This edited volume explores Campylobacter species, which are some of the most important foodborne pathogens. Above all, contaminated poultry meat can cause human gastroenteritis in both developed and developing countries. The respective contributions reveal how these infections can also increase the risk of generalized paralytic diseases such as Guillain-Barré syndrome, Miller-Fisher syndrome, and Chinese paralytic syndrome. Due to their influence on the nervous system, circulatory system, and various organs, Campylobacter infections represent a serious public health concern.

Campylobacter can be effectively combated by addressing the hygienic conditions in both food production and human lifestyles. Accordingly, the authors put forward a One Health perspective, which provides readers with essential insights into the basic biology of Campylobacter, as well as practical guidance on aspects ranging from food production to the clinical treatment of infections.

Chapter 'Natural Competence and Horizontal Gene Transfer in Campylobacter' is available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.

Steffen Backert is the full Professor of Microbiology in the Department of Biology at Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany. His group is working in the field of Microbial Pathogenesis for about 25 years, investigating molecular signalling pathways during host-pathogen interactions in enteric infections such as that of Campylobacter jejuni and Helicobacter pylori. His research interest focuses on the identification and characterization of new bacterial virulence factors (secreted or injected), which could represent potential novel targets for therapeutic intervention. He has authored more than 220 peer-reviewed publications and edited eight scientific books. He is Associate Editor of various highly ranked research journals and has a strong and consistent record of gaining competitive research funding. Professor Backert is inventor on five patents.