Occurrence of Campylobacter in retail foods in Ireland

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Abstract

A surveillance study was carried out to determine the prevalence of Campylobacter in a range of retail foods purchased in three Irish cities over a 20-month period between March 2001 and October 2002. In total 2391 food samples were analysed during this period. Campylobacter was isolated from 444 raw chicken (49.9%), 33 turkey (37.5%) and 11 duck samples (45.8%). Lower isolation rates of 7/221 (3.2%), 10/197 (5.1%) and 31/262 (11.8%) were observed for raw beef, pork and lamb, respectively. One sample of pork paté from 120 samples analysed (0.8%) was Campylobacter-positive. A total of three shellfish samples (oysters) from 129 raw specimens examined (2.3%) were found to contain Campylobacter. Low prevalences of the organism (0.9%) were also isolated from fresh mushrooms. Of 62 raw bulk tank milk samples analysed, Campylobacter was recovered in a single sample (1.6%). Campylobacter was not detected in any of the comminuted pork puddings, prepared vegetables and salads, retail sandwiches or cheeses made from unpasteurised milk. In total, 543 Campylobacter were isolated from all of the food samples analysed, of which 453 (83.4%) were confirmed as Campylobacter jejuni and the remaining 90 (16.6%) as Campylobacter coli.

Introduction

Disease in humans as a result of consuming pathogen contaminated foodstuffs remains a significant burden on society, causing suffering and economic losses in terms of decreased productivity and medical costs (Bryan and Doyle, 1995). Food is now recognized as the most frequently implicated vehicle in the transmission of zoonotic organisms to humans in developed countries (Jorgensen et al., 2002). Of these pathogens, Campylobacter is the principal bacterial cause of gastroenteritis in many developed countries, including Ireland Nachamkin et al., 1998, PHLS, 2001, Fitzgerald et al., 2001. The National Disease Surveillance Centre (NDSC) reported 2085 human cases of campylobacteriosis in Ireland in 1999; this was equivalent to a crude incidence rate of 57.5 cases per 100,000 population (Whyte and Igoe, 2000). The reported annual incidence rate for human Campylobacter infections in other European Union countries has varied between 9.5 and 108 cases per 100,000 people in 1997 (Anon., 1999).

A number of transmission vehicles and risk factors have been implicated in previously reported case control studies that examined predisposing data from human Campylobacter cases and outbreaks. The most significant risk factors identified have included the consumption and/or handling of raw or undercooked poultry or other meats, raw milk and surface waters. Cross-contamination of ready to eat foods during food preparation as well as direct contact with animals have also been identified Anon., 1994, Tompkin, 1994, Adak et al., 1995. It is now well established that animals can be asymptomatic intestinal carriers of Campylobacter and foods of animal origin can become contaminated by this pathogen during slaughter and carcass dressing Berndtson et al., 1996, Madden et al., 2000, Whyte et al., 2003. Furthermore, it is now accepted that campylobacteriosis is predominantly acquired through the consumption of contaminated foods (Anon., 1995).

Wide variations in the prevalence of Campylobacter have been reported in both live animals and foods of animal origin. For example, previously reported infection rates in live broilers have ranged from 0% to 100% Bryan and Doyle, 1995, Moore et al., 2003 with high prevalences of up to 100% also in pigs (Nesbakken et al., 2003) and up to 60% in cattle Orr et al., 1995, Nielsen et al., 1997. Campylobacter prevalences of up to 100% have also been reported on dressed poultry carcasses Waldroup et al., 1992, Atanassova and Ring, 1999, Dominguez et al., 2002 with significantly lower prevalences of the organism generally reported on either beef or pork carcasses Kwiatek et al., 1990, Zanetti et al., 1996, Madden et al., 2001. Other foods that Campylobacter has been recovered from include raw milk Rohrbach et al., 1992, Leclerc et al., 2002, and shellfish Wilson and Moore, 1996, Endtz et al., 1997.

The current research was carried out to address the lack of data pertaining to the prevalence and types of Campylobacter spp. found in retail foods widely available throughout Ireland. The aim of the study was to identify the principal food categories which represent the most significant reservoirs of Campylobacter.

Section snippets

Sample collection

A survey of Campylobacter prevalences in a range of retail foods was undertaken in three population centres on the island of Ireland. The three cities selected were Dublin, Galway and Belfast with samples obtained from a number of retail outlets in each area. Samples were collected monthly from each centre from March 2001 to October 2002. These cities were selected based on their geographical location in order to establish whether prevalences varied between location for the various food types

Results and discussion

The prevalence of Campylobacter isolated from all of the various food categories examined are summarized in Table 1. In the current prevalence study, 2391 food samples from a wide range of food categories were screened for the presence of Campylobacter. Of the foods sampled, 543 were found to be contaminated with Campylobacter. The most prevalent species recovered from samples was Campylobacter jejuni, with 83.4% of the isolates confirmed. The remaining 16.6% of isolates were identified as C.

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to gratefully acknowledge safeFood, the Food Safety Promotion Board, Ireland, who funded this research programme.

The authors are also grateful to Ms. Tara Fitzsimons and Ms. Mairead Doyle of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin for their assistance with procuring retail food samples.

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