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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fayetteville, Arkansas » Poultry Production and Product Safety Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #348152
Research Project: Antibiotic Alternatives for Controlling Foodborne Pathogens and Disease in Poultry

Location: Poultry Production and Product Safety Research

Title: Natural and environmentally friendly strategies for controlling Campylobacter jejuni colonization in poultry, survival in poultry products and infection in humans

Author
item UPADHYAY, ABHINAV - University Of Arkansas
item ARSI, KOMALA - University Of Arkansas
item UPADHYAYA, INDU - University Of Arkansas
item Donoghue, Ann - Annie
item DONOGHUE, DAN - University Of Arkansas

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/18/2018
Publication Date: 3/12/2019
Citation: Upadhyay, A., Arsi, K., Upadhyaya, I., Donoghue, A.M., Donoghue, D.J. 2019. Natural and environmentally friendly strategies for controlling Campylobacter jejuni colonization in poultry, survival in poultry products and infection in humans. In: Venkitanarayanan K., Thakur S., Ricke S. (eds) Food Safety in Poultry Meat Production. Food Microbiology and Food Safety. Springer, Cham. p. 67-93.

Interpretive Summary: Foodborne illnesses continue to be a significant public health concern globally. In the United States, an estimated 48-million illness, 128,000 hospitalizations and 3000 deaths occur annually due to consumption of contaminated food products. The annual healthcare cost for treating these infections could be as high as $77 billion USD. Among the major bacterial foodborne pathogens, Campylobacter is the leading cause of diarrheal illness in the United States with an estimated 1.3 million cases of campylobacteriosis occurring each year. Although livestock, and particularly poultry, are the most common source, recent evidence suggests that environmental reservoirs (soil, water) play an important role in its transmission leading to product contamination and human infections. Antibiotics such as macrolides and fluoroquinolones are commonly used for treating campylobacteriosis in humans, however, there are reports of development of resistance to these drugs and several resistance imparting genes have been identified in Campylobacter. This increase in antibiotic resistance in the pathogen has fueled research exploring the potential of various alternative strategies to prevent food contamination and reduce Campylobacter infections in humans. Results from our laboratory and several other labs suggest that some of the plant based compounds, probiotic strains and bacteriophages have significant antimicrobial efficacy against C. jejuni and could improve food safety at various stages in food supply chain. This chapter discusses the potential of alternative approaches using phytochemicals, probiotic bacteria and bacteriophages for controlling C. jejuni colonization in reservoir hosts, persistence in processing areas, survival in food products, and infections in humans.

Technical Abstract: Campylobacter jejuni is a major foodborne pathogen that causes severe gastrointestinal illness in humans characterized by abdominal cramps, pyrexia and diarrhea. Although livestock, and particularly poultry, are the most common source, recent evidence suggests that environmental reservoirs (soil, water) play an important role in its transmission leading to product contamination and human infections. Antibiotics such as macrolides and fluoroquinolones are commonly used for treating campylobacteriosis in humans, however, there are reports of development of resistance to these drugs and several resistance imparting genes have been identified in Campylobacter. This increase in antibiotic resistance in the pathogen has fueled research exploring the potential of various alternative strategies to prevent food contamination and reduce Campylobacter infections in humans.