Salmonella, and 2.5% for both E. coli and L. monocytogenes.

 

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Posted in Bacteria, Campylobacter, E.coli, E.coli O157, Food Inspections, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Technology, Food Testing, Laboraotry, Laboratory, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, Pathogen, Research

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Europe – ECDC – Antimicrobial resistance continues to be found in Salmonella and Campylobacter

Posted on May 16, 2013 by | Leave a comment

ECDCSalmonella

Antimicrobial resistance continues to be found in Salmonella and Campylobacter, the latest joint report from the European Food Safety Authority and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control reveals.

The EU Summary Report on antimicrobial resistance in zoonotic and indicator bacteria from humans, animals and food    reveals that a high proportion of Campylobacter bacteria were resistant to ciprofloxacin, a critically important antimicrobial. However, there was low resistance to erythromycin and co-resistance to important antimicrobials remains low.

Multidrug resistance was higher in Salmonella bacteria, the report reveals. Despite this, co-resistance to critically important antimicrobials remains low. High levels of antimicrobial resistance were found in Salmonella bacteria from humans and food animals, in particular turkeys and pigs.

Dr Marc Sprenger, ECDC Director, said: ‘With harmonised surveillance of antimicrobial resistance in isolates from humans and animals, we can inform effective actions to prevent further spread of antimicrobial resistance in humans.’

 

 

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Posted in Antibiotic Resistance, Bacteria, Campylobacter, ECDC, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Technology, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, Pathogen, Salmonella

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W.H.O – Report on Campylobacter

Posted on May 7, 2013 by | Leave a comment

WHOCampylobacter

On 9–11 July 2012, the World Health Organization (WHO), in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), convened an Expert Consultation on The Global View of Campylobacteriosis, in Utrecht, Netherlands.

The objectives of the Consultation were:

To review the progress made in the past 10 years in understanding and controlling Campylobacteriosis, take note of successful approaches and lessons learned, and identify challenges in controlling Campylobacter from farm to table and in reducing the human health burden and attributable health consequences;

To consider cross-cutting areas, such as food- and waterborne Campylobacteriosis and antimicrobial resistance, taking into account the context of both high-income countries and low- and middleincome countries (LMIC);

To suggest how WHO, FAO and OIE could take action to reduce Campylobacter in the food chain and the burden of foodborne Campylobacteriosis.

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Posted in Bacteria, Campylobacter, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Foodborne Illness, outbreak, Pathogen, Poisoning, Research

Research – Antibiotic-Free Turkey Less Likely to Harbor Resistant Bacteria

Posted on May 1, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

Ground turkey from birds raised without antibiotics is less likely to be contaminated with antibiotic-resistant bacteria than conventional ground turkey, according to a new study published by Consumer Reports today.

The group tested 257 samples of raw ground turkey meat and patties, purchased from major retailers nationwide, for Enterococcus, E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella, and Campylobacter and then looked at what portion of these bacteria were resistant to antibiotics. They found high levels of bacteria overall – 90 percent of samples tested positive for one of the five – and more than half were resistant to three or more classes of antibiotics. But the bugs found in products labeled “no antibiotics,” “organic,” or “raised without antibiotics” were resistant to fewer antibiotics than their conventional counterparts.

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Posted in Bacteria, Campylobacter, E.coli, Enterococcus, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Technology, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, Pathogen, Research, Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus

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Research – China Shellfish – Virus – Fresh Cut Salad Quality – Seasonal Campylobacter – Salmonella Control

Posted on April 24, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Wiley Online

Prevalence of Human Enteric Viruses and a Potential Indicator of Contamination in Shellfish in China.

Science Direct

Influence of working conditions and practices on fresh-cut lettuce salads quality

Cambridge Journals

Identifying the seasonal origins of human campylobacteriosis

University of Cambridge

Researchers plan to use data collected to develop vaccines to control Salmonella in animals and humans

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Posted in Bacteria, Campylobacter, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Technology, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Hygiene, Illness, Methods, Microbiology, Norovirus, outbreak, Pathogen, Research, Salmonella, Virus

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UK – Isle of Man Campylobacter – Animal Rescue ?

Posted on April 24, 2013 by | Leave a comment

BBC NewsCampylobacter

Manx health officials have issued a hygiene warning after several people tested positive for illnesses normally associated with handling livestock.

About five cases of Cryptosporidium and Campylobacter have been reported on the island during the past three months.

It is thought some of those affected may have been involved in helping farmers to rescue livestock after heavy snow last month.

Food Safety Manager Ivan Bratty said simple precautions must be taken.

“These recent cases serve as a timely reminder of the importance of thorough hand washing after handling livestock and before preparing or handling food to prevent infection and the spread of disease in the community,” he said.

“It is also important for anyone suffering from diarrhoea to avoid swimming pools as Cryptosporidium can survive in chlorinated water”.

Cryptosporidium is a disease that is very common in young farm animals and can easily be passed to people who come into contact with those animals- it can lead to sickness and diarrhoea, but is rarely a serious condition for healthy people.

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Posted in Bacteria, Campylobacter, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen

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