Occurrence of fastidious Campylobacter spp. in fresh meat and poultry using an adapted cultural protocol

This study used an adapted cultural protocol for the recovery of fastidious species of Campylobacter, to gain a more accurate understanding of the diversity of Campylobacter populations in fresh meats. Chicken (n = 185), pork (n = 179) and beef (n = 186) were collected from supermarkets and butchers throughout the Republic of Ireland. Samples were enriched in Campylobacter enrichment broth for 24 h under an atmosphere of 2.5% O2, 7% H2, 10% CO2, and 80.5% N2. The enriched samples were then filtered onto non-selective Anaerobe Basal Agar supplemented with lysed horse blood using mixed ester filter membranes. Isolates were identified by both genus and species-specific PCR assays and biochemical testing. The incidence of campylobacters on beef (36%) was significantly higher than on pork (22%) or chicken (16%), and far exceeds previously reported prevalence levels. The method was successful in recovering 7 species of Campylobacter, including the fastidious spp. C. concisus and C. mucosalis, from chicken meat, and 10 species, including C. concisus, C. curvus, C. mucosalis, C. sputorum, and C. upsaliensis, from minced beef. The isolation of C. concisus and C. upsaliensis from meat in this study is of particular significance, due to their emerging clinical relevance. The results of this study confirm that the diversity of Campylobacter species on fresh meats is greater than previously reported and highlights the bias of cultural methods towards the recovery of C. jejuni.

► High incidence of Campylobacter spp. in beef (36%).
► Seven and ten species of Campylobacter identified in chicken and minced beef respectively.
► Recovery of species of emerging clinical significance from retail meats.
► Identification of several species rarely or previously never associated with food sources.
► Rate of detection appears to be function of methods used rather than actual incidence in meats.