title: Importance of the producer on retail broiler meat product contamination with Campylobacter spp.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Campylobacter spp. are a leading cause of human bacterial gastroenteritis worldwide, with poultry meat being considered the most important source of the infection. To obtain data on broiler meat contamination with Campylobacter spp. in Lithuania, the occurrence, counts and genotypes of these pathogens on raw broiler meat products from different producers were examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 312 broiler meat product samples examined, 46.8% were contaminated with Campylobacter spp. Campylobacter jejuni was identified in 51.4% and Campylobacter coli in 37.7% of positive samples. Campylobacter jejuni was more frequently found in the warm period (April-October) and C. coli in the cold period (November-March) of the year (P < 0.05). The overall mean count of Campylobacter spp. was 3.55 and 3.50 log10 colony-forming units (CFU) on wings and drumsticks respectively. The occurrence and counts of Campylobacter spp. varied significantly between producers examined (P < 0.05). Analysis of flaA-RFLP genotyping revealed C. jejuni genotypes common to all producers as well as producer-specific genotypes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both the occurrence and counts of Campylobacter spp. on broiler meat products were producer-dependent, so this should be kept in mind when risk-based control measures at national level are applied.
authors: Department of Food Safety and Quality, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Veterinary Academy Tilžės Str. 18, LT-47181, Kaunas, Lithuania. kudirkiene@lva.lt
authors: Eglė
authors: E
authors: Kudirkienė
authors: Jurgita
authors: J
authors: Bunevičienė
authors: Loreta
authors: L
authors: Šernienė
authors: Sigita
authors: S
authors: Ramonaitė
authors: John E
authors: JE
authors: Olsen
authors: Mindaugas
authors: M
authors: Malakauskas
mesh_terms: D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000818:Animals; D002167:Campylobacter / Q000145:classification / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D017000:Campylobacter coli / Q000145:classification / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016123:Campylobacter jejuni / Q000145:classification / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002645:Chickens / Q000254:growth & development / Q000382:microbiology*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D005408:Flagellin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008097:Lithuania; D035002:Lower Extremity; D008460:Meat / Q000191:economics / Q000382:microbiology*; D050296:Microbial Viability; D058889:Molecular Typing; D060885:Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D012621:Seasons; D012867:Skin / Q000382:microbiology; D014921:Wings, Animal
chemical_list: D005408:Flagellin; C067138:flaA protein, bacteria