Campylobacter – primarily Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli – frequently colonize the intestinal tract of domestic poultry at high levels. The bacterium is well adapted to the avian host and, despite extensive colonization, it produces little or no overt disease in poultry. That makes it difficult to detect and control in live birds.
Despite its insignificance for poultry health, Campylobacter is a leading cause of foodborne gastroenteritis in humans worldwide. In the US, it’s responsible for over 800,000 cases of foodborne illnesses and over 8,000 hospitalizations each year. [1] The poultry reservoir, especially broiler meat, is the most commonly recognized source for human Campylobacter. Read more