Prevalence of <i>Campylobacter</i> in “ready-to-eat” chicken meat in peri-urban areas of Nairobi, Kenya

Abstract

Background: Campylobacter as a food-borne infection is a public health challenge globally. Poultry, particularly the broiler chicken, are an important source of the bacterium to humans. Humans are infected through consumption of already contaminated poultry meat. Cross contamination of “ready-to-eat” foods (RTE) either during preparation or storage poses a threat to consumer health.
Objective: To determine the prevalence and virulence pattern of Campylobacter spp. isolated from “ready-to-eat” poultry meat in selected peri-urban areas of Nairobi.
Design: A cross sectional study.
Setting: The Department of Public Health, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Nairobi.
Subjects: “Ready-to-eat” meat from food outlets in Ruai, Ruiru and Kikuyu, Kenya.
Interventions: A total of 100 “ready-to-eat” meat samples were randomly obtained from 30 food outlets within the study area and analyzed for presence of food borne Campylobacter species using culture and biochemical identification and multiplex PCR to isolate, confirm and differentiate Campylobacter species as well as characterize their virulence genes respectively.
Main outcome measure: This study reported a 47% prevalence of Campylobacter. The prevalence of cdtB, cdtC, cadF and wlaN virulence markers ranged from 45.5%-54.5%. The results indicate that “ready-to-eat” chicken meat offered in various eating outlets in peri-urban areas of Nairobi pose a health risk to the consumer.
Conclusion: There is need to create awareness on the dangers posed by ready-to-eat chicken meat and how to eliminate the risk through hygienic slaughter and handling of chicken and proper cooking of the same to destroy any Campylobacter contaminating the products.