Analytical Utility of Campylobacter Methodologies

摘要

1. What additional circumstances should be considered in order for the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) to conclude that the poultry baseline study should address more than the two principal Campylobacter species, Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli? 2. How can the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) method be most successfully used for high-volume analysis in the conduct of a baseline study of Campylobacter presence and enumeration on poultry (chicken, turkey, goose, etc.) carcasses, parts, and ground product that may lead to a potential performance standard or guideline for the regulated industry? What, if any, modifications should be made as a result of discussing this method in comparison with others presented to the Committee? Please consider whether the above described atmospheric conditions, growth media, preenrichment conditions, and storage media are acceptable to meet the objective of this baseline study. 3. To utilize FSIS resources efficiently and effectively, the FSIS expects to maintain as much continuity as possible between the current broiler rinse sampling protocol for Salmonella and the proposed sampling protocol for Campylobacter spp. What concerns regarding the Campylobacter spp. sampling method need to be attended to in order to properly address postchill-injured Campylobacter spp. cells as well as viable but nonculturable (coccoid) cells? 4. What further subtyping methods should be performed on confirmed cultures (restriction fragment length polymorphism, amplified fragment length polymorphism, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, ribosomal DNA sequencing, antibiotic susceptibility, etc.), and what, if any, limitations do any of these methods have? 5. What effect would in situ Campylobacter cell aggregation have on the accuracy and reproducibility of enumerations, and is there any remedy to address this issue? 6. Occasionally, nonthermophilic Campylobacter species cause human illness. It is unclear whether livestock and poultry are reservoirs for these species and whether these pathogens are present on meat and poultry products following slaughter and processing. Current methodologies include use of selective agents and incubation conditions that may reduce the detection of these pathogens. If a pilot study was conducted to ascertain the presence of these Campylobacter species on meat and poultry products, what methodologies would be most effective for detecting these species?