A point source outbreak of campylobacter infection related to bird-pecked milk

Abstract

A point source outbreak of Campylobacter jejuni affected 11 children in a day nursery. Milk consumed by the children was known to have been pecked by magpies on occasions. Illness was significantly associated with consumption of milk on a single morning. Examination of milk from a bottle pecked after the outbreak yielded campylobacters. The level of contamination was approximately six cells of C. jejuni per 500 ml of milk.