The Importance of Campylobacter Jejuni to the Meat Industry: A Review

Abstract

Campylobacter jejuni is a microorganism that only recently has been implicated in gastroenteritis in humans. As appropriate methods used for detection of the bacterium have been developed, the rates of illness caused by the pathogen were found to approach or surpass those attributed to Salmonella. Substantial evidence has been gathered to document that the route for human infection is through the ingestion of adulterated food and drink. Some slaughter animals harbor this potential pathogen among the intestinal flora and, consequently, transfer of the organism to carcasses and to the resulting meat products does occur. The most frequently implicated meat is poultry, with an incidence of recovery of C. jejuni from the store-bought poultry meat reported to be at least 50%. Red meat from slaughter animals have also yielded this bacterium from carcasses, but at lower incidence levels. Foodborne disease has been associated most frequently with the ingestion of raw milk, but poultry, hamburger, and other foods have all been implicated as potential sources. However, cause and effect relating the presence of C. jejuni in meat and human gastroenteritis has not been demonstrated. Additional research is needed to determine whether C. jejuni isolated from meat causes gastroenteritis and whether all strains of the organism are virulent. Recognition of C. jejuni as a potential meatborne pathogen by the meat industry is necessary, and appropriate sanitary practices to prevent passage of the organism through meat products should be implemented.

Campylobacter Species: Considerations For Controlling A Foodborne Pathogen

“…Red meat from slaughter animals has also yielded this bacterium from carcasses, but at lower incidence levels. Food surveillance results of samples collected from February 1982 to September 1983 by researchers of the Seattle-King County Department of Public Health showed C. jejuni cultures at the following levels from retail products: poultry 192 of 862 samples (22.3%); Beef 1 of 230 (0.4%); Pork 0 of 142, and Lamb 0 of 37 (48,67).…”

Preventive medicine and food animal production

“…Likewise the occurrence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in breeding flocks raises serious doubts about the suitability of affected sheep for slaughter for human consumption. A further example is the potential problem of Campylobacterjejuni infection in poultry and other species and the extent of carcase contamination with this organism, more particularly since the number of cases of human campylobacteriosis now exceeds that of salmonellosis in many countries (Kotula and Stern 1984;. In all these cases the question arises: is the occurrence of these infections in food animals a matter which will affect the wholesomeness and marketability of their produce and, if so, are there measures which can be taken at farm level to prevent or reduce infection rates?…”