Background: Campylobacter infection is the most common cause of bacterial gastroenteritis worldwide. It comes in second place in terms of foodborne pathogen hospitalizations in Canada. One of the most common strain of Campylobacter, C. jejuni, produces infection generally characterized by one to three days of fever, followed by five to seven days acute diarrhoea with watery or bloody stools. Studies of food-associated outbreaks of Campylobacter revealed that ingesting relatively small numbers (only a few hundred cells) of C. jejuni can produce illness. In some persons, complications can even lead to general paralysis (Guillain-Barré Syndrome) and death.
Raw meat, poultry, dairy products and shellfish often contains Campylobacter and contact surfaces are often contaminated with the pathogen. Even fresh produce like fruits and vegetables can be contaminated by fecal-laden irrigation water on the farms.
This method allows for the isolation and detection of viable Camplylobacter species from raw poultry, raw unprocessed meat, dairy products, molluscan shellfish and environmental surfaces (stainless steel).
Method: Health Canada (MFLP-46)
Turn Around time: 3-4 Business Days
Reported results: Negative or Positive of food or swab
SPECIMEN REQUIREMENTS
Container/Kit: Submit 250 grams of food in a sterile plastic sample bag with round wire closure.
Collection information: See Section Sampling under Food Sampling.
Requisition: Complete all fields of the form. See section Forms under Microbiology Sample Sheet.
Sterile bag: See section Form under Requisition for Containers and Supplies.
Preparation prior to transport: Keep refrigerated or frozen.
Shipping Instructions:
- Ship all foods in containers with hard walls and lids secured in the closed position.
- Shipping containers must be labelled with the submitting organization, unique identifier and contents e.g. FOOD SAMPLES on the outside of the container.
- Shipping containers used for food samples should be dedicated to food samples and not be used for other types of environmental samples.
- Ship dry foods and other shelf stable foods at ambient temperature in a closed container.
- Ship frozen foods in an insulated container with sufficient dry packs to maintain the frozen state.
- Ship perishable foods in an insulated container with sufficient cold packs to maintain a temperature as close to 4°C as possible. If ice is used, contain the ice in a manner that does not allow water contact with the samples.
- Submit all food samples to the laboratory as soon as possible.
TEST INFORMATION
The presence of Campylobacter spp. in food is determined by culture techniques including selective enrichment, isolation on agar plates, followed by biochemical identification.
Campylobacter spp. should be absent.