Campylobacter spp. in Icelandic poultry operations and human disease.

• Main Authors: Stern, N. J., Hiett, K. L., Alfredsson, G. A., Kristinsson, K. G., Reiersen, J., Hardardottir, H., Briem, H., Gunnarsson, E., Georgsson, F., Lowman, R., Berndtson, E., Lammerding, A. M., Paoli, G. M., Musgrove, M. T.
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press 2003
• Subjects: Research Article; Iceland
• Online Access: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2869935; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12613742

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.