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Clinical campylobacter isolates obtained from the Scottish NHS diagnostic laboratories over a 15-month period will be typed using MLST. These will be compared with the MLST profiles from more than 1000 food and environmental isolates collected over the same period throughout Scotland. The resulting MLST profiles will be analysed and compared with other published profiles in an attempt to identify epidemiological links and sources of infection.
Despite the worldwide importance of campylobacter as an enteric pathogen, much remains to be understood about its epidemiology and associated risk factors. A greater understanding of this area is vital for the development of effective control programmes to reduce human campylobacter infection.
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The Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food (ACMSF) 2nd Report on campylobacter recommended that the Agency considered MLST in its future investigative programmes to improve the epidemiological study of campylobacter over the next few years.
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This project aims to identify epidemiological links and sources of infection. It will also examine the population genetics of campylobacter.
<p>Find more about this project and other FSA food safety-related projects at the <a href="http://www.food.gov.uk/science/research/" target="_blank">Food Standards Agency Research webpage</a>.