Arcobacter species: an emerging or emerged food pathogen?

The genus Arcobacter was proposed to describe organisms previously classified as “aerotolerant campylobacters.” Following the description of the genus there were reports of the organism being implicated in human illness, although a definitive association was not fully established. However, in 2002 the International Commission on Microbiological Specifications for Foods classified Arcobacter butzleri a serious hazard to human health. The publication in 2007 of the whole genome sequence of A. butzleri was an important milestone in the understanding of its importance in human disease mechanisms. The organism is routinely isolated from a range of foods of animal origin, such as pork and poultry, as well as water and other environmental sources. This chapter reviews methods of isolation and identification of Arcobacter spp., the means of contamination throughout the food chain, and discusses its potential and actual role in human disease.

Chapter 12: Arcobacter Species: An Emerged or Emerging Pathogen?
Abstract
1 Introduction
2 Isolation
3 Identification
4 Occurrence in Animals and Food
5 Occurrence in Water
6 Control
7 Arcobacter and Human Infections
8 Conclusion