Campylobacter

The campylobacter bacillus is found everywhere in nature and represents a health problem across the whole world. Good kitchen hygiene, separation of meat and vegetables and through cooking of meat removes the risk.

There has been a rise in the incidence of Campylobacter cases in almost all western European countries. A survey of poultry meat imported to Denmark in 2001 showed that 51% contained Campylobacter. The figure at that time was 33% for equivalent Danish products.

Measures to fight the bacteria have been intensified since then, and Rose Poultry A/S is currently participating with the Danish Poultry Meat Association (Dansk Slagtefjerkrae) in a nationwide study to determine why the problem is greater in some growth periods than others. The first results show that day old chicks are free of the bacteria, which places the focus on potential infection sources while they mature.

20% of Danes who become ill due to Campylobacter catch the infection while travelling abroad. Most outbreaks are caused by unpasteurised or insufficiently pasteurised milk, or polluted drinking water. Here in Denmark, eating poultry, pork, beef or lamb, or contact with pets cause 75% of all cases.

The Campylobacter types jejuni and coli are the most frequent cause of infection in humans, and the symptoms are most often diarrhoea, stomach pains, nausea and fever.