Abstract
This Briefing updates the epidemiology of the continuing Campylobacter infection epidemic in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ). Contaminated fresh chicken meat remains the dominant source, causing an estimated 77% of infections. A strong regulatory response in 2007 halved disease rates in three months. In the subsequent 17 years, disease incidence appears to have increased by almost 70%, based on hospitalisations. During that period, we estimate that contaminated chicken caused more than 600,000 cases of illness, over 9000 hospitalisations, at least 60 deaths, and economic costs of approximately $1.4 billion.
This ongoing epidemic demands strong industry and regulatory interventions to control the source of infection and protect the NZ public, health system and economy. Immediate measures could include introducing low allowable levels of Campylobacter on fresh poultry for sale and labelling all fresh chicken products to highlight this risk and how to minimise it. NZ also needs to reinstate an independent regulator to oversee comprehensive control measures to largely eliminate human infections from contaminated chicken.