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This research project aims to identify and investigate clusters of human campylobacter cases in north-west of England and assess the contribution of environmental exposures.
<p>The study will identify and investigate clusters of cases in the north-west of England and assess the contribution that environmental exposures, including water-borne sources of campylobacter make to the burden of human disease.
<p>Up-to-date molecular methods will be used to type campylobacters from human cases and identify potential clusters in space and time. Environmental quantification of campylobacter will detect potential seasonal events leading to increased human exposure and epidemiological relationships between clusters and types found in water and animal specimens will be investigated in relation to these events.
<p>A range of statistical methods will be used to analyse the correlation between environmental exposures and peaks of human infection.
Campylobacter is the most frequently isolated bacterium associated with gastroenteritis in humans.
<p>It usually causes sporadic cases of infection, although in recent years an increasing number of outbreaks have been described.
<p>Epidemiological studies suggest that poultry meat is an important vehicle of infection and surveys have shown that a significant proportion of raw poultry meat for human consumption is contaminated with these bacteria.
<p>However, poultry meat only explains a proportion of campylobacter cases and the role of other animal products, other foods, water and non-foodborne exposures is still unclear.
<p>The Agency commissioned this research to further our understanding of the epidemiology of campylobacter.
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The final report, "<a href="http://www.foodbase.org.uk/results.php?f_report_id=409" target="_new">Environmental and Water-borne Sources of Campylobacter in The North-west of England and Their Influence on Seasonal Human Infection</A>" is available at Foodbase, an open access repository of the <acronym title="Food Standards Agency"> FSA</acronym>.
<p>Find more about this project and other FSA food safety-related projects at the <a href="http://www.food.gov.uk/science/research/" target="_blank">Food Standards Agency Research webpage</a>.