In December 2005, at least five unwitting people in Whatcom and Skagit counties, both in Washington, became ill with campylobacteriosis after drinking milk produced by the Pleasant Valley Dairy. County health officials had announced earlier that “campylobacter had been isolated from a sample of milk” and residents were tested if they had acquired the bacteria into their body system. The diary pulled the batch of milk that was contaminated but has also immediately resumed its distribution of raw milk.
Campylobacter is the second most common culprit in food poisoning accounting for over 3,000 cases in the United States in 2003. It usually transmitted through undercooked meat products and contaminated raw milk. The single most reliable method to prevent food poisoning from Campylobacter is to adequately cook all meat products, especially poultry, with the thickest part reaching at least 165°F. Similarly, heating raw milk products would reduce the risk of acquiring the bacteria from contaminated raw milk.
Other food products should also not come into contact with the raw meat, cutting boards, knives, and any items that had come into contact with the raw meat to avoid cross-contamination. It is also recommended to thaw meat in the refrigerator, in cold water or in the microwave. Washing of hands and kitchen surfaces after contact with any meat product is still, of course, the primary way of securing food safety. Just like Salmonella, Campylobacter may be found in foods of animal origin—poultry, cattle, pigs, sheep, etc.
, They have the same symptoms, usually including diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever; but while symptoms of salmonellosis would show within 8 to 72 hours after ingestions, symptoms of campylobacteriosis would manifest usually after five days of ingestion; but while symptoms of salmonellosis would last within 4 to 7 days, symptoms of campylobacteriosis will last typically for 3 to 6 days only.
Works Cited “Campylobacter. ” November 2000. World Health Organization. 9 August 2008. <http://www. who. int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs255/en/>