Benefits and Costs of Reducing Human Campylobacteriosis Attributed to Consumption of Chicken Meat in New Zealand

The annual rate of human campylobacteriosis cases in New Zealand increased consistently after notification became compulsory in 1980; a large proportion of which were attributed to the consumption of chicken meat. In 2006, a Campylobacter Risk Management Strategy was developed that concentrated on optimising broiler chicken processing with regard to reducing carcass contamination and hence the number of human cases of campylobacteriosis. While it has been very successful with more than a 50% decrease in the number of notified foodborne human cases being achieved already by 2008, a greater reduction in the burden of human illness is still sought.