03 Jul 2006
Health and food safety experts say they are at a loss to explain a big rise in the number of cases of the food poisoning bug, campylobacter.
More commonly found in rural parts of the country, campylobacter now seems to be affecting larger numbers of city residents.
Donald Campbell, the principal public health advisor with the Food Safety Authority, says cases have jumped from an average 200 a week to 250 in recent months for no obvious reason.
Scientists, food safety experts and health professionals are using computer modelling to find ways to stop the number of cases increasing.