Pathogenic Bacteria

Together with Salmonella, Campylobacteriosis is one of the most significant diarrheal diseases worldwide. The increase in Campylobacter enteritis is driven by the widespread presence of the bacterium in various wild and farm animals, as well as pets. As a commensal in the gut of poultry, Campylobacter enters the human food chain via these animals. Additionally, milk, ground meat, and drinking water can act as transmission pathways. Campylobacter is released in high quantities by numerous hosts, contaminating food and reaching humans. The infective dose for Campylobacter enteritis is low, requiring fewer than 500 bacteria to cause infection. Of the approximately 15 known Campylobacter species, C. jejuni and C. coli are the primary causes of human gastroenteritis.

Clostridium species are gram-positive, spore-forming bacteria present almost everywhere in the environment. Important pathogenic species include Clostridium botulinum, Clostridium perfringens, and Clostridium estertheticum. If food is not adequately cooled, it can become contaminated, leading to serious illnesses. These bacteria are heat-resistant and can survive in thoroughly heated food products.

Legionella are gram-negative, rod-shaped bacteria that live in water and are considered potential human pathogens. Legionella pneumophila is the species most responsible for human illnesses, causing Legionnaire’s disease (legionellosis). The disease is typically transmitted through contaminated drinking water.

Listeria bacteria are ubiquitous in the environment. Quantitative detection of Listeria can assess contamination risk and ensure preventive measures are taken if necessary. Listeria monocytogenes is a major cause of food poisoning and can lead to sepsis, meningitis, and encephalitis.

Salmonella is ranked among the most important initiators of cases of food poisoning. The WHO estimates more than 16 million global infections per year, and more than half a million cases are fatal. Salmonella are found in raw food such as eggs, meat and milk. The hazard potential is high, particularly in food that should only be slightly heated or not at all heated (e.g. raw milk cheese, raw sausage, chocolate, ice cream). In today’s mass animal farming industry, contamination with Salmonella can hardly be avoided. Therefore, effective quality control with reliable test methods is important. For this purpose, we offer a series of different test systems, for the hygienic control of surfaces as well as for the analysis of food.