Biotypes and serotypes of thermophilic campylobacters isolated from cattle, sheep and pig offal and other red meats

Abstract

SUMMARYIn this study we examined 730 faecal samples of offal (mainly liver), mince-meat and sausage meat collected from abattoirs and retail butchers' shops for campylobacters.Campylobacter jejuniorC. coliwere isolated from 30·6, 10·5 and 6% of sheep, cattle and pig offal samples respectively. Specimens collected from abattoirs were, in general, more often contaminated than material obtained from retail butchers' shops. Only 1·4% of minced meats and sausage meats contained campylobacters. Most isolates (89·5%) wereC. jejunibiotype 1 (Skirrow & Benjamin, 1980) of serotypes 1 and 2 (Penner & Hennessy, 1980). This study shows that animal offal is frequently contaminated withC. jejuniof biotypes and scrotypes commonly isolated from human beings with campylobacter enteritis.