Open AccessCampylobacter spp. in Icelandic poultry operations and human disease
Author(s) -
Norman J. Stern,
Kelli L. Hiett,
Guðni Á. Alfreðsson,
Karl G. Kristinsson,
Jarle Reiersen,
Hildur Harðardóttir,
Haraldur Bríem,
Eggert Gunnarsson,
Franklín Georgsson,
Ruff Lowman,
E. Berndtson,
Anna M. Lammerding,
Greg Paoli,
M. T. Musgrove
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
epidemiology and infection
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.992
H-Index - 109
eISSN - 1469-4409
pISSN - 0950-2688
DOI - 10.1017/s0950268802007914
Subject(s) - campylobacteriosis , campylobacter , flock , veterinary medicine , biology , transmission (telecommunications) , biosecurity , icelandic , poultry farming , broiler , zoology , medicine , ecology , bacteria , linguistics , philosophy , genetics , electrical engineering , engineering
We describe the observed relationship of campylobacter in poultry operations to human cases in a closed environment. During 1999 in Iceland, domestic cases of campylobacteriosis reached peak levels at 116/100,000 and in 2000 dropped to 33/100,000. Approximately 62% of broiler carcass rinses were contaminated with Campylobacter spp. in 1999. During 2000, only 15% of the broiler flocks tested Campylobacter spp. positive. In 2000, carcasses from flocks which tested positive on the farms at 4 weeks of age were subsequently frozen prior to distribution. We suggest that public education, enhanced on-farm biological security measures, carcass freezing and other unidentified factors, such as variations in weather, contributed to the large reduction in poultry-borne campylobacteriosis. There is no immediate basis for assigning credit to any specific intervention. We continue to seek additional information to understand the decline in campylobacteriosis and to create a risk assessment model for Campylobacter spp. transmission through this well defined system.