ABSTRACT
Introduction-significance of the problem Foodborne illness is a signicant worldwide public health problem. The Council for Agricultural Science and Technology, in a 1994 report entitled “Foodborne Pathogens: Risks and Consequences,” estimated that as many as 9000 deaths and 6.5-33 million illnesses in the United States each year are caused by ingestion of contaminated foods. In 1996, the Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet) collected data on nine foodborne diseases in several sites within the United States.1 Since the start of this program, Campylobacter and Salmonella have been the leading causes of laboratory-conrmed foodborne illness. In 1997, Campylobacter (3966 cases) and Salmonella (2204 cases) accounted for over 76% of the conrmed foodborne-related diseases.2 In direct comparisons between Campylobacter and Salmonella, Campylobacter outnumbered Salmonella detection 10 to 1 in college students and 2 to 1 in the general population in the United States.3
