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Title: PRESENCE AND NUMBERS OF CAMPYLOBACTER IN BROILER RESPIRATORY TRACTS BEFORE AND AFTER COMMERCIAL SCALD

Author
item REIMER, N. - UGA
item Berrang, Mark
item Buhr, Richard - Jeff
item Meinersmann, Richard - Rick
item HARRISON, M. - UGA

Submitted to: Southern Poultry Science Society Meeting Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/15/2002
Publication Date: 8/11/2002
Citation: Reimer, N., Berrang, M.E., Buhr, R.J., Meinersmann, R.J., Harrison, M.A. 2002. Presence and numbers of campylobacter in broiler respiratory tracts before and after commercial scald. [abstract] Southern Poultry Science Society Meeting Abstracts.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Campylobacter can be recovered from broiler body cavity sponge samples taken after careful hand evisceration with no visible gut rupture or leakage. This study was undertaken to examine the broiler respiratory tract before and after scalding as a possible source of internal carcass contamination. On each of three replicate sample days, ten pre-scald and ten post-scald broiler carcasses were collected from the shackle line in a commercial processing plant. The carcasses were examined by means of a flush of the respiratory system (trachea, lungs and airsacs). An incision was made in the trachea at a point closer to the thoracic inlet than the neck cut; sixty ml of buffered saline was gently introduced into the trachea with a syringe. In preliminary work, this technique was found to partially fill the airsacs without rupturing them. The buffered saline functioned as a rinse, remaining in the respiratory tract while the carcass was rotated by hand for 120s. The rinse was collected and serial dilutions were plated for total aerobic bacterial counts, coliforms, Escherichia coli and Campylobacter. All results are reported as log10 CFU/ml rinse. Prior to scald recovery was: total aerobic bacteria 3.0, E. coli 1.2, coliforms 1.2, and Campylobacter 0.7. After scald recovery was: total aerobic bacteria 4.1, E. coli 2.7, coliforms 3.0, and Campylobacter 1.0. Campylobacter can be recovered from respiratory tracts only in relatively low numbers. Unlike total counts, E. coli and coliforms, Campylobacter was not recovered in significantly higher numbers from post scald carcasses.