Campylobacter Infections : Part 2

by CDC

(Page 2 of 2)

How does food or water get contaminated with Campylobacter?

Many chicken flocks are silently infected with Campylobacter; that is, the chickens are infected with the organism but show no signs of illness. Campylobacter can be easily spread from bird to bird through a common water source or through contact with infected feces. When an infected bird is slaughtered, Campylobacter can be transferred from the intestines to the meat. More than half of the raw chicken in the United States market has Campylobacter on it. Campylobacter is also present in the giblets, especially the liver.

Unpasteurized milk can become contaminated if the cow has an infection with Campylobacter in her udder or the milk is contaminated with manure. Surface water and mountain streams can become contaminated from infected feces from cows or wild birds. This infection is common in the developing world, and travelers to foreign countries are also at risk for becoming infected with Campylobacter.

What can be done to prevent the infection?

There are some simple food handling practices for preventing Campylobacter infections. Physicians who diagnose campylobacteriosis and clinical laboratories that identify this organism should report their findings to the local health department. If many cases occur at the same time, it may mean that many people were exposed to a common contaminated food item or water source which might still be available to infect more people. When outbreaks occur, community education efforts can be directed at proper food handling techniques, especially thorough cooking of all poultry and other foods of animal origin, and common sense kitchen hygiene practices. Some data suggest that Campylobacter can spread through a chicken flock in their drinking water. Providing clean, chlorinated water sources for the chickens might prevent Campylobacter infections in poultry flocks and thereby decrease the amount of contaminated meat reaching the market place.

Some Tips for Preventing Campylobacteriosis

Cook all poultry products thoroughly. Make sure that the meat is cooked throughout (no longer pink), any juices run clear, and the inside is cooked to 170oF (77oC) for breast meat, and 180oF (82oC) for thigh meat.

If you are served undercooked poultry in a restaurant, send it back for further cooking. Wash hands with soap before handling raw foods of animal origin. Wash hands with soap after handling raw foods of animal origin and before touching anything else.

Prevent cross-contamination in the kitchen: Use separate cutting boards for foods of animal origin and other foods. carefully clean all cutting boards, countertops and utensils with soap and hot water after preparing raw food of animal origin. Avoid consuming unpasteurized milk and untreated surface water. Make sure that persons with diarrhea, especially children, wash their hands carefully and frequently with soap to reduce the risk of spreading the infection. Wash hands with soap after having contact with pet feces.

What are public health agencies doing to prevent or control campylobacteriosis?

To learn more about how Campylobacter causes disease and is spread, CDC began a national surveillance program in 1982. A more detailed active surveillance system was instituted in 1996; this will provide more information on how often this disease occurs and what the risk factors are for getting it. CDC is also making an effort to inform the public about campylobacteriosis and ways to avoid getting this disease. The U.S. Department of Agriculture conducts research on how to prevent the infection in chickens. The Food and Drug Administration has produced the Model Food Code, which could decrease the risk of contaminated chicken being served in commercial food establishments.

About the Author

www.cdc.gov
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is one of the 13 major operating components of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which is the principal agency in the United States government for protecting the health and safety of all Americans and for providing essential human services, especially for those people who are least able to help themselves.