ABSTRACT
There are several bacterial zoonoses that affect, and/or are associated with, poultry worldwide, including those caused by Campylobacter, Salmonella, Escherichia coli and Listeria spp. In the United Kingdom, during the 1980s, an outbreak of Salmonella linked to eggs made headlines; this led to most laying hens in the United Kingdom, reared under the Lion Code, to be vaccinated against Salmonella. This control measure led to a reduction in the number of cases in the human population seen in the United Kingdom. Campylobacter is now the leading cause of bacterial foodborne illness, with the majority of cases being attributed to the consumption of poultry and poultry products (Wilson et al. 2010; Hermans et al. 2011; Levin 2007; Williams 2014), although there have been cases associated with pigs (Denis et al. 2008; Horrocks et al. 2009; Zweifel et al. 2008; Little et al. 2008; Oporto et al. 2007), cows (Gilpin et al. 2008; Kwan et al. 2008; Ingilis et al. 2004; Busato et al. 1999), sheep (Sahin et al. 2008; Oporto et al. 2007; Zweifel et al. 2004; Açik and Cetinkaya 2006), companion animals (Kemp et al. 2005; Brown et al. 2004; Andrzejewska et al. 2013) and wild birds (Horrocks et al. 2009; Kwan et al. 2008; Meerburg et al. 2006).
