Natural and Environmentally Friendly Strategies for Controlling Campylobacter jejuni Colonization in Poultry, Survival in Poultry Products and Infection in Humans

Campylobacter jejuni is a major foodborne pathogen that causes severe gastrointestinal illness in humans characterized by abdominal cramps, pyrexia, and diarrhea. Although livestock, and particularly poultry, are the most common source, recent evidence suggests that environmental reservoirs (soil, water) play an important role in its transmission leading to product contamination and human infections. Antibiotics such as macrolides and fluoroquinolones are commonly used for treating campylobacteriosis in humans; however, there are reports of development of resistance to these drugs, and several resistance-imparting genes have been identified in Campylobacter. This increase in antibiotic resistance in the pathogen has fueled research exploring the potential of various alternative strategies to prevent food contamination and reduce Campylobacter infections in humans.