International Conference on "Prevention and control of Campylobacter in the poultry production system"

CONCEPT

The last report of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) on trends and sources of zoonoses, zoonotic agents and food-borne outbreaks in the European Union (EU) confirms human campylobacteriosis as the most frequent food-borne zoonosis notified by EU Member States (214.779 cases in 2013).

The consumption of contaminated food, poultry meat in particular, is considered one of the main sources of human infection, as reported by several published papers and scientific studies. Contaminated poultry meat, in fact, plays a crucial role in human exposure, causing the 20%-30% of all human cases of campylobacteriosis in EU and representing the primary source of infection in 50%-80% of cases.

Member States, as active part of the EU integrated approach to food safety from the farm to the fork, are strongly committed to take action and to adopt appropriate methods to fight against Campylobacter in animals, in animal-by products, and in humans, to reduce the disease spreading, improve the quality of meat production, and to protect public health. According to an EFSA’s opinion published in 2011, an effective control strategy for Campylobacter contamination in poultry meat should consider the whole production chain; the last identified strategy aims strongly to the first phase of the chain production, in particular to the biosecurity measures and the actions taken. Scientists and policy-makers are currently debating on the most effective and feasible control measures to be applied along the poultry meat production chain, while great efforts and several studies are being carried out to identify the main risk factors for Campylobacter colonisation and contamination. The conference will debate the risk factors, drawing up particular attention to the active measures in the farm.

In this context and in line with the EFSA scientific indications, the Italian Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the National Union of the Meat and Egg Agri-food Sectors (U.N.A. ITALIA), recently launched the “National monitoring plan on Campylobacter contamination along the production chain of poultry meat”, with the aim of producing and collecting epidemiological data useful for the definition of appropriate and feasible national control strategies.

The National Food Safety Authorities of the EU member States recently agreed on the need to share knowledge and expertise on the new methods and approaches to control Campylobacter in the farming sector and consequently in the production chain as well as to discuss the most appropriate risk communication strategies to increase consumer awareness on the role of the competent authorities to protect human health and on the risks associated to the consumption of contaminated meat products.

Taking into account the impact of the disease on the poultry production and on human health, the Italian Ministry of Health promoted this International Conference,
with the collaboration of Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise, as National Reference Laboratory for Campylobacter, and Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie.

The Conference is open to National Competent Authorities of EU member States, candidate, and third Countries and to all the stakeholders interested to the improvement of the quality and safety of poultry meats as well as to the protection of human and animal health.

CONFERENCE GOALS

The Conference aims to achieve the following goals:

- To update the scientific community, policy and decision makers and
stakeholders on Campylobacter contamination levels in poultry farms, poultry products and biosecurity measures in Europe.

- To examine the main risk factors and critical points influencing the colonisation and maintenance of Campylobacter contamination
along the poultry meat production chain, particularly focused on the farming systems.

- To discuss the efficacy and feasibility of possible control strategies and prevention, through acting measures on farm, for Campylobacter
contamination along the poultry meat production chain.

- To examine effective risk communication approaches to increase
the consumer awareness and information.