Presence of Clostridioides difficile in poultry meat and meat products

Clostridioides difficile, a Gram-positive spore-forming bacterium, has emerged as a significant cause of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) on a global scale. While initial investigations predominantly linked C. difficile transmission to hospital settings, recent reports indicate a worrisome increase in community-acquired C. difficile infections (CDIs), irrespective of factors such as prior hospitalization or age. The CDC's 2021 Annual Report for Clostridioides difficile infection underscores this shift, revealing a slightly higher prevalence of CDIs in the community (55.9 cases/100.000 people) compared to healthcare settings (54.3 cases/100.000 people). These statistics highlight the substantial role of non-hospital sources in CDI transmission. Ongoing studies posits zoonotic pathways, particularly the consumption of contaminated food, as pivotal in community-acquired CDI transmission. Research findings indicate the detection of C. difficile in both raw and heat-treated meat, as well as meat products, raising significant concerns. Present investigations emphasize a noteworthy potential for the transmission of C. difficile to humans through the consumption of poultry meat. Although no traces of this bacterium have been identified in heat-treated poultry meat and products thus far, the risk of latent transmission through cooked poultry products should not be dismissed. Despite the absence of identified cases in processed poultry meat, the plausible transmission of C. difficile through these products underscores the exigency for further investigation in this field. This review provides an in-depth screening of studies on C. difficile contamination in poultry meat and its products worldwide. It also summarizes the risk factors associated with C. difficile infection through poultry meat consumption and outlines preventive measures to mitigate this risk.