May 2005

By Sharon Durham
May 23, 2005
Reducing the pathogenic bacterium Campylobacter on poultry farms and in processing plants begins with finding its sources, one of which is the birds’ lungs, Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists report.
Microbiologists Mark Berrang and Richard Meinersmann and animal physiologist Richard J. Buhr at the ARS Richard B. Russell Agricultural Research Center in Athens, Ga., studied Campylobacter before and after chicken carcasses were scalded to remove feathers, an integral step in poultry processing.
Bacteria can contaminate live chickens during production or transport, or carcasses during scalding. In either case, Campylobacter would contaminate respiratory air sacs and could then contaminate the abdominal cavity.Continue Reading Finding the Source of Campylobacter

May 12, 2005
According to recently published research in the Journal of Clinical Microbiology, “The goal of the present study was to assess the contribution of real-time molecular typing, used alone or with clinical surveillance, to the prompt identification of clusters of Campylobacter enteritis.
“Potential poultry sources were sought by comparing the pulsed-field gel electrophoresis genotypes of human and fresh whole retail chicken isolates collected during the same study period.”
“Among 183 human isolates, 82 (45%) had unique genotypes, 72 (39%) represented 26 clusters of 2 to 7 isolates each, and 29 (16%) represented three clusters of 8 to 11 isolates each.Continue Reading Sources other than chickens important in human campylobacteriosis

Antimicrobial resistance in bacteria is an emerging and increasing threat to human health. Physicians should be aware that antimicrobial resistance is increasing in foodborne pathogens and that patients who are prescribed antibiotics are at increased risk for acquiring antimicrobial resistant foodborne infections. In addition, “[i]increased frequency of treatment failures for acute illiness and increased severity of infection may be manifested by prolonged duration of illness, increased frequency of bloodstream infections, increased hospitalization or increased mortality.”[1]
The use of antimicrobial agents in the feed of food animals is estimated by the FDA to be over 100 million pounds per year. Estimates range from 36% to 70% of all antibiotics produced in the United Sates are used in a food animal feed or in prophylactic treatment to prevent animal disease. The use in of antibiotics is thought to promote growth and to prevent disease on in beef, pig, turkey and chicken production as well as fish farms and some fruit and vegetable farming.[2]Continue Reading Antimicrobial Resistance in Bacteria

With media attention on product recalls due to potential contamination with such bacteria and viruses as E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella, and hepatitis A and outbreaks of illnesses caused by these pathogens comes consumers’ need to know about foodborne pathogens. Marler Clark, the Seattle law firm that has represented thousands of victims of foodborne illness outbreaks across the country, re-launched its Web site about foodborne illness, www.foodborneillness.com, in mid-April.
(PRWEB) May 3, 2005 — Foodborne illnesses, such as E. coli, Salmonella, Listeria, and Hepatitis A, have been the topic of news reports across the nation in recent months. With media attention on product recalls and outbreaks comes consumers’ need to know about foodborne pathogens. Marler Clark, the Seattle law firm that has represented thousands of victims of foodborne illness outbreaks across the country, re-launched its Web site about foodborne illness, www.foodborneillness.com, in mid-April.Continue Reading Foodborne Illness Web Site Offers Resources on Common Causes of Food Poisoning