A baseline risk model will be conducted that explains the contribution of the selected risk factors to the human campylobacteriosis cases. Consortium’s study data will be complemented by publicly available data as well as by data from previous studies. Secondly, the impact of measures with the following objectives will be investigated by use of risk intervention models: (a) reducing the prevalence of Campylobacter in poultry flocks, (b) reducing the bacterial load of colonised chickens, (c) reducing the release of Campylobacter spp. from broiler farms to the environment, and (d) reducing the proportion of contaminated carcasses. At last, these approaches will be combined by constructing a general risk intervention model and will be validated by a concerted field study including selected interventions on farm and slaughterhouse level.

Identification of genomic signatures for host specificity to cattle, pig and chicken of C. jejuni and C. coli and its distribution in the host-specialists as well as in the host-generalists will be determined by applying a k-mer approach to whole genome sequence data of selected strains. The strains will also be characterised according to their phylogenetic relationships and their virulence profile and an evaluation on genomes of Campylobacter isolated from humans will be performed. The findings in this sub-project will help to improve the source attribution in human Campylobacter infections and may help to identify and interrupt zoonotic infect-chains.