Recent developments pertaining to Campylobacter

Campylobacter is the most frequently reported human enteropathogenic bacter ium in developed countries. Guillian-Barre syndrome and reactive arthritis are severe sequellae to the acute phase of gastroenteritis. Data will be pr esented showing that identical clones of Campylobacter isolated prospective ly from processed broiler carcasses appeared in subsequent human disease. W e conducted epidemiological studies and infrequently, if ever, found the sa me clone on the farm before those isolates were excreted by the broiler chi ckens. Using a gene sequencing characterization system, we demonstrated ide ntity of the resulting Campylobacter isolates from breeder flocks and their progeny more than 20 miles apart. Measures to control the pathogen will be discussed.