Isolation and identification of thermophilic Campylobacter spp.in cattle carcasses from a northern Italian slaughterhouse

Rinse water samples were obtained from fifty cattle carcasses processed in a northern Italian slaughterhouse between January and April 2007. The incidence and prevalence of Campylobacter spp. in these samples were determined. Conventional cultural techniques, followed by a rapid latex agglutination test were used for testing. A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by DNA sequencing was used to identify the thermophilic Campylobacter. Campylobacter spp. were detect ed in four (8%) samples using the cultural methods and in six (12%) samples using molecular techniques. Campylobacter jejuni was the only species detected in these samples. The results indicate a relatively low level of Campylobacter spp. contamination on the examined cattle carcasses.