ABSTRACT
Campylobacter is a leading cause of bacterial gastroenteritis in humans in developed countries worldwide. Since 2004, campylobacteriosis has been the most commonly reported zoonosis in EU with between 175,000 and 200,500 laboratory confi rmed cases per year (Anon 2011a). Campylobacter of the so-called thermophilic or thermotolerant species, which are the main causes of human campylobacteriosis, are found in the gastrointestinal tract of a great variety of animals, both wild and domestic mammals and avian species. The animals usually carry the organisms without showing any signs of disease (Altekruse et al. 1994). The transmission of Campylobacter to humans could be via direct contact with colonized animals but the most common route is foodborne, i.e., by consumption of contaminated food or water. The thermophilic Campylobacter spp. will be the focus of this chapter.
