Campylobacter spp. as emerging food-borne pathogen - incidence, detection and resistance

Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter. coli are the leading cause of bacterial food-borne enteric infection with still increasing incidence in the most developed countries. Consuming and/or handling poultry meat is the most consistent risk factor, linked to the high prevalence of campylobacters in retail poultry meat. Recent data about the incidence of human campylobacteriosis and prevalence of C.jejuni and C. coli in poultry meat are presented. Important aspects of Campylobacter transmission along the food chain are discussed – physiological specificities possibly enabling adaptation and survival in the food production environment as well as the emerging resistance to antimicrobial agents used in veterinary and human medicine. Recent advances in detection and identification methods of Campylobacter spp. are mentioned as a basis for preventive strategies to bring these food-borne pat hogens under control. Recent risk assessments show that mitigation strategies could be applied at different points from food-animals production to the finalconsumptionoffoods.Educating the consumers is important,sincecritical control point remains the hygiene in the final food preparation.