Campylobacter incidence on a chicken farm and the spread of Campylobacter during the slaughter process

• To get a better understanding of the epidemiology of Campylobacter, a chicken farm was studied for 16 weeks with samplings in each flock weekly from input until the flock became colonized with Campylobacter or slaughtered. Samples were taken from fresh droppings and from drinkers during the rearing period, as well as from the environment in empty houses. The spread of Campylobacter during the slaughter process was also surveyed. No Campylobacter was found in samples from newly-hatched ol one-week-old chickens or their drinkers. All Hocks but one were colonized at two to five weeks of age. All Campylobacter isolates belonged to the same sero- and biotype; C. jejuni Penner 2. The spread of Campylobacter in the flock was rapid and usually all samples were positive once colonization had been proven. C. jejuni was isolated from flies in ante-rooms as well as from air in chicken units ill houses with positive chicken flocks. Samples were taken at slaughter when some of the Campylobacter positive Hocks from the farm were slaughtered. Campylobacter were isolated from all sampled equipment along the processing line, from the chicken transport crates to the chillers, as well as from the air.

Subject headings

LANTBRUKSVETENSKAPER  -- Lantbruksvetenskap, skogsbruk och fiske -- Livsmedelsvetenskap (hsv//swe)

AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES  -- Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries -- Food Science (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Biologi -- Mikrobiologi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Biological Sciences -- Microbiology (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Campylobacter

colonization

broiler

flies

air

Microbiology

Mikrobiologi

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)