Prevalence of Arcobacter spp. in turkey meat and pork from Berlin retail handlers and a comparison of three cultural Arcobacter detection methods

摘要

The aim of the present study was to determine the contamination rate of Arcobacter spp. in fresh turkey meat and pigmeat from various retail and branch outlets in Berlin, Germany. The investigation was carried out in accordance to the micro- and molecular-biological methods described by Houf et al. (2000, 2001). In a supplementary study, the aforementioned microbiological research method of Houf et al. (2001), the recommended protocol from Johnson and Murano (1999a, 1999b), and the modified version of the Johnson-Murano protocol from Scullion et al. (2004), were compared and examined with regard to their efficiency. Sampling occurred between August 2005 and June 2007. Of the turkey samples (n=151), 80% were contaminated with Arcobacter spp. Of the pigmeat samples (n=93), 48% were contaminated with Arcobacter spp. In the comparative investigation (turkey meat, n=51) of 3 isolation methods, the best yield was attained using the protocol of Houf et al.; a total of 65% of positive samples could be classified, in contrast to 47% observed with the protocol of Johnson and Murano, and 49% with the very similar version of Scullion et al. (2004). The results of the 3 detection methods did not show a 100% agreement in the distribution of positive samples and detected species. Through the combinative application of the methods of Houf et al. and Johnson and Murano, a clear qualitative and quantitative improvement of the isolation results can thus be obtained.