Colour enhanced scanning electron microscope of arcobacter septicus. Arcobacter bacteria live in the soil,sludge,faeces,stagnant water,sewage and other natural environments . Raw and undercooked meat (beef,pork,lamb),raw unpasteurized milk,untreated water,and shellfish have been implicated in the transmission of Arcobacter spp. They are now recognized as important human and animal pathogens which have been found to cause reproductive problems in pigs,abnormalities in rainbow trout,diarrhoea in animals and humans,even rare but severe cases of bacteremia (presence of bacteria in the blood). Their optimal temperature is 25 to 30 C so the relatively high body temperature of chickens (41 C) protects them from having their intestines colonized with Arcobacter. Some time ago,Arcobacter were called aerotolerant Campylobacter . Arcobacter is a member of the Epsilobacteria group,which also includes Campylobacter and Helicobacter spp. It |