Assigning the source of human campylobacteriosis in New Zealand: A comparative genetic and epidemiological approach

Campylobacter sequence typing databases: applications and future prospects

“…A number of studies have isolated Campylobacter strains that were indistinguishable by MLST from broiler flocks and their environment, including areas of housing, drinking water, puddles and nearby cattle (Ogden et al, 2007;Patriarchi et al, 2011). Large population-based studies, however, indicate that while certain clonal complexes, for example the ST-21 and ST-45 complexes, are able to colonize multiple host sources, the majority of Campylobacter isolates from broiler flocks are characteristically 'chicken-associated' and can be differentiated from ruminant and environmental strains (McCarthy et al, 2007;Mullner et al, 2009b;Sheppard et al, 2009b;Wilson et al, 2008) (Table 1). Campylobacter genotypes isolated from non-agricultural sources, such as wild birds and mammals, or from environmental waters that are not contaminated by agricultural run-off, are found only rarely among broiler flock isolates (Griekspoor et al, 2010).…”

“…A number of different genetic attribution models have been developed and employed with MLST data: (i) the Dutch model (Mullner et al, 2009b); (ii) the modified Hald model (Mullner et al, 2009a); (iii) STRUCTURE (Falush et al, 2003;Pritchard et al, 2000); (iv) the Asymmetrical Island (AI) model (Wilson et al, 2008), and (v) the Bayesian Analysis of Population Structure (BAPS) model (Corander & Marttinen, 2006). The Dutch and modified Hald models are based on comparing the number of human cases of disease caused by a Campylobacter subtype, relative to the proportional occurrence of particular subtypes in each potential host source (Mullner et al, 2009b The results from these methods using data from Scotland, north-west England and New Zealand were in agreement that strains isolated from chickens, and in particular chicken meat, were the most similar to those isolated from human disease (Gormley et al, 2008;Mullner et al, 2009b;Sheppard et al, 2009b). The percentage estimates have varied, with 58-76 % attribution to chicken sources for New Zealand human disease isolates and 58-78 % attribution to chicken sources for Scottish human disease isolates.…”

Impact of Rurality, Broiler Operations, and Community Socioeconomic Factors on the Risk of Campylobacteriosis in Maryland

“…Similarly, Mullner, et al (2009) provided evidence that poultry caused an estimated 58-76% of cases in New Zealand, making chicken the leading cause of human campylobacteriosis in New Zealand (Mullner et al, 2009). These and other findings influenced national policy leading to implementation of poultry industry-specific interventions which resulted in observable declines in human notified cases in 2008 (Sears, 2011).…”

Molecular Detection of Campylobacter spp. in California Gull (Larus californicus) Excreta

“…Wild birds are a recognized source, particularly for infection in young children (11). In the environment, Campylobacter is normally associated with poultry (28), although other environmental sources find their way into water (19,21). A number of studies have also documented the presence of campylobacters in the excreta of gulls from different regions, such as herring gulls in Scotland (35), ring-billed gulls (Larus delawarensis) in Canada (22,29), and seagulls (Larus spp.)…”