Meta‐analysis of the prevalence of thermotolerant Campylobacter in food‐producing animals worldwide

Abstract

The objective of this meta-analysis was to summarize available information on the prevalence of thermotolerant Campylobacter (TC) in different food-producing animals worldwide. Databases (i.e., PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus) were searched from 1980 to 2017 unrestricted by language. The inclusion criteria were as follows: prevalence or incidence studies, published in peer-reviewed journals, and they must have reported the total number of animal samples studied and the number of samples that were positive for the presence of TC. When the identification of Campylobacter species was available, this information was included in the analysis.Multilevel random-effect meta-analysis models were fitted to estimate mean occurrence rate of TC and to compare them among different factors potentially associated with the outcome. The mean occurrence rate of TC in food-producing animals was 0.424 (95% CI: 0.394-0.455), and the mean occurrence rate of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli were 0.214 and 0.133, respectively. Pigs and poultry showed the highest prevalence of TC; however, there were differences in the prevalence of each Campylobacter species. Campylobacter jejuni was observed in broilers (0.322; 95% CI: 0.273-0.377) and hens (0.395; 95% CI: 0.265-0.542), while C. coli was restricted essentially in pigs (0.553; 95% CI: 0.541-0.650). The prevalence of C. jejuni in intensively bred cattle was higher (0.302; 95% CI: 0.227-0.389) than the prevalence in extensively bred cattle (0.172; 95% CI: 0.119-0.242) while the prevalence of C. coli was similar (0.051; 95% CI: 0.028-0.091 vs. 0.050; 95% CI: 0.027-0.091) in both production systems. Agar with or without blood used for the isolation of TC did not affect the prevalence observed. The method of species identification did not seem to generate differences in the prevalence of Campylobacter species. The prevalence of Campylobacter in primary food production has a strong impact on the entire agri-food chain. National authorities must monitor the situation with the aim to establish the appropriate risk management measures. K E Y W O R D Sfood-producing animals, meta-analysis, prevalence, thermotolerant Campylobacter

Research Note: A baseline survey of thermotolerant Campylobacter in retail chicken in southern Brazil

“…Additional assays, such as PCR, improve the discrimination between Campylobacter strains ( Gharst et al., 2013 ). However, consistent with these findings, earlier research found that C. jejuni was more prevalent than C. coli in poultry samples ( Giombelli and Gloria, 2014 , Panzenhagen et al., 2016 , Casagrande Proietti et al., 2018 , Rossler et al., 2019 ). Note that in the present study, however, the majority of C. jejuni strains were isolated in Preston agar.…”

“…Campylobacteriosis is among the leading foodborne diseases reported worldwide ( Rossler et al., 2019 , Tack et al., 2019 ). Campylobacter jejuni accounts for most of the 90% of culture-confirmed human cases, whereas infection with Campylobacter coli and other related species occurs to a lesser extent ( Patrick et al., 2018 ).…”

“…Campylobacter jejuni accounts for most of the 90% of culture-confirmed human cases, whereas infection with Campylobacter coli and other related species occurs to a lesser extent ( Patrick et al., 2018 ). Various foods are potential sources of Campylobacter , but the consumption of mishandled or undercooked chicken is the main risk factor for foodborne campylobacteriosis ( Rossler et al., 2019 ). Quantitative risk assessment has revealed that the incidence of campylobacteriosis associated with consumption of chicken could be reduced 30 times by introducing a 2-log reduction of the Campylobacter population on the carcasses ( Rosenquist et al., 2003 ).…”

Agricultural intensification heightens food safety risks posed by wild birds

“…Interestingly, we found no evidence for increased pathogen prevalence in bird faeces on farms that integrated livestock. The extensified, small-scale livestock production on farms in our study might have decreased environmental runoff alongside decreased pathogen prevalence in the livestock compared to their counterparts in more intensified systems (Gerber, Chilonda, Franceschini, & Menzi, 2005;Rossler et al, 2019). Conversely, the large daily movements of many bird species, such as European starlings and native blackbirds (Gaulker, Homan, George, & Bleier, 2012;Heisterberg, Knittle, Bray, Mott, & Besser, 1984), may increase the importance of landscape-scale livestock intensification relative to on-farm livestock integration for pathogen prevalence dynamics because highly mobile organisms can acquire and disseminate pathogens across large distances.…”

“…Accordingly, intensification of mammalian livestock production around farms might expose birds to more pathogens, thereby increasing food safety risks (Rossler et al, 2019).…”