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Campylobacter in Poultry – Risk Management Strategy 2007 - 2010

3 Background

Amendment 0

September 2007

3.1 What is Campylobacter?

Campylobacter is a bacterial organism that causes the gastrointestinal disease campylobacteriosis when it lodges in the walls of a person’s intestine. In particular, there are two species of Campylobacter that cause human illness and these are Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli.

3.2 Human Campylobacteriosis

Illness usually strikes within 2 – 5 days of exposure but can take up to 10 days. Symptoms include general muscle pain, stomach cramps, nausea, headache or fever followed by sudden watery diarrhoea that may contain blood. Most people feel ill for about a week. During the illness, and up to a fortnight afterwards, bacteria are shed from the gut and can survive on hands and moist surfaces for up to an hour.

The relationship between exposure and human illness is by no means clear. The dose-response relationship of Campylobacter and human illness is not well established. The role of immunity is not clear either. Nevertheless it can be assumed that the smaller the exposure, the more likely a reduction in the incidence of human illness will be.

The incidence of human campylobacteriosis in New Zealand is unacceptably high. Much research is being undertaken to identify solutions capable of reducing these high rates.

3.3 Pathways

There are many pathways for Campylobacter to reach the human population (especially in New Zealand) and knowing the relative importance of each of these is obviously very important when prioritizing areas for control. Once a significant pathway has been identified, its relative significance must be established using attribution techniques. Available scientific information shows that poultry meat is the main food pathway.

Knowledge of the cost and the feasibility of application of measures to reduce risks is an important input to risk management. In this regard, a risk model is a very useful tool that assists in the decision making process by organizing existing knowledge on potential interventions, identifying data gaps and providing estimates of outputs.

3.4 Ongoing Comprehensive Research

The New Zealand Food Safety Authority’s (NZFSA) research programme on Campylobacter has been comprehensive and longstanding over more than ten years, including involvement of the Ministry of Health and the Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR). It is now scientifically established that poultry is a primary pathway for the disease inNew Zealand as it is in other countries. However, it must be noted that as far as current knowledge indicates, poultry accounts for just over half of the identifiable infections. Therefore whatever is done to address the problem in poultry, will impact on only a proportion of the reported cases in New Zealand.

3.5 Risk Management Framework

The NZFSA risk management framework (RMF) provides a systematic process whereby knowledge on risk and evaluation of other factors relevant to control of hazards are used to choose and implement regulatory standards or other measures. The four generic steps involved in applying a RMF are shown in Figure 1. Effective risk management incorporates appropriate risk communication and stakeholder representation at all steps.

Figure 1: Components making up the Risk Management Framework

3.6 Campylobacter Risk Management Strategy Working Group

NZFSA has a dedicated Campylobacter risk management strategy working group to co-ordinate all work relating to Campylobacter in poultry, and update the risk management strategy. The working group represents expertise from several of the business groups within NZFSA.

3.7 Risk Communication

Communicating the risks inherent in food is an important part of the Campylobacter risk management strategy. NZFSA will communicate all aspects of the Campylobacter risk management strategy, results of work undertaken and develop communication strategies to assist the successful and effective implementation of Campylobacter reduction initiatives that result from this work.

Further information including press releases, reports, research and resources can be found at http://www.nzfsa.govt.nz/

Details of various NZFSA funded risk profiles and research can be found at: http://www.nzfsa.govt.nz/science