Arcobacter species in milk contamination: a prevalence-based systematic review and meta-analysis.

Arcobacter data systematically retrieved from 5 repositories until 20/02/2022 according to PRISMA principles was logit transformed and fitted using a generalized linear mixed-effects model. The between-study heterogeneity was estimated as I2-value. Leave-one-out-cross-validation and funnel plot with Egger's tests was used to assess the hardiness and bias in the model. The global prevalence of Arcobacter genus in the milk was 12% [95%-CI: 7-19%; I2 = 87.3%, 95%-CI: 83.0-90.6%] and no publication bias observed (Eggers' test: p = 0.112). Arcobacter genus prevalence in milk was 13% (95%-CI: 5-30%), 10% (95%-CI: 1-46%), and 9% (95%-CI: 4-19%) in Europe, South America, and Asia, respectively. A. butzleri was the most prevalent (8% [95%-CI: 4-13%]), then A. cryaerophilus (0.6% [95%-CI: 0.2-33.2%]) and A. skirrowii (0.19% [95%-CI: 0.03-1.2%]). Also species-specific prevalence of A. butzleri, A. cryaerophilus, and A. skirrowii varied continentally, but the test for species-specific/continental differences were not significantly different (p > 0.5).