Prevalence and quantification of viable Campylobacter species in retail chicken: a comparative study using viability digital polymerase chain reaction and conventional culture methods
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Campylobacter is a major foodborne pathogen and a significant public health concern, frequently associated with the consumption of undercooked poultry. Although conventional microbiological culture remains the gold standard for detection, it often fails to detect bacteria in the viable but non-culturable (VBNC) state, potentially underestimating the risk to consumers. To address this limitation, we conducted a year-long epidemiological investigation of retail chicken using propidium monoazide-digital polymerase chain reaction (PMA-dPCR). Between February 2025 and January 2026, 120 retail chicken samples were collected from three local supermarkets (10 samples per month). Comparative analysis of PMA-dPCR and conventional culture methods revealed that PMA-dPCR without enhancer yielded a higher overall detection rate (55.0%) than direct culture (43.3%) and enrichment culture (46.7%), whereas PMA-dPCR with enhancer showed a lower detection rate (33.3%). Specifically, the detection of PMA-dPCR-positive/culture-negative samples during multiple months of the study period indicated the presence of membrane-intact Campylobacter populations that may include cells in the VBNC state in the retail poultry supply chain. Although lower detection rates were observed in early spring, PMA-dPCR enabled the detection of membrane-intact Campylobacter populations that were not detected by conventional culture. These results highlight the value of advanced molecular tools such as PMA-dPCR for a more comprehensive assessment of Campylobacter contamination.
Source: Frontiers in Microbiology
Language: English
Subfield: Food Science
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,801
OpenAlex ID: W7222994860