Prevalence of Campylobacter species in raw meat samples sold in open markets of Kolkata city

Campylobacteriosis is a zoonosis, caused by the infection with Campylobacter. Raw meat contaminated by Campylobacter from faeces of animals during evisceration and by spillage of intestinal content. In recent times, Campylobacter has emerged as an important food borne pathogen of both human and animals, and regarded as one of the most important zoonotic pathogen worldwide. Chicken and mutton meat have repeatedly been implicated as a source of food borne infections for humans, as both these meat are amongst most consumed meat in India. In this study, four Campylobacter spp. viz C. jejuni, C. coli, C. lari and C. fetus were isolated from raw meat samples. This study was therefore conducted to determine the prevalence of Campylobacter spp. from raw meat samples in Kolkata, India. A total of 200 raw meat samples, chicken (n = 100) & Mutton (n = 100) were collected randomly from open meat markets in Kolkata, India and were tested for the presence of Campylobacter. Campylobacter spp. was isolated from 136 of 200 (68%) raw meat samples examined. The highest prevalence of Campylobacter spp. was found in Chicken meat (72%), followed by mutton meat (64%). The most prevalence Campylobacter species isolated from raw meat samples were Campylobacter jejuni (58.82%), followed by Campylobacter coli (26.47%), Campylobacterlari (8.82%) & Campylobacter fetus (5.89%). It was concluded that a high proportion of raw meat sold in open market in Kolkata, India, was contaminated by Campylobacter spp. and the consumption of undercooked meat possess a possible health risk for consumers.

• Campylobacteriosis is of serious concern amongst butchers of Kolkata.

• Chicken meat is more contaminated than mutton meat.

• Open meat markets of Kolkata are reservoir of Campylobacteriosis.