Epidemiological aspects of thermophilic Campylobacter in water-related environments: A review

Campylobacteriosis is one of the most frequently occurring acute gastroenteritis diseases in humans. Studies have revealed that the main risk factors in contracting campylobacteriosis are eating undercooked poultry meat, drinking raw milk, or drinking untreated water, and to a lesser degree, living in a household with a cat or dog. During the past 5 years many transmission routes of Campylobacter have been elucidated. However, knowledge on the significance of surface waters in causing Campylobacter infections remains scarce. Various reports have shown that the aquatic environment is regularly contaminated with Campylobacter. Risk analysis indicates that the contribution of contaminated recreational water to human infections may be higher than previously assumed. The contribution of viable but nonculturable Campylobacter cells in the contamination cycle has been found to be negligible.