title: Marked campylobacteriosis decline after interventions aimed at poultry, New Zealand.
abstract: Beginning in the 1980s, New Zealand experienced rising annual rates of campylobacteriosis that peaked in 2006. We analyzed notification, hospitalization, and other data to explore the 2007-2008 drop in campylobacteriosis incidence. Source attribution techniques based on genotyping of Campylobacter jejuni isolates from patients and environmental sources were also used to examine the decline. In 2008, the annual campylobacteriosis notification rate was 161.5/100,000 population, representing a 54% decline compared with the average annual rate of 353.8/100,000 for 2002-2006. A similar decline was seen for hospitalizations. Source attribution findings demonstrated a 74% (95% credible interval 49%-94%) reduction in the number of cases attributed to poultry. These reductions coincided with the introduction of a range of voluntary and regulatory interventions to reduce Campylobacter spp. contamination of poultry. The apparent success of these interventions may inform approaches other countries could consider to help control foodborne campylobacteriosis.
authors.affiliation: University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sears
authors.forename: Michael G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Baker
authors.forename: Nick
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Marshall
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Muellner
authors.forename: Donald M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Campbell
authors.forename: Robin J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Lake
authors.forename: Nigel P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: French
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002169:Campylobacter Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016123:Campylobacter jejuni / Q000302:isolation & purification; D059022:Food Safety; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D011200:Poultry; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*