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ARS Home » Plains Area » College Station, Texas » Southern Plains Agricultural Research Center » Food and Feed Safety Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #142304

Title: CECAL COLONIZATION OF CHICKS BY BOVINE-DERIVED STRAINS OF CAMPYLOBACTER

Author
item Ziprin, Richard
item Sheffield, Cynthia
item Hume, Michael
item DRINNON, DAMON - TAMU
item Harvey, Roger

Submitted to: Avian Diseases
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/21/2003
Publication Date: 12/20/2003
Citation: Ziprin, R.L., Sheffield, C.L., Hume, M.E., Drinnon, D.L., Harvey, R.B. 2003. Cecal colonization of chicks by bovine-derived strains of Campylobacter. Avian Diseases. 47:1429-1433.

Interpretive Summary: Wild and domesticated animals are possible sources of the bacteria that cause human food borne illness. There are several possible animal sources from which humans may contract the disease, however, little is known about the movement of Campylobacter between various animal species. We do not know how certain food poisoning germs called Campylobacter find their way into poultry houses. We studied Campylobacter found in dairy cows to determine if they were able to infect chickens. We found that most Campylobacter types found in dairy cows were also able to infect chickens. This result means that farms should be operated in a way that keeps Campylobacter from spreading from dairy cows to poultry facilities.

Technical Abstract: Campylobacter jejuni and coli strains were isolated from feces of dairy cattle at farms with no known problem due to campylobacteria. Farms were located in the North East, Desert Southwest, and Pacific West. Isolates were identified by ribotyping using a RiboPrinter **R. The ability of these bovine isolates to colonize the ceca of chicks was determined by challenge inoculation and reisolation from the ceca at 1 and 2 weeks after challenge. Reisolates were examined by ribotyping to assure that recovered isolates matched the challenge strain. Each bovine isolate was found to be a capable colonizer of chickens. These results indicate that dairy cattle may be asymptomatic Campylobacter carriers, and potential sources of campylobacteria contamination of poultry facilities.