coli biotype II 8    

8 2     4 C. selleck kinase inhibitor jejuni biotype I 14     14 9 1   10 C. jejuni biotype II 305 26 25 356 187 22 8 217 C. jejuni mTOR inhibitor review biotype IV 18 2 4 24 4 2   6 Total       410       235 Discussion In this study, as showed in table 1 and 2 thermotolerant Campylobacter contamination is widespread in caecal contents, processing plant environment and the poultry carcasses that reach the retailers stores. In pioneering initial studies conducted in 1982, Figueroa et al. [12], found that the C. jejuni bacterial load in the cloacal contents of 51 chickens (21 processed and 26 live birds) was fairly high: 46 specimens (90%); 25 (96%) in live birds and 21 (84%) in processed birds. Recent studies (Figueroa A., unpublished results) revealed much lower prevalence rates (12%) in some processed birds analyzed with a similar methodology, suggesting that carcasses decontamination can be reached. Despite this C. jejuni is sought as the most frequent pathogen isolated from poultry meats in Chile [13]. Microbiological analysis during poultry processing in slaughterhouses confirmed previous reports by Stern et al. [14] and Arsenault

et al. [15] who observed a positive Selleck MM-102 correlation between the contamination of carcasses and the high positivity rates for Campylobacter of flocks at the farm level. The recovery rates of Campylobacter in plant B represent lower contamination rates in both cloacal swabs and caecal content samples at plant A. This disparity in the intestinal tract colonization in live birds may explain the differences in the positive rates found in poultry carcasses and the environment samples between both plants resulting in an increased cross contamination risk during slaughter and processing. The proportion of carcasses contaminated with Campylobacter increase during evisceration steps. This findings was corroborated by the fact that the number of positive carcasses increased significantly (P < 0.05) after evisceration. Rosenquist et al. [16] observed that as an average the evisceration process led to a significant increase in the numbers of Campylobacter by 0.5 log10 CFU/g of neck

skin. The increase in contaminated carcasses is a result of viscera rupture, inevitably leading to the contamination of equipment, working surfaces, process water, and air and increasing the opportunities for cross contamination Thalidomide of Campylobacter-free carcasses during processing [5]. As the machinery used cannot adapt to the natural variation in the size of the carcasses being processed, the rupture of the intestines and the leak of fecal material is not uncommon in the slaughter plants [16, 17]. Based on the results presented here, we may conclude as previously reported, that evisceration is a critical step in carcass contamination [5, 16, 18]. The immersion chilling procedure has been identified as a critical control point (CCP) in a generic Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) study of poultry contamination by all pathogens [19].