The subtherapeutic use of antimicrobial drugs has played an important role in animal husbandry by the control of disease, the improvement of growth and efficiency of feed conversion. Livestock producers, industry, veterinary, and regulatory personnel share responsibility to ensure freedom from drug metabolites, residues, and other chemicals to which livestock and poultry may be exposed. The predominant concerns are for the potential adverse effects on human health. Data demonstrate that the feeding of subtherapeutic antimicrobials to livestock and poultry increases the prevalence of R+ enteric organisms. Some of these organisms may be pathogenic for humans.

Studies in the past decade have demonstrated with convincing evidence that Campylobacter jejuni is an important enteric pathogen of man. The wide distribution of the organism in animal reservoirs, and in foods of animal origin makes control of this foodborne microbe a formidable undertaking. Although the vehicles that are incriminated as sources of infection are broad, most illnesses occur sporadically without a finite determination as to the mode of transmission. The problem is further amplified because an infectious zoonotic disease like Campylobacter enteritis not only occurs frequently, but is almost always unsuspected, and too often unrecognized. Factors that perpetuate the Campylobacter problem are spreading Campylobacter during animal slaughtering and processing, concentrating animals in feedlots and brooding houses, poor food handling and storage practices, environmental contamination from animal wastes and other sources. Campylobacteriosis is a universal problem and an immense challenge to all who work in the arena of food protection. The solutions for control and prevention are demanding. In addition to more needed research, close national and international cooperation is a mandate if progress will be realized in the long-term minimization, and eventual elimination of this pathogen.

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