To elaborate on what OHbowhntr said. Any bacteria that would take up residence in or on the meat will be killed in the process of making the jerky. When making jerky it is important to make sure your marinade is salty and has some sort of acid in it(worchershire sauce can provide this). The combination of removing the water from a piece of meat and the salty acidic marinade will kill all the bacteria in your jerky. Properly stored jerky can last for years.

Also a side note. Most jerky recipes have at least some sugar content. It is important to have just a little bit to keep the jerky from becoming brittle when dried.(I forgot this last time)

Happy Eating